Another year... - January 1, 2013 Ah, the end of another year. For those of you who haven't been keeping up with me on Facebook, I know it's been awhile since my last post; like, since July. But, as I've mentioned before, I am reasonably active there. I have a Twitter account, but I don't really use it. So, feel free to say hi on FB. I have a few things to say, some of which I've discussed here before, and others I haven't. First, I am back in school. Thus far, I have not been able to make a reasonable living with my music, and I have no desire to work customer service for the rest of of my life. Therefore, I need to expand my job skills. I started out with the intention of getting a degree in accounting, but then I remembered something. I don't like accounting. Yes, ok, I do like the dry logic that numbers can represent, but honestly, statistics can be manipulated into backing up just about any position or opinion you'd like, and it seems that accounting isn't much difference these days. And, as I just said, I don't like accounting. However, about midway through my first classes, I realized something. I'm getting my degree online. For those of you who may not be familiar with that process, part of it requires posting in class forums, similar to what is now "old school" bulletin boards, and not all that different from FB's format. As the classes progressed, I remembered how much I enjoy the written (or typed) word. Considering how many songs I've written, that seems kind of obvious. However, writing prose and opinion is a different animal. And again, I dig it. It then occurred to me that I would highly prefer being an editor, copy writer, or perhaps even a reporter to becoming an accountant. It seems there are far fewer jobs in those fields, but if the goal is to find something that would be more acceptable and NOT a slow, 8 hour a day death, something in communications would be acceptable. While music will always be something I do, I don't believe I can realistically expect to make a living with what I want from it. That brings me to another topic, and I believe I've touched on it before. I'm no longer making any effort to play gigs. It takes a lot of time to find them, promote them, and stay reasonably well rehearsed/able to play for 2 - 4 hours. I've had a number of wonderful engagements and met some great people. However, I can no longer ignore the fact that not enough people are willing to pay for what I do. My music is not a reasonable source of income, and I'm just flat out tired of playing to people who don't care about or actively dislike what I'm doing. Oddly enough, I've reached a place where I'm pretty much ok with that. Here's the deal. I've received tons of advice from countless sources - some of whom I value greatly - on how to make a living at this. The bottom line is this. It has been my goal for most of my life to make my living playing my own material. When I've deviated from that I've been fairly miserable. Yes, I just did an album of covers songs; that's not what I mean. I'm talking about my live performances consisting of at least 50% of cover songs. Music can be a career and done professionally; I acknowledge that and am willing to proceed accordingly. However, I will NOT turn my passion into what feels like just another job. Fuck that. Yes, I feel that strongly about it. So, this is my plan. I will continue to write and record. My next deadline is to have a batch of songs done by the end of 2013. I will also redesign my web site. Bear in mind that I'll be in school and working at least 40 hours a week during this time as well, along with whatever else life throws at me. It will be difficult, to say the least, and for the first time in what feels like forever, music is not at the top of my list of priorities. It is work, school, then music. Well, maintaining my relationship with my wife and taking care of our animals and home is really at the top, but I've always considered that to be a given. In any case, it has to be that way for a while. I don't like it, and the prospect honestly made me feel physically ill for weeks. But, I've already started down that road, and it's necessary for my long term well being, and hopefully, happiness. In a couple of years, I should have my degree. I'll hopefully find a job that will be more palatable. Then I expect to again make music a higher priority. One more thing. My weight has gotten out of control and I have to change it. Yes, this has been discussed MANY times. It's been an issue for as long as I can remember. But, I really think it's reached a critical point. I can remember thinking something was wrong with a scale the first time one said I weighed 300 pounds. I can recall being disgusted when I went over 330. The last time I actually managed to lose significant weight and keep it for awhile, my motivation was being over 360. Now? 375. Yeah, how's that for fucking alarming? I won't get into the health issues that are present now; they are rather obvious. On the whole, my health is actually ok, but it sure as shit won't stay that way. Something clearly needs to be done, and this is what I've decided. I will start with counting calories and exercising. I'm not capable of much exercise, but it is necessary. We have an exercyle; that will be fine during the winter. When the weather is more hospitable, I'll go back to walking my dogs. Of course, I've done this before. What's to say that I'll actually stick to it now? Well, I've adopted the same strategy that helped me develop my songwriting by leaps and bounds; I'm going public. I've considered this before, but frankly, was afraid, ashamed, and just not committed enough. I will weigh myself daily and post it on FB. I will also post the number of calories I've consumed. Please understand that I'm not taking this step because I feel I need the support of my friends and/or sympathy…I know those closest to me will always provide the former, and usually the latter when appropriate. No, this is more about being publicly accountable for my own actions. The last time I started something this drastic was when I posted a new song every week for a year. Part of that motivation was committing to something in a public forum and proving that I could do it. And I did. Granted, it didn't exactly have the effect on my career that I hoped, but I still see it as one hell of an accomplishment. I expect this to provide similar results. However, it is at least slightly different. 2008 had a clear, defined goal with a time limit. This is more about effecting a change in lifestyle. I need to learn to eat less, eat better, and get something resembling a reasonable amount of fucking exercise. Why? Because I don't want to be helpless and pathetic as I age. Granted, that may still happen, but I'd like to exert what little control I have over that situation. My only real strike right now is my weight, and it can be changed. Toby & Harold have done it. So can I. In terms of numbers, I'd like to get below 300 again, and ultimately, I'd be thrilled to reach and stay at 260. This will start tomorrow, 1/2/13. I guess that's it for now. Y'all take care. Coming back... - July 16, 2012 Good lord. It's been nearly a year since I last posted here. Wow. Where does the time go (and other aging cliches)? Since then, I have posted a few new songs - see my music page, buy now & often - taken a break from music and recently started writing again. I discussed some of that on my Facebook pages: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Todd-Lorenz/208214440413 http://www.facebook.com/toddlorenz Feel free to have a look. I suppose the most noteworthy part of it is that I've set no real deadline for the completion of my next project, aside from the fact that I would like to have finished by the end of next year. Essentially, I've proven that I can write on a deadline. Now I'm going to spend significantly more time writing, arranging and recording. Why? Mainly because I have a few songs that I know would have benefitted from that process and, quite frankly, I'm in no damn rush. So why not take my sweet time for a change? That's it in a nutshell. I may divulge/discuss more if I feel the need. In any case, be good. Moving on... - August 10, 2011 I have a few things to discuss. I turned 42 yesterday, and yet, I still feel like a kid most of the time. I suspect it has something to do with the fact that I've never had children. I wonder if rearing children changes one's state of mind in terms of perceived age. I don't really act like a kid in many ways, or at least not in irresponsible ones...but in others I do. I still have to fight myself to eat better, I'm lazy, and I tend to let things go if they don't need to be done right away. On the flip side, I manage to stay employed, pay my bills, keep my wife happy, care for my animals and satisfy my musical goals in terms of production nearly every time. I say "nearly" because I had expected to start writing and recording again in July...but it just didn't happen. Then I figured it would be August, but...umm...yeah, not so much. Here we are on 8/10/11 and I just started working on a song yesterday. The next project will be a new recording by the last day of every month, and I think I"m going to start with September. I need to get back into the flow and also have to work other necessary activities into my life; things I've previously discussed here. My decision to do a new song once a month instead of weekly or bi weekly, as I've done previously, is based on at least a couple of things. First, I tend to focus on any given task and ignore everything else that I don't consider to be as important. That's quite helpful with regard to accomplishing a goal; not so much with trying to maintain a reasonable level of balance in one's life. So there's that. Second, while I didn't see it so clearly at the time, doing a song every week rushes things. It's less of a factor when the deadline is every two weeks, but I still feel the need to simply take more time with each production. The idea will be to play with arrangements, different guitar parts and sounds, get better takes...just overall improvement at every level. I also find myself thinking more as a songwriter than I have before, though that word has been the first I've used to describe myself for some time. I want to see where this takes me and I want to give each step I take a little more time. I also want to look deeper into myself on every level. I really loved The Life & Times of Snuffy Wilson. It was deeply personal, there are great songs and the whole thing, I think, came off really well. But, there wasn't much in terms of social commentary or observation. It was about one guy and what he thought about his life as he neared the end. Interpretations was fun, but none of the material was mine. This time out I want to dig further down. Perhaps not with every song - there's still something to be said for audio candy, so to speak - but when one is starting with something called FU, that is juuuuust a bit indicative of where I'm heading. Incidentally, I know there are two pop songs out there that essentially have the same title. I published the lyrics to my song on Facebook back in Jan 2010, and I wrote them sometime in 2009. My version of this particular obscenity doesn't sound anything like either of the others. And, while we're talking about digging deeper and being a songwriter, I have a sneaking suspicion that I'm not going to pay a lot of attention to writing or arranging based on what I think will sell. Truthfully, I always give that at least a bit of consideration, but I believe that this time out, I'm just going to let the song be its own master and do whatever the hell I think works. I think the songs will have fuller arrangements, be edgier, and have more of a rock feel. Not every song, but it seems like that's where I'm going right now. Guess that's it for now. Y'all take care. What's Up Now? - June 6, 2011 I’m in the midst of taking a bit of a break from making music. It’s not likely to be very long, but I feel it’s necessary for a few reasons. First, I’ve recently completed another deadline oriented project where I recorded and published a cover song at least every two weeks. Some were posted sooner as they were finished. One could make the argument that doing cover songs is easier than writing new material, but I’m not entirely certain that’s accurate. The demands and difficulties are simply different. When one composes something new, there isn’t an existing standard to which comparisons will automatically be drawn. Yes, every piece of music has its roots somewhere and influences can be heard, but that’s not the same thing as recording a new version of a song that’s become embedded into our culture, like “Hotel California.” I haven’t been inclined to do many cover songs since beginning my journey as a solo artist, mainly because I’ve had far more interest in writing, recording and performing my own material for nearly as long as I’ve been practicing. My first stringed instrument was bass guitar and I quickly started learning six string guitar as well so that I could write my own songs. I’ve been in a few bands during my life and cover songs were part of our repertoire, but that’s never been where most of my energy and attention were focused. So, coming back to doing other folks’ songs was a bit like starting over. In some ways, it’s harder for me to record a cover song than it is for me to write a new one. Obviously, I’ve spent more time in my life working on the writing process. My body of work reflects this. So, I decided to try and create my own versions of these songs and still retain the spirit and/or essence of the original recordings. Why would I even try to make a carbon copy? I didn’t see any reason to do that. On the whole, I think I was successful. Some songs are better than others, as is always the case, and I have my personal favorites. In my opinion, the best song of the collection is my version of “Long Black Veil.” I love everything about it; the arrangement, the performances, and the way it hits me emotionally. Y’all are free to come to your own conclusions. The second reason for taking a break is that I need to make adjustments to my lifestyle. Essentially, and aside from maintaining my wonderful relationship with my wife and caring for my animals, I’ve been focusing on music and little else for…well, for most of my life in some ways…but specifically, since 2008, there hasn’t been much time devoted to anything else. When I’ve had a day job, it received the minimal attention necessary. While I was “unemployed,” I channeled nearly everything I had to finding a way to make a living playing my stuff. I was not successful, but I assure you that it wasn’t because of a lack of effort. In any case, I’ve neglected other important aspects of living for far too long. This includes something resembling exercise and my practice within the Jiyushinkan organization. Thankfully, I can resolve the former by doing what I should with the latter. Essentially, I need to develop new habits. I need to find the time to do things other than musical activities so that I can find some balance. Part of this involves my health. Let’s face it. I’m a fat fucker. I have not historically eaten properly, nor have I exercised regularly. I need to do both, and part of that involves living differently. I just came back from AZ, and while I did eat better, I did indulge in a few things that I normally don’t , or can’t get in WI. Chocodiles come to mind. I love those damn things. However, I also exercised quite a bit. In any case, part of taking some time away from a disciplined approach to music is making changes to my schedule and lifestyle. It is necessary. Lastly, I just need a bit of time away from it, specifically away from the previously mentioned disciplined approach. Don’t let anyone kid you. Maintaining a certain level of skill takes work. Improvement requires more. It can be a grind, regardless of how much one enjoys the practice or activity in question. Other issues arise when recording is involved…when that little red light comes on, getting just the right take is about 85% of the problem. Mixing, getting the right levels…that plays into it as well, and just that end of things is really an art unto itself; one I’ve had to pursue out of necessity. I’m damn sure not going to pay for studio time, an engineer or a producer until I’m certain that a reasonable amount of income will come from the product. So, while it is something I love and enjoy, writing and recording is a lot of work. Breaks are necessary from time to time. Moving forward, I expect my next project to be more rock oriented. I’m not sure why, it just seems like that’s where I’m heading. I also expect that I will adjust my production schedule to be less demanding…I’m thinking a minimum of one song every 30 days. If something is ready sooner, I expect I will make it available. I guess that’s it for now. Y’all take care. Dreams & Reality - April 26, 2011 Yeah, I know...I don't really post regularly here anymore. I am active on Facebook, as you can see by the window in the top right hand corner of this page. Feel free to find me there. Now then, on with the show. I recently had the following exchange on Facebook. My comments are in the middle and I've eliminated the names of others, though the comments are, at this point, pretty much a matter of public record. (friend of mine, and a great tacher) Great great day working w/serious, smart, committed singers. I've had many stepping stones jobs, often 2-3 at once. I hear what Johnny is saying "Never continue in a job you don't enjoy. If you're happy in what you're doing, you'll like yourself, you'll have inner peace. If you have that, along with physical health, you will have had more success than you could possibly have imagined." -Johnny Carson (me) Yeah, sorry, but that doesn't always work for all of us. Sometimes one does what is necessary to make a living and pay for a roof over one's head. (another Facebook user) Dont settle Todd. Find what you love and go for it. =) At the risk of sounding like an asshole - and I'm reasonably familiar with that phenomenon - fuck you, Johnny Carson. Most of the people in this world HAVE to continue doing jobs they don't enjoy. Furthermore, even in the most satisfying occupations, I'm nearly certain there are aspects that aren't at all pleasant. EVERYTHING has a down side, and that's not just the pessimist in me talking. But, that isn't the point I wish to make. If people didn't continue in jobs they don't enjoy, I believe society would fall apart. Think of all the necessary jobs that would simply never get done. Trash men, people who do work in sewers, janitors, customer service folks, plumbers, just about any form of manual labor…while any job probably has something enjoyable to be found other than the income it brings, who among us dreams of working in a cubicle for eight hours a day? Does anyone ache to work behind a fast food counter? Is there a single soul out there who wanted to grow up and be a prison guard? Each of those jobs probably has some appeal, and perhaps there is even a person or two out there who can honestly say, "yes, Todd, I do that 5 days a week and love every fucking moment!" If so, he/she would be the exception to the rule. My point here is this: the great majority of us do not get to live out our dream jobs. Most of us find something to do that is something resembling tolerable that gives us a reasonable, steady source of income and hopefully find other outlets for whatever stirs our souls. Believe me, I'd love to quit my job and chase the dream I've had for most of my life. I've even been able to do that at least twice for extended periods of time as an adult. However, eventually, reality came crashing in. Dreams don't put food on the table, clothes on my back or a roof over my head. While I may never entirely give up the hope of making a living with what fuels my passion, I still have to find a way to make money. That's reality. I suppose I could give up some of the more extravagant things and live a spartan existence in pursuit of "the dream." I could sell my house and most of my possessions and rent the cheapest apartment I could find and pursue music full time with all the energy I have. I might - might - even be able to convince my wife to go along with this. Let's say I couldn't. Even though she's always been supportive of me and my art, I might be able to adjust to the idea of my life without her, if necessary. Even if I did all that, there is still one inescapable fact. I *still* need to make a living. As much as I love my music, I'm not willing to go live on the street for it. At the very least, doing so wouldn't allow me to have the tools necessary for it, nor the means to provide and protect them. And, here's another bottom line for you; a rather cold, inescapable fact that I became aware of years ago. In order for me to make a living with my music - and that is my dream and what I love - there has to be a sufficient number of people willing to spend money on it and me. To date, there hasn't been. Does that mean there never will be? No. Does that mean that I've given up entirely on it happening? Not at all. Does that mean that, in the meantime, I won't "settle" for another job, whether I enjoy it or not? Fuck no. In my opinion, that's reality, folks. I've been called a pessimist by many people, including my amazing wife. I don't believe I am, at least not entirely. I consider myself to be a realist. I've often said that I hope for the best, but expect the worst…that's called being prepared. One final thought…this has all been written from the only perspective I have - my own. That doesn't include children because my wife and I choose not to have any. I'm fairly certain that the need to provide for them would take precedence over any dreams either of us might have and that plenty of people in this world do shitty jobs every day to ensure the survival of their families. But, all of this is just my opinion. I could be wrong. Thoughts About Snuffy - December 13, 2010 A friend of mine asked me to share my thoughts about The Life & Times of Snuffy Wilson; more specifically, how I felt about the project while it was in the works and how I feel about it now. A seemingly easy request, but one for which I just haven’t had the time or inclination until now. So, off we go. The project was fun, of course. I usually manage to enjoy myself while I’m working on music in some way, shape or form. There are always songs that prove to be more difficult to record than I anticipate while they’re being written. This time there was really only one; Need to be Free. Its guitar part involves a deceptively complex fingerpicking pattern that was much faster when I first heard it in my head. I practiced it like I do any piece of music that gives me trouble. I started at a tempo where I could play the part competently and gradually increased the speed until I got to a point where I wanted the piece to live. I *always* use a metronome for this process and usually work for 3 – 8 minutes at a specific speed before I try to go faster…usually for no more than 30 – 45 total minutes on any one part on any given day. It’s a valuable process taught at Musician’s Institute. Granted, I wound up with a slower tempo than I anticipated, but I think it gives the song more room to breathe. It’s probably right about where it should be. This was a first for me in that I was assuming a role for these songs. Usually, my songs are intensely personal and are about me or how I view things. I sometimes tell a story about other folks, but that seems pretty rare. For this collection, I was writing about and performing as a fictional bluesman of my own creation. Yes, there’s plenty of me in Snuffy Wilson, but I’m not him. I haven’t had his successes or a number of his failures and I have not made the same choices along the way. It could be that I wrote about how I thought things might have gone for me under a specific set of circumstances; I’m really not sure. I can say this character was inspired by a single song, Never Got Along, which was in turn inspired by a week I spent with Guy Davis, interacting with him and watching him perform for children and adults during a Blues In the School program…schools during the day, different venues at night. It was a fantastic week for me. Guy was one of my favorite artists long before I met him and our relationship has developed to the point where he has referred to me as “family.” Yeah, that feels good. So, Never Got Along inspired Snuffy Wilson. One night before a gig it occurred to me that the song might have more to say. I spent some time thinking about it and improvised the basic story that exists now as an introduction on stage. Of course, the story has gotten more involved, but the idea came from that one premise. I pulled one other existing song, Big Bad Man, as an example of what Snuffy was during his younger years because I thought it fit seamlessly. The other ten songs were all written as the project unfolded. There’s some really deep stuff going on and I like it a lot. I had initially planned to record the whole thing and release it as an album, but I was having difficulty getting it done. The songs just weren’t coming together the way I knew they should. So, I went back to the process I used for Twenty Aught Eight, but instead of doing a new song every week, I chose to do one every two weeks. I felt like I needed that extra week to give the material just a bit more attention. I also seem to work well with self-imposed deadlines…as long as I make them public knowledge and hold myself accountable. By the time I got to each song, I knew how I wanted it to sound and I’m pretty proud of the results. I think my voice took another jump forward, in no small part due to advice received from a new friend and fellow Calexican, Dan Navarro. My guitar playing…well, here’s the deal. I feel like I’m always improving and while I can do some things really well, there are lots of guys out there who can play circles around me. And you know what? I’m ok with that. I do what I do. Folks will react or they won’t, and the older I get, the less I care. I freely admit that as a young man, I figured the words “Rock Star” would be in my job description. Yeah, I gave up any hope of that happening many moons ago (ok, I maintain the slimmest of hopes) and have geared myself towards being able to make a living playing my music. That might be the hardest part. My music. I’m not interested in being a working musician in a cover band, or in being a long-term sideman. I want to be appreciated and earn a living with my art. Whether nor not it happens really isn’t the point anymore; now it’s about doing what I want and getting better at it. If I happen to find a way to make a reasonable living, I’ll be unbelievably thankful and grateful. In the meantime, I have a loving wife, a reasonable source of income, some nice instruments & tools, and both the time & desire to keep going. So I do. But, I digress. I knew how I wanted the songs to sound and I got damn close on all of them. While I was working, I was happy with the overall sound and quality of the recordings. That means both voice & guitar. I think there’s some great work on this collection and am particularly proud of the vocals on I’m Getting’ Old, but each song can really stand on its own. However… …something that was unexpected during this process…a fan and friend of mine, Joyce Jordan, informed me that I absolutely had to record the introductions to each of these songs. You see, I played 4 of these tunes at this gig, complete with intros. At the time, it was my intention to do an album with just the songs themselves and reserve the spoken words for live performances. She was adamant that they should be part of the CD. After giving it some thought, I decided she was right. Looking at it now, I don’t see how this album could exist without them. Those transitional pieces are vital to the story. Thank you, Joyce. Oh, back to assuming a role for these songs for a moment…the spoken introductions/transitional pieces were helped by my experience with the role of Jacob Marley for a radio production of A Christmas Carol. Some of the direction I received applied quite nicely to my own stuff. As for how I feel about these songs now, I guess I’ve already kind of covered that. But, I can say this. My current plan is to go back to producing a new recording every couple of weeks after the New Year. I have two songs written, but have decided to do a collection of cover songs first. Yeah, that kind of goes against everything I say I want from music, but I think it might be a good exercise to try on material from other people and see what I can do with it. I have a few songs in mind – I’ll start with While My Guitar Gently Weeps – but I have not yet selected the total of 10 I plan to record. In hindsight, I’d say that one of the reasons I decided to go ahead with cover songs is because The Life & Times of Snuffy Wilson took quite a bit out of me, creatively speaking. I may need some time before I go back to the creative well, so to speak, and I may take longer than the approximately 20 weeks the next project will require. I may go back and revisit some of my own songs and treat them to a new recording. Some of them really deserve it. Besides, in all honesty, I think I need a bit of distance from this project before I start writing again. This was an emotional event. New Songs - August 4, 2010 I forgot to post an entry here the last time I put a song up, but "I'm The King" was made available on 7/27/10, and "When Liza Cries" went live moments ago. Y'all take care. Big Bad Man - July 18, 2010 Song #2 from The Life & Times of Snuffy Wilson is up and available for listening on the music page of my web site, as well as my profiles on Facebook & Myspace. Snuffy wrote & played this when he was 22. He was young, full of himself, and possibly not as good as he believed. Enjoy. I'm Gettin' Old - July 5, 2010 The first song of The Life & Times of Snuffy Wilson has been completed and is available for listening and purchase. Click the Music menu button on your left for more information. Y'all take care. New Project - June 21, 2010 So, here's what I'm doing next. In 2008, I worked on something called Twenty Aught Eight, during which I posted a new song every week for a year. I had a lot of fun doing it and looking back, I was happier than I had been in a long time. So with that in mind, I've decided to do something similar. I'm going to post a new recording every *two* weeks for as long as I can. I'm leaving the length of the project open ended because I honestly don't have a specific time frame in mind, and I'm going with every couple of weeks because I want to be able to devote more time to each song than seven days allows. I also want to be able to take a few gigs should the right ones come along, which means I have to give myself sufficient time to rehearse. There is one other thing about this project that will be different; I'm allowing for the possibility of collaboration once I have met my deadline. Here's what I have in mind. I've made the switch from recording with a Boss BR-1180CD to using Garage Band on my MacBook. I figure this makes sharing tracks with those who might be willing to contribute pretty easy. So, my current idea is to complete a song with whatever instrumentation I see fit - whether that's just guitar and voice or multiple instruments will depend entirely on the song - post it prior to my deadline, and then make the Garage Band file downloadable for anyone who might want to see what they can do. This could be adding another instrument, adding harmony vocals, replacing the existing parts...whatever works. Of course, I'd want to hear the results. If whoever contributes is willing to share the results with the rest of the world, so much the better. If you'd prefer to keep it between us, well, I suppose that's ok too. Those of you who don't use software or hardware that is compatible with Garage Band files are free to use mp3 files. In terms of collaboration and potential income, bear in mind that I will own all of these songs. I will own the Copyright and will use this Creative Commons in conjunction with each song and the project as a whole: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ Should something you do with my song somehow create some big financial windfall or the opportunity for one, we can discuss a suitable arrangement. For example, if you should happen to change the lyrics and melody for one of my songs but keep the chord progression and/or the instrumental tracks (or vice versa), we can come to some sort of agreement if the chance for income arises. But, if you just add some instrumental tracks - say a guitar, violin, fiddle, mandolin, or banjo part - I will happily give you credit, but I will own the copyright for the song itself. Think of it this way. You're a guitar player. Willie Nelson hears your band in a bar somewhere and is so impressed by your chops that he wants you to play on a couple of tracks on his new album. He's Willie Nelson, so he can afford to play you for your time - say, union scale - and you get credit for any contribution you make to the finished product. However, you do not get a share of album sales or any income generated by the songs. But, during the recording sessions, you hear Willie playing a cool chord progression and humming a neat little melody to go with it. You ask him what it is, and he replies that it's a new song that has yet to be completed. You two start trading ideas, one thing leads to another and the next thing you know, you and Willie have written a song together. You reach an agreement and you get a share of income generated by that particular song. Or, let's say that you happen to come up with a bridge to an existing song that Willie decides to add in. Or, you wind up talking about the lyrics and melody of a tune, and again, one thing leads to another and Willie winds up changing the song because of your cool ideas. In either case, you should get some of the income made by songs to which you have now co-written. I'm not comparing myself to Willie Nelson; I'm just trying to make a point. Using the above examples as a guide, I can *not* afford to pay anyone who wants to have some fun adding some accompaniment to my music. However, if we wind up collaborating on new songs, I will happily share income. First up will be the completion of a collection of songs called The Life & Times of Snuffy Wilson. I was actually hoping to have this done back in April, but it just hasn't happened. There will be a total of 12 songs, 10 of which are new. The remaining 2 were written during Twenty Aught Eight. "Never Got Along" inspired the story about Snuffy and "Big Bad Man" fit right into the plot. Once those songs have been finished, I'm not entirely certain about what will come next. A few months ago, I had intended to redo some of the songs from 2008, and then move on to revamping most of my instrumental material...so maybe that's what will happen. Or, I might just get started with new stuff. We shall see. Another difference between this project and Twenty Aught Eight is that for the latter, I wrote something new every week; this will just require a new recording. The deadline will be 11:59 PM every other Monday, with the first song being made available no later than 7/5/10. As for a name, I'll just call it Ongoing for now. I'm open to change on that. And...off we go! Please note that the links to my Twenty Aught Eight project are no longer active. However, those songs are available for purchase on my web site, iTunes, and a number of other retailers. Monday, January 25th, 2010 11:14 AM CST Ok... ...I realize it's been awhile since I updated this page. I do post on Facebook regularly, and that's represented in the top right corner. Feel free to add me. I hope y'all had great Xmas and New Year's celebrations. I'll be attending and showcasing at this year's International Folk Alliance Conference. This will be my first time and I'm going based on Dan Navarro's recommendation. I had previously looked at this organization and the cost of this annual shindig, and frankly, I thought they were asking too much. We'll see how it goes. Progress is being made on new material. The next collection of new songs will likely have a total of 12 cuts. Two of them are not new, having been a part of Twenty Aught Eight. Never Got Along pretty much inspired the theme/story, so it only makes sense to include it, and Big Bad Man fits in nicely. I'm just about at the point where I'll stop rehearsing and start recording, though one song is proving to be rather difficult and another may get revamped/rewritten before all is said and done. I'll also be revisiting a number of songs for two other CDs. One will feature only instrumental material that I have written and recorded over the years, and I will revisit some songs from Twenty Aught Eight on the other. I'm not yet sure which instrumentals will be redone and which will appear in their original form. I will be redoing the selections from Twenty Aught Eight. On a nonmusical note, I've watched or listened to all the NFL playoff games this year. On each and every matchup, the team I've been pulling for has lost. At least I'm consistent. Take care. Wednesday, October 21st, 2009 2:22 PM CDT Thoughts I just read through something that gave me a few thoughts about who I am and what I'm trying to accomplish. I'm Todd Lorenz. Singer/songwriter/guitarist. I play acoustic blues & folk with elements of rock, country & bluegrass. I do the best I can to improve what I perceive as my craft and purpose in life. I would very much like to be able to make a decent living doing what I find to be the most fulfilling. However, I made the discovery a long time ago that I'm not willing to compromise myself and what I do in order to achieve my goals. I don't play many cover songs. I do have a few in my repertoire and will play them upon request, but that's not my primary function. I'm not a jukebox, CD player, or iPod, nor do I plan on becoming one. I want to be appreciated for my own material and the way in which I present it. I'm done actively adding friends on myspace and Facebook, and I won't be back on Twitter. Facebook is the only one of those applications that I actually enjoy and in which I see value. Yes, I understand that I might be cutting myself off from potential fans, but I honestly feel that people who appreciate what I do will find me. I'm done with cyber panhandling. On the flip side of that, if you consider yourself to be a fan and have somehow added to my income or promotion, I am deeply appreciative and I hope to see you as often as I come to your town. I promise to give it my all every time I'm on stage and I intend to keep writing/recording/performing. I hope you will be a part of it. I love getting feedback, especially from people whom I respect. That doesn't mean that I'm going to alter what I do based on every opinion I hear. It does mean that I might, especially if what you have to say comes from honestly trying to help. I do what I do. I am who I am. Denying that brings nothing but pain and frustration; experience has taught me that much. I won't bow to trends, but I will learn whatever I can from any other artist that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I'd rather eke out a living in whatever fashion I can than to taint what I perceive to be my art and the best part of me. Having said that, I'm always open to help and new ideas and am willing to try new things. But I won't continue to do anything that goes against my instincts. Hm. It seems life is a paradox. Who knew? Y'all take care. Wednesday, September 16th, 2009 10:02 PM CDT Teachers So, as usual, it seems that life has presented me with something right when I needed it, and was likely the most receptive. Dan Navarro has taken the time to not only befriend me, but offer me some much needed advice and some education concerning vocals. I won’t get into specifics here because it’s not what I want to discuss and it’s a work in progress. However, I do want to discuss teachers. Good teachers, role models, mentors…people who with all sincerity and nothing but good in their hearts do their best to lift us up, make us better than we are and bring us closer to fulfilling our potential. I’ve been lucky enough to find a few people who fit this description in my life, and honestly, I’ve almost gotten past marveling at the timing. Things happen when they do and I’m not smart enough to be able to predict how things will turn out, so I just try to do the best I can as often as possible. I’m human, so I fail a good portion of the time, but I still try. But, I begin to digress. A good teacher can help you with any number of things…schoolwork, some form of art, physical fitness, or whatever form of personal development that might move you. It’s been my experience that the people in my life with whom I’ve maintained and honored this type of relationship might be able to make a living at it, but they would teach someone who demonstrated a desire to learn even if that person couldn’t afford monetary compensation. Something else could, or would, be worked out. That seems to be an important part of the equation for me. The knowledge that this person would continue to help even if you simply couldn’t afford to pay the regular asking price is somehow exceptionally comforting, and usually sufficient motivation to ensure that the teacher is paid somehow. I have had mutually beneficial relationships with instructors who did not fit into this category. But, I have not maintained any kind of contact, nor am I inclined to do so. That may be my own shortcoming; I’m not certain. The motivation of the person has to somehow remain pure; maybe that’s part of it. Yes, everyone in this country (and really, this world) needs to have a source of income in order to survive, or at the very least, food and shelter. But knowing that he/she would continue to teach with the best of intentions regardless of financial considerations prevents the relationship – and in some way, the lessons themselves – from becoming tainted and devalued. If you can really put a price on something, its value is limited. If the true value is indeterminable, there isn’t a real price. So, in other words, a good teacher is truly priceless. A good teacher not only has exceptional knowledge on whatever the subject may be, but is usually an exceptional motivator as well. While I’ve always felt that it’s a student’s responsibility to learn, a gifted teacher knows when to push, when to back off, when to allow the student some space, and when to be demanding. And, while it may seem unfair, I don’t think every student can be treated the same. Remember, I’m not necessarily talking about the institution of state sponsored public education…but even then, people are different and should probably be treated differently, to a degree. Fairness isn’t always about treating people the same, though it is sometimes necessary. It’s a delicate balancing act, and something that is very easily abused. While I’m not a parent and do not intend to become one, I would say that parenting is the ultimate teaching job. How many of us would say that our parents really did a good job? How many people have you known whose parents you would say had done a less than stellar job of rearing their kids? It’s not a responsibility I envy. But, it goes with the territory, and in some ways, it’s the same with any teacher/student relationship. So, what makes a good teacher? For me, it’s someone with expertise in the subject being taught who is also an excellent motivator with the best of possible intentions for his students. I’m probably forgetting something, but that’s what I have as I type this. My whole point with this rant was to point out how thankful we should be for those who have helped us along our path. I don’t seem to be getting there with any real level of subtlety, so I just decided to say it. There are a few people in my life whom I consider to be invaluable and I'm fairly certain they know it. That’s it for now. Friday, August 21st, 2009 10:35 AM CDT Music Overtime? I had an interesting finish to my gig at the Nice Ash Cigar Bar in Waukesha last night. I completed my scheduled 9p - 12a sets to a somewhat slow Thurs night crowd. However, I was appreciated, so that was ok. I was breaking down all my stuff and had just put my guitars in their cases when a fairly large group of people came in and asked if I was going to play. It turns out that they were celebrating a wedding coming up on Sat. One of them said they had been in Chicago listening to some great blues the previous evening - apparently Buddy Guy had been in the audience. One of the new arrivals said something like this to me: "So, I don't know if you play blues, or want to play blues, but we'd really like to hear some. We saw some pretty great stuff last night, so it might kind of hard to measure up, but you can try." I can't remember exactly what he said - you'll recall that I had already played for 3 hours at this point - but that's pretty much the gist of it. Oddly enough, I felt compelled to break out my guitars again. I checked with the bartender to make sure he was ok with me continuing to play; for all I knew, there was some issue with bands playing past midnight even though the place was open til 2a. He was good with it. So, I approached the guy who had thrown down a bit of a blues guantlet (so to speak) and informed him that I'd be happy to play, but would deeply appreciate some cash being tossed into my tip jar. He said they would take care of me. So, I wound up playing for about another 90 minutes to a group of people that were really having a great time. It was fun, even if I wound up getting home shortly after 4am. It turns out that most of the guys that were part of this party had rented an RV and driven out from CT for the wedding. How cool is that? I closed with Bad to the Bone because even though I rarely play cover tunes anymore, I had a sneaking suspicion that they would enjoy it. I was right. Then they wanted an encore, but really, I was tapped out of tunes and getting close to being completely wiped out. But, the entertainer in me came up with something. I wound up improvising an upbeat blues about the wedding coming up. They LOVED it. All in all, I'd call this a good night. Y'all take care. Monday, August 10th, 2009 9:53 AM CDT Happy Birthday To Me! I turned 40 yesterday. It actually didn’t seem like that big a deal; 30 seemed more momentous. But, as it turns out, it was a great day and may well turn out to be a turning point in my career. First, I played the Art in Your Eye festival in Batavia, IL on Saturday and that was very cool. Lots of other good folks playing music and all kinds of great art to see and buy. Then on Sunday – my birthday – I had a gig opening for Dan Navarro at a house concert in Naperville, IL. Dan is/was part of the duo Lowen & Navarro and has made his living with music for the last 30 years. Sadly, Eric Lowen has retired due to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Lou Gehrigs Disease. Dan also wrote “We Belong” which was recorded by Pat Benatar. So, I’m sitting in a living room in Naperville, IL just kind of noodling around on a guitar, passing the time until I perform. Dan shows up and we are introduced. I had honestly never heard of Lowen & Navarro, and I’m none the wiser when I meet Dan. But, he seems like a nice, easygoing guy and I get what I consider to be a good vibe from him. The gentleman putting on the concert, JP, managed him on the road for 5 years and they are still close friends. He suggests that I sit in on one of the songs Dan is going to play, “Until The Well Runs Dry,” because it features some nice slide guitar. Dan seems open to the idea, so JP brings me an iPod with the song, I listen, guitar in hand, and get a good feel for the tune. Coincidentally, its structure is similar to a few of my own songs, so I feel pretty good about the prospect of playing something that I had not previously heard in front of an audience. A bit later, Dan comes back to where I am to change a broken guitar string, and I ask him if we could run through the song once to make sure that I have it. I did this in part because we were alone and I thought that if he really didn’t want someone he didn’t know to sit in, this would be a good opportunity for him to say so discretely. But, he agrees to go over it with me. So, while he’s changing the string, we get to talking. He asks to hear my name again and this is what was said: “I’m sorry, what’s your name again?” “Todd Lorenz.” “Oh, I grew up with Lorenzs.” “Really? Where?” “Calexico, CA.” (pause) “Get the fuck outta here! That’s where I’m from!” It turns out that Dan & I both grew up in Calexico and that he went to school with my aunt. I’m *still* tripping out on this and I would say that Dan is as well. Talk about a small world. What’s more, we really hit it off. Dan was kind enough to introduce me to his audience and relate the story to them. I played about a 30 minute set and did pretty well; folks responded nicely. Before he went on, he let me know that he’d call me up to play on the 6th song and possibly the 7th. He had a FANTASTIC rhythm section backing him up, but I’m afraid their names have slipped my mind. I’ll revise this entry with that info later. (revision 8/14/09 - rhythm section was Larry Beers on cajon and Rafe Bradford on bass) So, when the time came, up I went. It was really great; I think it would be accurate to say that we tore it up. He had me play the next tune, and then called me up at the end of his 2nd set to sit in on a couple of encores, including “We Belong.” When I got this gig, I took the time to check out some of Dan’s music. I thought it was pretty damn good, but as with a number of great artists, his live performance is far more representative of who he is and I think that in order to truly appreciate his abilities and material, one must see him in person. I would have had a great time just listening; performing with him was a wonderful bonus. I think the audience really enjoyed it. I strongly suggest that you check him out: http://dannavarro.com From a business perspective, Dan is the current president of the North American Folk Music & Dance Association. I’ve had a look at their site (folk.org) before, but now that someone I know, like and respect has suggested that I take part, I plan to do so. I also made some new fans and met another gentleman who may prove to have some excellent contacts and/or be helpful to what I’m trying accomplish. So, all in all, it was a really great day. Happy Birthday to me! Thanks a lot, Dan. It was truly a pleasure. Wednesday, July 29th, 2009 12:18 AM CDT Granddad's Service I'm listening to Ride On by AC/DC as I start to type this entry...damn, I love this song. Great vocals, great guitar work. Brilliant. On Thursday I flew from Madison, WI to El Centro, CA so that I could attend my grandfather's memorial service in my hometown of Calexico, CA on Friday morning. It was touching, sad and joyful all at the same time. He wanted no service of any kind, but really, any kind of memorial or funeral is for the living - not the deceased. My mother and a number of his friends and business associates wanted something. As for me, it was good to see people that had been absent from my life for awhile. A former priest who was/is a big part of the community and was an influence in my life conducted the service. For reasons I don't quite understand, he seemed to take great amusement with insulting me every time we spoke. I'm fairly certain he was kidding, but the timing of it irked me. We're putting my grandfather's ashes in the ground and you're going to joke that I've never been worth anything and never will be? Really? And then when I say that have adopted my grandfather's habit of honoring a spouse with a gift every month on the date of our anniversary instead of annually, you're going to say that I'd have to do it every day to keep me out of trouble? Fuck, dude. And I thought *I* had cornered the market on truly inappropriate comments. Hm. Apparently, I'm a bit more pissed off about this than I thought. When I was a kid, he was very good to me. However, the last time I met him as an adult in San Diego, he was pretty much a prick with no edge of humor about it. At least this time, he had a smile on his face while he insulted me. But I'm not bitter. In any case, Mr. Barry Vineyard conducted the service quite well, reading a bio my mother had prepared. Folks then were encouraged to share memories or thoughts about my granddad, and because no one seemed to want to start, I chose to do so. I basically summarized what I said here on 7/13/09 and added a few things, including discussing his habit of giving a gift to my grandmother every month. After that, a number of people came forward and spoke from their hearts and I enjoyed almost every bit of it. Mr. Vineyard then read some scripture used by Catholics appropriate to the occasion. The service concluded with my mother thanking people who had helped my grandfather towards the end of his life, and asking everyone to come back to his house for food and drinks. I was affected more than I expected, and reacted by slamming down a beer as quickly as I could and playing a guitar for about 15 minutes without the slightest regard for anyone else. I needed the release and calm it brought. I then socialized and drank three more beers before realizing that I was quickly getting drunk before 11:00 am, and that I needed to either commit to getting blitzed and lose the ability to function for the rest of the day or have something to eat and slow down on the alcohol. I chose the latter. The rest of the afternoon is something of an emotional blur. I went back to my motel room and pretty much crashed out; I was emotionally and physically drained - I'm no longer really equipped to deal with the heat of the Imperial Valley in July. Bah. I feel the need to comment a bit on religion, faith, spirituality...whatever you want to call it. I was raised in a religious environment. My grandmother was a Methodist and heavily involved with her church. I went to a private Catholic grade school. But, as most who read these pages would know, I consider myself to be an agnostic with leanings towards Buddhism. I have utterly no use of any kind for organized faith. Hearing prayers at a memorial service was frankly annoying to me, especially when the man being memorialized wanted no service whatsoever. But again, this was for those still alive. I mentioned to my mother that I was bothered by the fact that Mr. Vineyard pulled out a prayer, and she told me it was something that she wanted. Well, in that case, fine. Still, hearing the prayers and words spoken, I was struck how very scared most of us seem to be of death. We as humans have all these ceremonies to honor the dead, but how much of it is simply an effort to assuage our own fears? Presumably, the dead are beyond caring about what we do with their remains, or how they are remembered. If death is oblivion, then there is no spirit or soul. If there's a heaven and eternal paradise, I would guess that a past life on earth would seem like bad memory. If there's a hell and eternal torment and suffering, I'd say a condemned soul would have bigger problems than what his friends and family are doing to honor and remember him. So, maybe instead of having a somber event with filled with pain and folks dressed in black, maybe it would be better to ease the pain by sharing good memories and knocking back a few stiff drinks. Some do just that, and we came pretty close. I mentioned that I flew out for the service. Well, as it turns out, I inherited his Ford Explorer and drove it back to WI. I made my way to Tempe, AZ on Sat to see some friends and get in some training. I slept in Flagstaff that night, Amarillo TX on Sun, Des Moines IA on Mon and got home today around 4p. Driving cross country just to get home was a very different experience from driving cross country in order to get from gig to gig. This recent trip seemed to take so much longer, I suppose because all I really did was drive. There was no joyful gig at the end of a day; just the prospect of eventually getting home. It wasn't a bad drive. Just damn long. I think I've babbled enough for now. I expect to post something else within the next few days. I think I may bitch about how much bitching people do online. I fucking love irony. Y'all take care. Monday, July 13th, 2009 9:57 PM CDT When Our Time Comes... It's been awhile since my last update. For those of you who may be interested, I spend quite a bit of time on Facebook. I find it far more appealing than either MySpace or Twitter. My grandfather died last Thursday. He was one of two people within my family (excluding my wife's kin) with whom I chose to maintain a relationship. We were close. He was 86 years old, his physical health had been deteriorating for a few years and in my opnion, his mind was just really starting to go. He was not in much pain, was thankful for that, he had a good life and he knew it. It's hard to ask for much more than that at the end. His wife, whom I still miss almost daily, died about 15 years ago. I know he missed her terribly. I lived with him for awhile before moving to Phoenix at the end of 1998 and while I don't think he fully recovered from her death, he had some good years during which he was still reasonably active. But, age takes its toll and he was no exception. I said we were close, and that's true. But, our relationship didn't really develop until I was an adult. He was from an era where women reared children and men were providers. I knew he loved me; I just didn't think he liked me much until I was around 20 or 21. Something happened in my life - and I can't remember what - that caused me to realize that he respected me. We then grew closer, and probably more so after my grandmother died. I don't mean for this to turn into a rambling memorial. Suffice it to say that his name was John Lane Lorenz. Everyone called him Jack. I loved him very much and I will miss him, but beyond that, I'm not saddened by his death. Truth be told, the last three times my mother called me, I expected her to tell me that he had died. It was just time. As I type this, I'm watching Big Jake, which is one of my favorite John Wayne movies. It's not a particularly good film, but I somehow associate it with my grandparents. I get a sense of comfortable familiarity from it, probably because I'm sure it was watched more than a few times with them, especially my grandfather. On an unrelated note, the bit about all the bad guys thinking the main character (Jacob McCandles) was dead was also used by John Carpenter in Escape From New York. Y'all take care. Be thankful for those whom you value and make sure they know. Sunday, June 7th, 2009 11:28 PM CDT Thoughts about my trip... So, I just completed my first tour away from what I consider to be my home base. Well, I did about a week ago, but I spent the last 6 days recovering from road weariness and fighting some kind of bug that made its presence felt my last night out. It never really took hold, but I did get a sore throat and some congestion, and also wound up with some sneezing that may have actually been allergies, but in any case, it was enough to keep my voice from being 100% at a gig last Friday. I’m now pretty close to what I should be, health wise. Therefore, I thought I’d share a few thoughts. I haven’t added up all the numbers – meaning expenses in terms of gas, food, hotel rooms, etc – but my initial impression is that I actually made a little bit of money. I say that’s pretty good for a first time out in every area where I had a gig. I had never played in any of these locations before, and most are quite anxious to have me back. So, that’s definitely good. I also learned more about everything I do when I perform, the promotion involved, I found a way to tweak my live setup so that my resonator sounds better, and I figured out that driving more than 8 hours before a show is not such a good idea. Not so much because of any fatigue, but because the window of time left in case there is some sort of unforeseen problem is WAY too small. In this case, nothing really went wrong, but it occurred to me that I need to leave some time for difficulties that may come up. Important lessons, to be sure. I also had a major problem with my Woolson SIG guitar addressed by Billy over at B&D Guitars in Phoenix. I love this guy because he is so honest and efficient with what he does. I’ve said that the only thing I miss about Phoenix is the folks over at Jiyushinkan, which is now Renshinkan. That’s not the whole truth. I miss being able to take my guitars to Billy whenever I have a problem. He also worked on my resonator and did a few things the previous guy missed. I may be done with taking my guitars anywhere else unless some kind of emergency comes up. It might be worth it to me to pay for shipping costs to get my instruments to him; no one else I’ve found locally comes close, and that’s just the bottom line. I’d obviously like to find someone, but I’m not willing to experiment with my tools anymore. To hell with that. I’ve also learned that given enough time, I will be able to find a way to make a living with my music in a way I find acceptable. Will I be able to do so before economic realities force me to get another day job? I don’t know. But, as recently as 8 months ago, I don’t think I honestly believed I could make a living with music alone. Now I see that it is possible, though a lot of hard work will be necessary. The thing is, most of said hard work has nothing to do with how well I play and sing; it’s more about networking and contacts, and those are areas in which I have a long way to go. I’m on my way, one step at a time. Finally, the reason this whole trip came about was because I wanted to attend Shochugeiko, which is an annual aikido clinic. I decided at some point last year that I wanted to organize a small tour in support of my music instead of flying to Phoenix and back, and as it worked out, this was important for more than few reasons. This practice has helped me in immeasurable ways, and I usually don’t know it’s happening until well after the fact. I’ve said before that if I hadn’t found this practice and that dojo, I would have likely given up on music entirely, and I have no idea where my life would have gone. I’ve had a lot of internal healing take place that probably would not have happened without my teachers and fellow students, and for that I am eternally grateful and respectful. Having gone through the clinic, I realize that I don’t have anything in my everyday life that is similar. Aaron Clark coined the phrase “dilemma rich environment” to describe the dojo, and that’s true. I’d add one word and call it a “loving dilemma rich environment.” It’s a palpable thing that I’ve known for most of the time I’ve been there, but was even more obvious to me after being absent from that building for about 3 years. Never mind that I was welcomed back with open arms and hearts; more importantly, there was no question that I was still part of the group. This was evidenced more by actions than by words, and I think that carries much more weight. I also noticed this environment in the way that students were taught, and especially in the way that teachers are created and educated. Chuck Clark says he lives his life trying to uplift all beings while doing as little harm as possible. I believe it. It shines through within this organization that he’s created. I have people around me daily that love and help me, but not in the same way as those within Jiyushinkan. To me, both are necessary, and I have to take steps to include the latter in my life more often. It seemed to me that I was more receptive to information and corrections as I trained, and I felt more observant. This might be because I was gone for so long, or simply because I was more ready to learn that I had been previously; I don’t know. The fact that I need to train harder with things I can do on my own and get myself into better physical condition was also driven home, but not with anything anyone said or did. No, it’s simply a matter of realizing that in order to train properly whenever possible and to be able to defend myself, I need to have a more capable body and set of tools. Yes, I’ve tried to lose weight before, and have ultimately always failed because the weight always comes back. This is a different frame of mind. Will it keep? I don’t know. We’ll see. The motivation is different, as am I. Maybe it’s just time. That’s enough for now. Y’all take care. Thursday, May 14th, 2009 9:42 AM CDT In Arizona... I've played 3 shows and driven from Juda, WI to Tempe, AZ and I'm not quite halfway done yet. I think things have gone pretty well. I've met some great people and am hopeful that I'm laying the roots for future trips into these same areas. On a non-musical front, one of the coolest things so far was seeing a practically tame bunch of prairie dogs living at a rest stop in WY. A few of them would literally eat right out of your hand. Very cute critters who were, in all honesty, probabaly getting too much human type food. But, it was still a very neat thing to see. Y'all take care. Sunday, May 10th, 2009 12:09 PM CDT On the road... So, I'm on the road at a computer in a hotel and thought I'd put up a quick post. I had a really great gig last night in Cheyenne, WY last night a good one in Des Moines, IA the night before. Now it's on to Atascadero, CA on Tues night. I drove from Cheyenne to Laramie before stopping for the night, and between the two cities there was a pretty good bit of snowfall. In May. Lovely. But, I made it safely, so no real complaints. Off again...y'all take care. Thursday, April 23rd, 2009 10:10 AM CDT Just a Quickie So, it’s been awhile since I posted something here, but I’ve certainly been busy. I do update my Facebook page regularly, I do a Question of the Day on myspace 5 days a week, and I update my Twitter page on an almost regular basis. I’ve also been working at getting more gigs, finalizing my tour in May and wood shedding songs that I play live. In short, I’ve been anything but complacent. I had a good gig at Art Bar Riverwest in Milwaukee last night. I went over pretty well, and I liked the place. I’m looking forward to going back. Up next is my trip to AZ and back and I’m really looking forward to getting out there. I don’t have much else to say at the moment. Oh, I saw The Wrestler recently. I thought it was ok, and not much more. Watching a washed up wrestler try and muddle through what’s left of a screwed up life isn’t exactly my idea of entertainment. Y’all take care. Sunday, March 22nd, 2009 11:21 PM CDT New Guitar, Ikea So, my Woolson SIG guitar is having some work done, which means I had to break out the guitar it replaced - my old Fender Newporter - for a gig. That just wasn't a good thing. There are reasons that instrument is no longer used. I've also noticed that the Ashland guitar I used for slide playing in open C was starting to show signs of death. So, it occurred to me that having an instrument that would serve as a backup for the Woolson and a replacement for the Ashland would be quite practical. But, that's no small task in terms of setup and maintenance. Any quality, responsive guitar would be able to do one or the other, but asking it to do both properly without a setup each time would be a bit much. A bit much for wood, that is. Enter the world of graphite and composite guitars. Before I commissioned the SIG, I came very close to getting a Rainsong WS1000. It's kind of a hybrid of a dreadnaught and an OM. I've played their Jumbo and didn't think much of it, and can't really seem to find one of their dreads...though I did play a couple back when I was still living in AZ. The other major manufacturer of composite instruments is Composite Acoustics, or CA Guitars. I've played a few of their models, but at the time, wasn't prepared to get away from the idea of having a guitar built specifically for me. Long story short...I now own a CA Legacy Player. It's one of their dreadnaughts with what they call their legacy voicing. It has a pickup, but no frills...no fancy finish or rosette, and only fret markers on the side and on the 12th fret of the fretboard. I was able to compare it to a few of the different models including some new ones, as well as a Rainsong WS1000 and JM3000...their Jumbo 12 string. The CA Legacy came much closer to what I want to hear in terms of what I do in a standard tuning, and sounds better for slide in open C than my Ashland. Consider me happy. My other retail venture this past Sat involved a trip to Ikea. Man. The one in Schaumburg, IL has gone to crap. It was poorly organized and it honestly felt like a junky K-Mart. It's not like I ever enjoy going to this place, but I understand that it does have some value. This time, even my wife didn't enjoy it, and she loves Ikea. But, my real point of annoyance came while outside the store, in their parking lot. Dig this: http://www.ridelust.com/hybrid-cars-getting-special-parking-privileges/ That's not from the Ikea I visited, but apparently, each store now designates two spaces close to the entrance in this fashion. I have to say, this REALLY annoys the crap out of me. I understand having spaces reserved for those with physical limitations, like the handicapped. Now there are stores that voluntarily do the same for the elderly and pregnant women. While I don't exactly agree with either policy, at least it again helps a group of people who might need it. But...hybrid owners? Fuck off. Seriously. Let's just ignore the fact that hybrid cars aren't all that "green." There are a number of studies out there which claim that the process used to manufacture hybrids creates significantly more pollution and environmental impact than the one used to build standard cars. What about gas mileage you say? There are a few regular cars out there that do almost as well as hybrids. Truthfully, we could eliminate all sorts of pollution and ALL dependence on foreign oil by using ethanol and the principals of permaculture. Check this out: http://www.permaculture.com/welcome I have Mr. Blume's book and I had planned on seriously exploring alcohol production for ethanol this spring and summer. However, I honestly don't know if I will have the time. But, I'm fairly certain I'll be buying a converter that will allow me to use ethanol in my car. I expect gas will be over $3.00 again by the end of the summer. But, back to hybrid parking spots. I'm so annoyed by this that I'm considering a boycott of Ikea for this reason alone. Driving a hybrid car should not get you a reserved parking spot. It's stupid and it bugs me. I understand that this could just be a "me" problem, but this is my page. I'm allowed to bitch about "me" problems. One last thing...I'll be on this radio show on Wed: http://www.myspace.com/razoronwluw Tune in if you can. Y'all take care. Friday, March 13th, 2009 10:51 AM CDT Just a thing or two... I swapped out the free songs on my site today; here's the current list: Never Mind, V1 Beauty of our Lives, V1 Change, V2 That Quiet Country Living, V3 Ease My Dying Pain, V3 Big Bad Man, V4 The Woman I Love, V4 You just add them to the cart and checkout like you would buying anything on the web...just no charge here, and no need to enter payment information. Gig tonight in Fitchburg; details on my gigs page. If you come, I will love you forever. Not much else to say at the moment. Y'all take care. Tuesday, February 10th, 2009 11:42 AM CST Wheeee... So, I'm having a great day. I feel poorly, my wife feels worse, and I damn near cut off the top of my left thumb while slicing some ham for breakfast. It's not all that bad, really, but I won't be making barre chords today. I'll leave out the gory details. On a more positive note, it seems that I'll be using my severance package from Microsoft to have a run at doing music full time. I say "it seems" because technically, I have not yet received the full amount promised. If it doesn't happen, I'll have to go out and get a source of income quickly. I find how I came to this decision somewhat amusing. I was laid off on a Thursday and then took the following weekend to not do much of anything. When Monday rolled around and it came time to job hunt, I just didn't do it. Instead, I set about finding myself some gigs. It just felt like the right thing to do and I'm still doing it. I had planned on using my three weeks of paid vacation to book a mini tour in May from here to AZ and back in support of Twenty Aught Eight. I thought that might be off, but after thinking about it, I should still be able to do it. In fact, I'm really now more flexible with the dates. So, stay tuned. The next few months could be interesting. Oh, and CDs for Twenty Aught Eight should be available online by the middle of March. Friday, January 23rd, 2009 10:20 AM CST Twenty Aught Eight – Thoughts, Part 2 So, I thought I’d finish up my discussion on Twenty Aught Eight by talking about some of the songs. I’ll start by listing my 10 favorites, in something resembling an order: Everything I Need A Little Peace Try Again 6 Feet of Trouble Beauty of our Lives Sinful Pleasures Ain’t a Gonna Never Got Along That Quiet Country Living Faith Everything I Need remains my favorite, and honestly, I don’t know if it’s even a close race. That’s a bit odd, considering it features an electric guitar and I’m really an acoustic player. I didn’t set out that day to write a song for my wife, but that’s what it became. I love the lyrics and arrangement, the whole song has a strong melody, the slide guitar parts seem to fit perfectly, and it wasn’t all that hard to record. In fact, the guitar solo after the second verse and chorus was done in one take. I can hear a few mistakes, but on the whole, I just decided I didn’t want to change it. I’m not even sure that I tried. I still listen to this song and enjoy every second. A Little Peace has what may be the strongest chorus that I’ve ever written. It clocks in at 6:18, but I don’t think it’s too long. Lyrically, I find it particularly meaningful, I really like my vocal performance, and I’m fond of the way the arrangement builds. Try Again is a really great strong that, in hindsight, would probably benefit from a fuller arrangement that includes another guitar part or two, bass, and drums. It would sound great right after the first chorus; if you listen to the tune, you’re likely to know exactly what I mean. But, when I perform, I do so alone with a guitar in my hands, and that’s the vibe I wanted to convey when I recorded it. I love these lyrics, particularly the following line: “So who am I that can argue with fate? I’m the man who will spit in her face because I feel like she’s standing in my way.” On the whole, I’m of the opinion that fate does play a role in our lives and that the best way to handle things is to roll with punches and respond appropriately to whatever the moment may dictate. But sometimes, you just have to fight to get what you want, and sometimes the fight itself is important. 6 Feet of Trouble is the first song with lyrics that I wrote on the guitar I had built. I think it’s catchy with a great chorus, and it’s something I particularly enjoy playing. I actually think this could really be a hit as a rock song or a country tune. Beauty of our Lives resembles a Bob Dylan song to me, though I don’t count myself as one of his fans. To be more specific, I don’t really enjoy Dylan the performer. I do admire and respect him as a composer; I find that I really enjoy his songs when they’re done by artists I like. This song tells an interesting story about 3 different characters, including myself, and I think the resonator parts are particularly tasteful. Sinful Pleasures is really a down and dirty song that goes back to my love of rock ‘n roll; I can easily hear this being done by AC/DC when Bon Scott was still alive. This was also my first attempt at 3 part harmonies during Twenty Aught Eight. I just like it a lot. Ain’t a Gonna is a fun tune born out of a friend’s insistence that the title phrase be made into a song. I agreed. Never Got Along feels sort of like something Guy Davis would do, and I’m certain the fact that I wrote it shortly after hanging out with him for almost a week in Iowa is not coincidental. I enjoy its groove and the story it tells, even if it’s a touch depressing. That Quiet Country Living is a lovely instrumental with some particularly good slide guitar work. The mix that is currently available features background noise from my own back yard. Somehow, I picture people listening to this while sitting in a rocking chair on their back porch sipping their favorite beverage. Faith. Sometimes it’s all we have, regardless of its source. It’s no secret that I’m not religious, though I am spiritual. This song ended V3, but it would have been well suited to end the project itself. “It feels like we may have truly gotten lost, but we can find our way back with faith. Faith in ourselves, faith in those we love, faith in what we can do.” Those are my current favorites from Twenty Aught Eight. They do change from time to time, but I think they are representative of what I did. Now I’ll talk about a few that strike me as milestones, not including songs I’ve already mentioned. Ain't No Greater Sorrow is a cool song and it came at time when I had lost my voice for a while, probably due to bronchitis. The previous week I had posted an instrumental because I literally couldn’t sing, so I didn’t want to do it again if at all possible. This piece is important because I still managed to meet my deadline even though I faced a considerable physical challenge. I did redo the vocals later in the week and that’s what you hear now, but…I met my deadline. Come Back Home is not all that different from some of my other blues material, but I did push myself in terms of my vocal performance. I think it works and that after I recorded this song, my voice went to a new level; I can hear the difference with subsequent material. I wrote Bring Me Relief with the intention of having rich vocal harmonies. As it turns out, I believe it’s also my wife’s favorite of this project. The Price represents a guitar part that I found particularly challenging. I took me about 3 weeks worth of practice before I finally got what you hear now. I suppose there are a few songs that don’t represent my best effort, but that’s going to happen when you impose a deadline of something new every week. I was considering discussing them, but honestly, I feel that does a disservice to those songs and myself. I stand by all my songs, and each one has its own merits. Ok, that’s enough for now. I’ll be back with another post in the reasonably near future. Friday, January 23rd, 2009 7:52 AM CST Laid Off & Bobby McFerrin So, two big things happened in my life yesterday. In order of occurrence - I was laid off from my full time job and I got to sing with Bobby McFerrin. Yesterday, Microsoft announced that they made $16.6 billion dollars during their second fiscal quarter. This was a 2% increase over the same quarter last year, but did fall $900 million short of expectations. Therefore, they laid off 1400 employees, and anticipate laying off another 3600 over the course of the next 18 months. You can read an article about it here: http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20090122/ap_on_hi_te/earns_microsoft Never mind the number of people it states is being laid off; I’m going by the email I received from Microsoft when I went in to work yesterday. I sort of saw this coming, but I didn’t completely expect it. After reading the numbers quoted above, I was deeply insulted. $16.6 billion in a quarter. A 2% *increase.* And their response is to fire 1400 people in one day, and a total of 5000 over the next 18 months. Are you fucking kidding me? Just take a moment to think about the ungodly amount of money that represents. That’s how much they made. In three months. At a time when plenty of people and businesses are struggling to break even, much less get ahead. And they drop people. That’s business and capitalism, right? No, that’s corporatism. That’s how much MS really cares. At the end of the day, profit is the bottom line; fuck your people – and by profit, I we mean making more money than 99.9% of the people on the planet can really comprehend, much less make, in their lifetimes. I could go on for a while about this, but I’m going to stop. That was my first reaction, and I vocalized my feelings quite clearly during the group meeting when the people in Middleton were axed. But, once that passed, I realized something. I was actually kind of happy about it. Relieved. Why? Let’s be honest about something. I was doing a job that I had considered leaving for quite some time. I was lucky enough to be able to work from home four days a week for the last few months, and that combined with my salary and benefits kept me around longer than I should have stayed. I worked to the best of my abilities because I believe in earning my money, but I wasn’t exactly happy. Let’s be clear about something else – I was making more money than I ever had before in my life and the benefits package was outstanding. MS employees are well compensated. But, in the end, I understood that I was perfectly ok with the prospect of living without that job. The severance package was also nice. While discussing it with someone else who suffered the same fate, I compared it to getting screwed, but being really well lubricated first. I may have been a bit more graphic. In any case, I’ll be ok for a short time while I figure out what comes next. I understand that I may wind up dong the exact same type of thing for much less money. Then again, maybe something more interesting will present itself. Let's move on to something far more compelling. My wife got me a ticket to see Bobby McFerrin in Madison for Christmas. I had not previously had the opportunity, though certainly the desire. It was one of the most fulfilling experiences of which I have ever been a part. The man has won ten Grammy Awards, but for the moment, forget about his skill and talent. He performed with so much JOY. I felt it and was grinning from ear to ear within the first few seconds. I was moved to tears during the course of the evening more than once, not only by what he did, but by the way he included the audience. He brought people up to dance while he sang. He brought folks up to sing with him one at a time, and let anyone who wanted to do so come up and be a part of a vocal chorus. There were no tryouts for this, no trashing anyone’s abilities a la American Idol. Somehow, no one was made to feel like a fool, and everyone had a fabulous time. Talk about uplifting all beings while doing as little harm as possible. And yes, I sang with him. He called up dancers first, and while I was tempted, dance is NOT my thing. I don’t enjoy it, and I doubt that I’m any good at it. But, when he asked for individuals to come up and sing with him, I was 2nd in line and wasn’t 1st because I was beaten to the stage by a gentlemen whose seat was closer. Bobby asked me what I wanted to sing, and I told him that his version of Sunshine of Your Love was one of the coolest things I’d ever heard. So, that’s what we did. One verse and one chorus, and the audience cheered us with great gusto. In fact, I received compliments on my way back to my seat and from a few as I left the concert hall. But in all honesty, there was a short older woman in perhaps her 60s who sang a song with which I wasn’t familiar that was the highlight of that portion of the show. Man. She really belted the tune out. But again, no one felt humiliated. None of the dancers. None of the singers, solo or chorus. Sure, some were better than others. But somehow, everyone had a good time. Mr. McFerrin brought it out. It was all a truly beautiful experience. If you ever have the chance to see him perform, I strongly suggest that you take it. Have a look at his web site: http://bobbymcferrin.com I really learned a lot. I’d compare this favorably with what I felt the first time I saw Jack of Roses back in Tempe and how I feel when I see Guy Davis and Chris Smither play. That’s enough for now. I’ll post again sometime today to discuss Twenty Aught Eight some more. Monday, January 12th, 2009 4:57 PM CST Twenty Aught Eight - Thoughts, Part 1 Looking back at Twenty Aught Eight, I´d have to say that I was happier than I have been for quite some time. It´s amazing how much satisfaction you can get from doing what you feel you´re meant to do. It was a lot of fun, challenging, and perhaps not quite as difficult as I thought it was going to be. It certainly wasn´t easy and I´m glad to be done, but I´m not left with the feeling that I accomplished some monumental task. I suppose that might be because I was doing something that I found fulfilling. It was exceptionally time consuming, but it led to big progress with my development as an artist in every possible way; singing, writing, playing, arranging, recording, and obviously - learning to work within a deadline. I do have this feeling that I can use this to motivate myself to make changes I consider to be beneficial. If I can put up a new song every week for a year, what else can I do? For now, I´m planning on devoting myself to promotion and playing live. Specifically, a small tour that will take me from WI to AZ and back in May of this year. I´ll also be looking for things closer to home and exploring other avenues of interest. So, how exactly did I do it? I believe the most important factor was simply putting aside the time and keeping to a schedule. Early on, my wife asked if I would take Saturdays of from working on Twenty Aught Eight so we would have at least one common day off. I currently work a full time day job, so I initially told her no because that was one of two days where I could focus on getting a song done with little to no distractions. Then I changed my mind because I realized how important it was for us to get quality time together. It occurred to me that it would be a greater problem if she *didn´t* want time with me. So, I took every Saturday off with perhaps two or three exceptions. Eventually, I wound up taking Tuesday nights off as well as a way to sort of decompress after meeting the deadline the day before. So, I worked a 40-hour week and took two full days off from working on Twenty Aught Eight and still managed to get every song up on time. When I did work, I stuck to a schedule using a technique I learned at Musician´s Institute. I would start on Wed and work for an hour or two, depending on how much time I had. I´d set my digital timer for somewhere between 10-15 minutes (usually 12) and work on new lyrics. When that time was up, I´d go for another 10-15 minutes with a guitar in my hands, trying to come up with some new idea…a chord progression, lick, melody…whatever. When that allotted time ended, I´d go in completely different direction for another 10-15 minutes. Then, back to lyrics…either looking for another idea, or refining what I had written earlier. When the timer went off, I would move on, no matter what. When my time for day was done, I would stop. Back at MI, we were told this works because the mind continues to work on the task subconsciously while you do other things. I have no idea if that´s the case, but I can say that using this method has ALWAYS worked for me. I firmly believe there is no way I could have finished Twenty Aught Eight while working full time and maintaining my marriage without this technique. On Thursday, the schedule would essentially be the same, hopefully with some idea coming to the forefront. On Friday, I would usually have something that I thought would work and I´d begin woodshedding the guitar part and working on the arrangement. When I was pretty sure I had a song, the practice routine would change from working on new ideas to rehearsing the main guitar part for 10-15 minutes at a time. Depending on the difficulty, I might use a metronome to start at a slower tempo and gradually work it up to the speed I heard in my head. If that wasn´t necessary, I´d work on arrangements, or vocals, or whatever. On Sunday, I would begin the recording process. By this point, the idea of working 10-15 minutes at a time had to go. I would usually work for 30-60 minutes trying to get a part down that I liked before taking any kind of break. I would start with the main guitar part. With perhaps two exceptions, every song had its main track done with a full take; no splicing in or overdubs. Then I´d move on to decorative parts and/or vocals, including harmonies. This was generally my most time consuming day, where I´d typically spend at least three hours working, and usually closer to between five and six. More than that was not uncommon. My goal here was to finish all the guitars and get some work done on vocals. If I was very lucky, I´d get both done. There were some days were I actually finished up and posted on Sunday. Mondays were almost as time consuming, and sometimes more. This is when I would typically finish up recording and begin the mixing and mastering process. Sometimes, this was the most difficult. I´d have to mix all my tracks to a master pair, and then do a final master mix on the recorder. Then I was ready to either burn a CD or use my PC to record an MP3 file. I went about halfway through this project having to burn a CD for every song before I was able to revamp my setup and hook up my recorder to my PC. Then I was able to use audio capture software and skip burning a disc. In either case, once I had a finished recording, I would go and listen to it on my living room entertainment system. My wife usually did as well. This is when I would find that I was finished and post the song, or I´d discover that I had some more work to do. If there was more to be done, it was usually remixing the song, which could take another hour or two. There was perhaps only one or two times where I had to actually go and redo a guitar part or a vocal. If a remix was in order, I generally only had to do it once. A second remix happened a few times, and maybe once there was a third. My wife´s thoughts were quite valuable to me at this stage. By this point, I´d generally lost some or all perspective on how others might hear the song. That´s quite easy to do when you´re the only one involved. Though she did hear my working all week, she would hear the recording with reasonably fresh ears and usually offer feedback that was important. I didn´t always agree, but typically, if she said something wasn´t right, I´d wind up fixing it. When I was happy with the song, I would post it to my site, my myspace page, update my journal, send an email, and then finally relax. Yes, I actually somehow managed to do this 52 times in 52 weeks. I´m tired after typing all that out, fer chrissakes. That is representative of my routine, though it did vary some from week to week. The key was using a timer, stopping when it went off regardless of the amount of progress made, and moving on to something else. I stuck to that religiously. I was going to discuss some of the songs, but I´ll save that for another entry. ´Nuff said for now. Todd Monday, January 5th, 2009 6:41 PM CST Just Another Mile I'm done. Finished. Mission accomplished. Really. Just Another Mile marks the end of my Twenty Aught Eight project, and lyrically, expresses how I believe I should approach whatever comes next. Musically, it's a good song with a minor feel, which isn't something I do much. Within the next few days, I'll post an entry here where I will attempt to be eloquent about all that I've learned while doing this project and where I hope it will take me. I also plan to discuss the songs; I'll let you know which are my favorites, which ones I believe represent a marked period of growth, and perhaps acknowledge which might not be quite as strong...at least to me. But, for now, I'm going to go take a rest from all this. Thank you for listening. Monday, December 29th, 2008 6:49 PM CST Truckin' One more song to go. Wow. I really wanted to do another instrumental, and this time something upbeat and rockin'. Truckin' is what came out. As seems to be the case with my instrumentals, my wife came up with the title after I played it for her. I think it's definitely kind of bluesy, but it also has a bit of a surf music vibe to it, particularly during the middle section. I think it's a really fun tune, and I found myself grinnin' and groovin'. Enjoy. One minor change...back when I started Twenty Aught Eight, I made a small miscalculation. I said I'd be posting a new song every week for a year, but specified a date range of 1/14/08 - 1/12/09. I will actually have 52 songs up a week from today, 1/5/09. The dates have been adjusted accordingly on my music page. Monday, December 22nd, 2008 10:15 PM CST My Heaven Negative 37 degrees with the wind chill factored in over the weekend. I love winter. This week's song is called My Heaven and was a bit problematic, in terms of lyrics. I had a few ideas that just didn't quite pan out, and then what became the first line emerged: "My heaven is a state of mind." After that, it was a matter of woodshedding some ideas into something that I felt fit the format of a song. The chord progression is also a bit different for me; I think it sounds like a mosh of blues and americana, which is pretty much what I'm doing these days, so I guess that's to be expected. I was going for a laid back and intimate feel with this one, and I believe I succeeded. I wasn't trying to push myself in terms of performance, nor was I trying for anything particularly easy. In fact, I may be done pushing the envelope...considering I only have two songs left, and we're in the midst of the holiday season. Or, maybe I'm not. I guess we'll see. Monday, December 15th, 2008 8:17 PM CST Week 49 - The Woman I Love We're in the midst of some *COLD* weather. I believe the high today was 9, but the wind chill factor put it below zero. According to weather.com the temperature in my zip code is 3 as I type this, and wind chill brings it down to -14. This week's song is called The Woman I Love and is a bit different for me in a few ways. I wound up featuring the resonator again, and started out with a standard blues tune. When the vocals start, that's pretty much all it is until you get back to the same chord progression that begins the music. The 2nd and 3rd guitar parts that come in at around 1:15 were kind of an afterthought. After listening to the vocals and main guitar, I decided I wanted to fatten the sound up a bit, but didn't want to do so in my usual way. So, I let 1 guitar and the vocal go until after the first verse and instrumental break before adding in acoustic guitar in the left channel and electric in the right. Overall, I really like the song. Only three more to go...that's pretty amazing. I will admit that I feel sort of like a cheap watch as it winds down. When I have time to rest, I do just that. Rest. Nothing else, in terms of mental stimulation. I veg out in front of my TV watching a DVD or Blu-Ray disc and zone out. I've really loved doing Twenty Aught Eight, but it has proven to be rather tiring. I'm not complaining - just stating a fact - and I'm still going strong. Til next time... Monday, December 8th, 2008 7:40 PM CST Week 48 & A Couple of Other Things Hello there. This week's song is called We Can Go. I specifically wanted to do something with my resonator and one vocal track and this is what came out. I thought I might have a blues song, but that's not where my feelings led me, for whatever reason. Feel free to interpret the lyrics as you wish; I hope you enjoy the tune. We're in the midst of what is predicted to be our first bad storm of the winter. Right now, it's what weather.com is calling a "wintry mix," which I think means snow and frozen rain. Six to twelve inches of accumulated snow & whatever else is expected between now and tomorrow night. So, my wife and I spent a good chunk of time yesterday putting our snow plow attachment on our riding lawn mower and insulating the windows with plastic. Those of you who deal with these types of winters know what I'm talking about. As for the rest of you, think of it as putting shrink wrap over your windows on the inside to keep your heat in and cold out. It really makes a tremendous difference. So, I didn't have the same time I normally would on a Sunday to work on music. But, because of what I had wanted to compose all week, that didn't much matter. The last thing I wanted to mention is that I'm now on Twitter, which you can see at the top of this page. If you aren't familiar with it, have a look. I'm both annoyed by and interested in it. Y'all take care. Monday, December 1st, 2008 11:54 PM CST Week 47 - A Little Peace I'm just trying to get this sucker in before my deadline; I may post more about it tomorrow. For now, this week's song is called A Little Peace. Enjoy. Monday, November 24th, 2008 10:48 PM CST Week 46 - Thank You I've wanted to write a song honoring the contributions of teachers to our lives for quite some time now. I believe this idea goes back to before I started Twenty Aught Eight. However, I could never really come up with lyrics that I thought were decent, much less any music. This week's song changes that. It's called Thank You and I think it's very different from any of the songs I've done for this project. While it features my new Taylor electric guitar, I actually wrote the song on my Woolson Soundcraft acoustic. I felt the tune cried out for more of a rock feel than is generally associated with material based around an unplugged guitar. I realize that I've posted this the week of Thanksgiving, but I consider that to be a coincidence. I'm not likely to start writing material with holiday themes. This also puts me past the halfway point the last volume of Twenty Aught Eight. I'll reminisce about this project at length once I'm done, but for now let me say that this has been very fufilling. Oddly enough, I've been in a happier frame of mind because of this exercise. Go figure...doing one of the things I enjoy most in life brings me gratification. Who woulda thunk it? Monday, November 17th, 2008 5:46 PM CST Week 45 - I Believe This week's song comes with a warning...there is a profane word in the first line, within the first few seconds. I suppose if I ever get to the point where this would be considered for radio airplay, I'll have to edit this and go with saying two letters instead of the word itself. For now, I think it's important to the content of the song to leave it in. One could certainly consider the opening line to be controversial, but I'm not certain that was my aim. The lyrics came, I like them, and they express a point of view which happens to be my own. I actually consider the song to be one of hope, for whatever that's worth. It's called I Believe. Enjoy. Monday, November 10th, 2008 8:27 PM CST Week 44 - Ain't A Gonna The title for this week's tune came from a phrase that I spouted out on Saturday that seemed to catch on with folks who heard it. My wife and I were shopping for a new couch and she asked if I had sat on this one particular sofa. I looked at the price tag and responded, "No, and I ain't a gonna." Mind you, I wasn't trying to be particularly clever or funny. It's just what popped out of my mouth. Steve, a sales manager who is also a friend of mine thought that was a great phrase and insisted I make a song out of it. My little brother in law was with us, and he agreed, as did my wife. This particular choice of words seemed to cause great merriment for the rest of the day, so I figured Steve had given me some sage advice. This is actually a first for me in a couple of ways. One - I've never based a song on a catch phrase that I seemed to unintentionally birth from nowhere. I have written songs around phrases before, but they've always come when I was making an effort to create. This "Ain't A Gonna" just seemed like the thing to say at the time. Two - the riff that opens the song and appears after the verses was actually written for another piece of music that was finished but I was unable to record because I was sick and unable to sing properly. Usually, I'd simply redo the song another week, but this time, I wound up taking that one bit and making something new out of it. I don't believe I have done that before. The song can be heard here and on my music page. Enjoy, and take care. Sunday, November 2nd, 2008 10:35 PM CST Week 43 - My Last Chance This week I wound up with the desire to do something raw & simple...uncomplicated, yet compelling. The lyrics wound up being the most difficult, going though a few rewrites and a couple of changes in theme. The song is called My Last Chance, and it's written from the perspective of someone who believes he is making his last decision about religious faith. I don't often quote my own lyrics, but I think doing so here illustrates what I mean. The first verse is as follows: What if God made up the devil just to keep us in line? What if man made up God right around the same time? He's going through two levels of questions...first, what if there was no evil until God created it, or made up lies about it, in order to control us? And second...what if we made up God ourselves? The unspoken conclusion he makes is that we created religion, God, and his counterpart ourselves. The chorus is: It's my last chance to be part of God's plan should I repent and save my soul? It's my last chance to be who I am should I give up my soul? In his mind, he can't be "saved" without giving up who he believes himself to be - his essence, his soul. He's trying to decide if he wants to relinquish total control to a higher power, or be himself. He can't do both. It echoes an idea from a Rush song, Resist - you can surrender without a prayer, but never really pray without surrender. The second verse is: I've spent a lot of time on this thing called faith and how it relates to me I may not have all of the answers but I know what I believe He's trying to reconcile what he believes to be true with how it contradicts what he's been taught, and what the majority of those around him consider to be the norm. The final verse: I never met Jesus but I've heard his tale I don't know if it's true It seems to me that don't matter as much as what people do He's unsure about whether or not Jesus exists or existed, but he's coming to the conclusion that whether or not He did isn't as important as how people conduct themselves. The idea of the Man is likely more important that the truth. So, take from that what you will. It's possible you might get something altogether different from the words...that's part of appeal of art. Y'all be good. Monday, October 27th, 2008 9:44 PM CDT Day & Night - Week 42 Ok, it's late, I'm recovering from a nasty cold or something, and I'm tired. So, not much else to say, other than to present this week's song featuring the new Taylor electric guitar, Day & Night. Enjoy. Monday, October 20th, 2008 6:51 PM CDT Everything I Need - Week 41 Ok, so I *really* like this week's song. I actually finished it yesterday and spent some of today listening to it while I worked, doing my extra special fat man dance while sitting moves. Seriously. The tune features a new instrument, a Taylor electric guitar. The model can be viewed here. I have the walnut version. This came about because I've had a strong desire for a Telecaster type guitar, though I had no desire to buy a Fender. So, I've been looking around online, talking to a couple of builders, looking over eBay, shopping in stores where I happen to find myself, etc. I would never have looked twice at this instrument for at least two reasons: 1 - not a tele. 2 - it's a Taylor, and therefore a factory instrument. I'm opposed. However, at my wife's suggestion, I took it off the wall and gave it a shot. I now own it and used it to write this week's song. What more needs to be said? There are actually four different guitar parts; the main rhythm using the Taylor tuned to open G, the Reuter resonator doubling the same part, the Woolson SIG playing the same part with a different voicing, and the solo/decorative parts with the Taylor, still tuned to G using a slide. Add bass, vocals, and a drum machine, and you get Everything I Need. Enjoy. Reminder to those of you in and around Rockford, IL...I have that gig tomorrow night and will be featuring songs from the first two volumes of Twenty Aught Eight. Info on my gigs page. Y'all take care. Monday, October 13th, 2008 5:25 PM CDT V4 Begins Ok, so I'm off and running on the last quarter of Twenty Aught Eight. I'm really tired today, so this will be a short entry. The song is called Big Bad Man, and I thought that it might become the 2nd song in something that was going to evolve into a concept album or perhaps even a one man play. However, I decided that something along those lines merited considerably more time and effort one week per song. It's also likely to require constant woodshedding of old ideas as new ones evolve. I have gone back and made changes to only two songs during this process, but neither edit involved rewriting the song in any way. One was redoing the vocal track after recovering from an illness, and the other was adding some ambient background noise from my backyard. So, I may revisit the one man play idea after I finish Twenty Aught Eight. We shall see. In any case, I've started the home stretch with a down home blues, which somehow seems appropriate. Enjoy. Sunday, October 5th, 2008 11:27 PM CDT Week 39 - Faith So, I'm 3/4 of the way through Twenty Aught Eight. Oddly enough, I don't feel particularly different or accomplished as I type this. I'm just happy to have completed the most recent song, and I think it's a nice way to end a volume, or CD. The song is called Faith, and yes, that is what it's about. The lyrics came at the start of this week when I was writing whatever came to mind, and there wasn't really much editing. As for the music, I thought I was going to record something very different, right up until just before I brushed my teeth this morning. That's when the idea for the arrangement you now hear came to me, and to be honest, I just knew this is what it needed to be. This is the song I needed to write/record and release today. Enjoy. Next week, I start volume 4. Thirteen more weeks to go. So far, this has been more fun than work, though there has been plenty of the latter. Monday, September 29th, 2008 6:57 PM CDT Week 38 It can be good to go back to something that's comforting, and not necessarily difficult to do. Sometimes a song doesn't have to be different, or complicated. Sometimes, I just want to play around with something fairly basic and what comes out doesn't have to be anything brilliant or innovative. But, it can be gritty and cool. I give you this week's song, Nothing But Pain. It strikes me as something you'd hear a good bar band do, perhaps in the middle of their last set. What you hear isn't really where I thought I'd end up this week, but sometimes I just go where I'm led...for whatever that's worth. Enjoy. On a somewhat related topic, the first media reviews for Twenty Aught Eight V1 & V2 are available here. I wouldn't call it glowing praise, but I would say it's a positive review. Have a look for yourself and feel free to drop me a line if you'd like to discuss it. Next week...maybe a blues about being in a good relationship? Monday, September 22nd, 2008 8:24 PM CDT Week 37 & Guitar Pics This week's song is called Ease My Dying Pain and is written from the perspective of someone who is dying at a relatively young age; 30 something. He has the chance to look back and reflect as the end approaches and the lyrics represent some of his thoughts. The tune features somewhat somber lyrics married to a kind of happy, bouncy sound - not unlike some material by Mississippi John Hurt and Guy Davis. Enjoy. I finally got around to taking pictures of my newest guitar, and while I was at it, I took some of my Reuter Resonator...mainly because there aren't any of it posted either. I set up a little web page with links to pictures that will pop up in their own windows. Be aware that the file sizes are somewhat large, so if you're not on a high speed connection, they may take a while to load. The page can be viewed here. One more thing...I'm going to add a little something to That Quiet Country Living that I think will give it an even cooler quality. That should be done sometime this week. Y'all take care. Edit at about 10:18 PM my time...That Quiet Country Living has now been remixed, and I think the addition is absolutely perfect, from beginning to end. Enjoy. Monday, September 15th, 2008 5:37 PM CDT Week 36 - I Could Be Wrong So, I may have just published my first protest song. I suppose you might be able to say that Bring 'Em Home qualifies, but I tend to think of it as more of a plea than a protest. However, I think I Could Be Wrong is in an entirely different category. I cover my thoughts on a few subjects, most of which could probably be considered controversial. Make what you will of it and feel free to email if you'd like to discuss it, though as with all art, interpretation is up to each individual to decide. You may well get something out of this that was far from what I intended when I wrote it, but I suppose that's ok. In any case, it's a song. Remember that. The words pretty much came all at once and there was very little editing. I like it when that happens. It usually feels easier and more natural than having to keep working on a tune until it eventually sounds acceptable...though both have different rewards. Practice certainly has a place in my life. The music came nearly as easily. I suppose the most difficult thing was coming up with a bass line. What you hear is very simple; all I did was follow the bass drum. Bass used to be my primary instrument and I thought Geddy Lee was god, so I nearly always have something in mind that is far more complex than necessary, and this time was no exception. Hell, I even thought I was starting simply enough; but it wasn't until I came up with the current part that I felt the groove really lock in. That's not a slight against Geddy and what he does; I still think he's god on that bass. I just can't do it any more, and I don't think it would fit this song anyway. That's it for now. Til next time, be good. Monday, September 8th, 2008 11:34 PM CDT Week 35 - The Price Ok, so it's late, I'm tired, and I have finally finished what I consider to be an acceptable version of the song that's been kicking my ass for the last few weeks. And of course, I had to mix it three times. Heaven forbid any part of this be easy. ;-) Anyway, It's called The Price. I may discuss it some more in a later entry, but right now, I'm going to bed. Y'all be good. Monday, September 1st, 2008 1:56 PM CDT Week 34 So, I was really gearing up to have a crack at that song that's been giving me so much trouble, when it occurred to me that I felt like doing something much more laid back. Not necessarily easier, but more relaxed in overall quality. In fact, I had decided to do some kind of slow solo piece on my Silvertone hollowbody, but as I was showering yesterday morning, I started to hear the beginnings of a chord progression in my head. So, when I sat down to work, I started with my Woolson Soundcraft acoustic and quickly picked out something that reflected what I felt like doing. I recorded that, then set about putting down a slide part/melody, and the result is being called That Quiet Country Living. I'm actually not entirely married to that title, so if you happen to think of something that might be better, feel free to share it with me. The song, however, I do like. Very much. Enjoy. Happy Labor Day. Monday, August 25th, 2008 7:41 PM CDT Week 33 Hey all. This week's song is called More Than I Can Take, and once again, it's something I had to write because the song I've been trying to finish for the last few weeks still isn't happening. It's a touch frustrating, but it's part of the process. If nothing else, I'm obviously working on something that doesn't come as easily to me, and that's good. That's not to say that More Than I Can Take didn't present issues. I worked on the guitar track for 4-5 hours yesterday, and I just couldn't get it right. So, I get started today, and the first take is almost a keeper. Of course, I think it took me another hour to finally get what you hear now. The vocals took...hmm...probably about the same length of time. I'm not sure because I actually didn't pay much attention to the clock in my room once I had the guitar part down. I hadn't given any serious thought to what I would do if I couldn't get it done in a few hours, but it was a concern when I started. I think that maybe this week, I'll work on something else while I woodshed the tune that is perhaps proving to be the most difficult to complete thus far. Y'all take care. Monday, August 18th, 2008 8:05 PM CDT Week 32 Hello again. This week's song is called Trust No Woman Blues and, like last week, is just me and my guitar. This one was written written and arranged in roughly two hours and was born out of necessity. You see, I have this song that's been giving me fits for about a month or so. I was counting on having it ready this week, but sometime on Friday, I knew that it just wasn't going to happen. So, I took the last 15 minutes of my practice session that night and came up with what is the main rhythm. I take Saturdays off to spend time with my wife and run any necessary errands. On Sunday, I came up with the lyrics, which started with "when I was just a boy." In my head, I was hearing the first part of that Paul Simon song "Loves Me Like a Rock." Truth be told, at the time I thought I was hearing Billy Joel. It wasn't until I started to type this out that my mind informed that I was not making the correct association. So, that one line inspired the rest of the lyrics. The last time something like this happened, it was for "6 Feet of Trouble" which was born out of a line that became the first part of the chorus: "She's six feet of trouble in her high heels." Anyway, enjoy. See you next week. Monday, August 11th, 2008 5:22 PM CDT Try Again Hello all. This week's song is called Try Again. I felt the need to go back to what I seem to enjoy the most; a song with guitar, vocals, and nothing else. Well, foot tapping for some percussion, but no other instrumentation. No harmonies, no extra guitar parts, no overdubbed solos. Just the song as I was able to perform it. Enjoy. It occurred to me a few weeks ago that the area where I seem to be showing the most growth is with my singing. It makes sense, but had you asked me when I started, I would have thought that my songwriting and guitar playing would have taken the biggest jump. Of course, this is just my opinion, but it seems like the biggest risks I've taken so far have been with my voice, so it's no surprise that's where improvement is most noticeable. I've nearly always felt that my biggest weakness as an artist and performer was my singing. I've taken lessons and found where I'm comfortable and feel capable, but now it seems like I'm moving beyond that to a new level. Good. That's part of the point of Twenty Aught Eight. Talk to you again soon. Monday, August 4th, 2008 10:22 PM CDT Week 30 Another week, another song. I felt it was time for another instrumental, and while I thought I would write a kind of free form country blues, I wound up with something that is based on the diminished scale. I think it sounds kind of Egyptian or maybe Spanish. In any case, it's very different from what I set out to do, but that can be good. The song is called Running; enjoy. On a personal note, rae & I adopted two more dogs from the local humane society. They are hound mixes, which is to say that they're mutts. We've named them Sawyer & Dobro, and I'll see about posting pics right around the time I put up pictures of my new guitar. Y'all take care. Monday, July 28th, 2008 6:39 PM CDT Week #29 Find Peace Greetings. Still no pictures of the new guitar, I know. I slack. This is one of the reasons I took on Twenty Aught Eight. So, the song this week is called Find Peace. The main guitar riff and song structure are both blues based, though I don't think the lyrics are standard for that genre. There's mention of being chased by the devil and the use of the term John Law, so there are certainly elements that come from a blues tradition, but on the whole, it feels more like a folk rock thing to me. See what you think. Y'all be good. Monday, July 21st, 2008 11:32 PM CDT Week #28 Hey all. It's late, I'm tired and hungry. But, the new song is up. It's called Painful Resolve and can be heard here: http://toddlorenz.com/music/2008v3/Painful_Resolve.m3u The title does not actually appear within the lyrics, but to me, it's a more accurate reflection of the song's meaning than what may be the obvious title. In any case, enjoy. Monday, July 14th, 2008 10:32 PM CDT Week #27 New song is up, folks...and I'm officially past the halfway mark. I've made it my habit to play each song on my home sound system before I post it, and this generally includes my wife hearing the song fully produced for the first time. Most times, I've lost anything resembling impartiality long before getting to this stage, so it's nice to get feedback from a fresh pair of ears. I've gone back and remixed songs a number of times based on her suggestions, and I believe the tunes are better for it. She likes this song a lot and insisted that I don't change a thing. I give you Bring Me Relief. I set out specifically to do something with vocal harmonies and wound up with a number that sounds very old timey to me. Last week, someone said that Soothe My Soul could have been on the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack; I think this falls even deeper into that genre. Enjoy! Monday, July 7th, 2008 11:45 PM CDT Week #26 Wow. Talk about getting in under the wire. This is the closest I've come to missing my deadline, but I made it. The track is called Soothe My Soul and is up now. Enjoy. I still haven't put up pics of the new guitar...sorry about that. I will do my best to get that done this week. Off to bed for me...y'all be good. Monday, June 30th, 2008 8:15 PM CDT 6 Feet of Trouble Hey all...this week's song is called 6 Feet of Trouble. Lyrically, it's about a woman who gets by on looks and a predatory nature. Musically, I think it sounds like a marriage between folk and southern rock. Enjoy! http://toddlorenz.com/music/2008v2/6_Feet_of_Trouble.m3u The new guitar is the rhythm track; the lead is my Silvertone hollowbody. I also put down a very simple bass track with my Yamaha fretless to fill out the bottom end a bit. No pics of the new guitar yet; I hope to get that done this week. Y'all be good. Todd Monday, June 23rd, 2008 10:39 PM CDT Week #24 The new guitar is here and is featured on this week's song, Two Step. It only seemed right to make the first song written with this beautiful, incredibly responsive instrument an instrumental. I expect I'll be posting pics of it before next week, but I'm not sure when I'll have time. If you'd like to see who built it, have a look at Paul Woolson's web site. As for me...I'm pretty much going to bed now. Talk to you soon. Todd Monday, June 16th, 2008 9:09 PM CDT Week 23 Hello, folks. This week's song is called Life Is Good. It seems to me that I spend a lot of time bitching or working out my own problems with my material...but hey, that's one of the purposes served by art. I wound up doing something more positive with this song, and I started with the phrase "Life is good when.." and went from there. Some pretty good stuff, I think. Enjoy. New guitar is almost here... Monday, June 9th, 2008 10:24 PM CDT Week #22 Greetings all. This week's song is called Leave a Light On, and were I a piano player, I could totally hear the Fats Domino type rhythm behind this. I wasn't necessarily shooting for that vibe, but that's what came out. The vocals are kind of laid back as well...I tried belting them out for a take or two and it just didn't feel right. Go where the song takes you, I suppose. Enjoy the tune. New guitar is coming... Monday, June 2nd, 2008 4:42 PM CDT Week #21 Hello all. Towards the end of last week, I made the decision to blow off Snocap and just post the songs on my own site for free. I considered leaving myspace out as well, but the tunes will continue to appear there. So, for now, all material from the project I'm calling Twenty Aught Eight will be posted for your listening pleasure. Donations via PayPal are happily accepted; there is a button on my music page. This week's song is called Talkin' bout It. Last week I wanted to push my vocals; this week I just wanted to play some guitar. To me, the resulting instrumental sounds like a couple of guitarists sat down to play a bit and wound up having a conversation. They're talking about stuff, having a good time, enjoying themselves. Here's a link, which is also on my music page: Week 21 06/02/08 - Talkin' bout It Til next time... Monday, May 26th, 2008 7:55 PM CDT Week #20 Ok, long day. I started something resembling an exercise routine, so I'm pretty wiped out. This week's song is called Come Back Home and is available now on myspace: http://myspace.com/toddlorenz I was in the mood for a new blues tune and this is what came out. Last week's song, Change, is also there now. Enjoy. Todd Monday, May 19th, 2008 9:47 PM CDT Week #19 Hello there. As I type this, myspace.com is having problems. I'm unable to upload my new song or change my profile info. So, I went ahead and posted this week's song on my on site. The tune is called Change and can be heard here: (song removed) I'll wind up taking it down when I can put it up on myspace sometime tomorrow...or, perhaps not. Truthfully, I find their site to be somewhat annoying. I may find another solution, along with a different way to sell the songs because snocap is still not working for me. In any case, enjoy the song. Y'all be good. Monday, May 12th, 2008 9:44 PM CDT Week #18 The song inspired by my notes entry below (dated 5/8/08) is now available for listening on myspace: http://myspace.com/toddlorenz Be warned that a profane word is used once. That's it for now...I'm pretty much headed for bed. Y'all be good. Thursday, May 8th, 2008 8:54 PM CDT I'm Tired. The following rant should not be read by anyone whom I have offended on any level at any time during the course of this life or any other. Those lacking a sense of humor and/or the ability to recognize someone's right to say whatever is desired within a personal forum are encouraged to skip this particular entry, and perhaps every other one as well. Those offended by profanity should DEFINITELY find something else to do on the web besides read the next few paragraphs. In other words, if there is even the slightest chance of being offended on any level by words of any kind, please don't read any further. Start rant. I'm tired of being politically correct and apologizing for being who I am. I'm tired of those who would prefer an end around to a simple direct request. I'm tired of hypocrisy in others - and myself, though I'm of the opinion that the latter happens far more infrequently. I'm tired of being considered offensive because I speak my mind and because my quips and observances happen to be lined with bits of truth and insight. I'm also tired of sometimes falling for my own line of bullshit. I'm tired of those who smile and laugh at a joke when it's made and then later on decide that it was inappropriate, and don't have the courage, decency and common fucking sense to let me know, thereby preventing any future occurrences of similar jokes and/or comments. I'm tired of those who go out their way to be physically appealing to the opposite sex and find it offensive when others happen to appreciate it. I'm also tired of my own lack of self control. I'm tired of living and working in a world where very few have the courage to be themselves and where most seem to be intimidated by those who do. I'm tired of lies. I'm tired of those who put on a shiny, happy face in order to hide whatever the fuck it is that causes them to put up a front. I'm also tired of my own need to test people's boundaries in order to decide whether or not they are worth the effort necessary for a decent relationship. I'm tired of not being able to make a living with what truly drives me, though I seem to learning more about patience as I grow older. However, I am tired of waiting. Fuck off, Irony. Feel free to get off on the next stop. I'm tired of the fact that the world really seems to be a mess, yet the masses really don't seem to know what to do about it. I'm tired of trying to sort out fact from fiction in waters purposefully muddied by those with impure motivations. I'm tired of trying to figure out what truth really is, and I'm *absolutely* tired of its changing nature, my changing perceptions, or both. I'm tired of gaining a certain level of comfort with people, letting my guard down a bit, and then finding a way to piss them off. I'm tired of feeling like it's my goddamned fault. Y'all should lighten the fuck up. And again, I'm tired of falling for my own line of bullshit, and my exquisitely beautiful ability to justify my own inappropriate behavior. I should just grow the fuck up. I'm tired of feeling like I don't fit in much of anywhere, yet having no desire to effect real change. I have been striving to be more appropriate in lots of ways, yet I refuse to give up what I feel is my own true essence. I'm unique. I'm intelligent. I'm funny. I'm brash. I'm rude. I'm abrasive. I'm sensitive. I'm a rush of fucking contradictions. Yet, under certain circumstances, I have no problems fitting in. Put a guitar in my hands, and I can be pretty happy. Put me in the presence of someone whom I admire and respect, and I seem to be able to go damn near forever without being offensive. Why would that be? I'm tired of stumbling across insights when all I really set out to do was bitch & moan. Hey, it's my web space. I'm also tired of my own defensive mechanisms and compensating for my own insecurities by leaving my fucking mouth in overdrive while my brain is still idling in neutral. Hey! What did I just say about insights? Hmm...there may be a song in here somewhere. End rant. Y'all be good. Monday, May 5th, 2008 11:06 PM CDT Weeks 16 & 17 I missed my entry last week...what can I say? This song a week thing keeps me really busy. However, I did post a song last week and published another just a bit ago. Week 16 04/27/08 - Walk On By Week 17 05/05/08 - Sinful Pleasures They are both available at http://myspace.com/toddlorenz. I'd like to say that they are available for sale through Snocap, but I seem to be having problems there, and I no longer receiving a response to my emails. So, I may wind up having to put the material elsewhere. For now, please continue to listen on myspace and I'll let you know when the songs are again available for purchase. Talk to you later... Todd Tuesday, April 15th, 2008 8:55 PM CDT 4 Days in Iowa So, I spent Tues - Fri of last week in the Quad Cities area of Iowa/Illinois. Why? Guy Davis was doing an Artist Residency with the Mississippi Valley Blues Society. This means that he was performing concerts for the general public and private presentations for others, mostly schools. I was lucky enough to be his guest, and my employer was kind enough to allow me to use vacation days on short notice. I was able to hang out with and learn from one of favorite artists for four days. Pretty cool. It was interesting watching him change his presentations based on his audience, and perhaps more so to see what stayed the same. He was always entertaining and available to his audience, which is more than can be said for some artists. He also listened to some of my newest songs and again offered valuable feedback on what he did and didn't like, and did so in a manner that was always honest and helpful. It was a great week. Thanks Guy. Monday, April 14th, 2008 11:23 PM CDT Week #14 Ok, I know I said that I'd talk about my trip to Iowa in this entry, but I really need to get to bed. So, I will update this page tomorrow with that story. However, I do need to say that the song for week #14 is called Never Got Along and is available now: http://myspace.com/toddlorenz Enjoy, and be good. Monday, April 7th, 2008 10:29 PM CDT Week #13 Hello all. This week, I felt like it was time for a slow, mournful blues and Lost in Pain is what came out. It should be available on myspace...now! http://myspace.com/toddlorenz That's it for now. Next time, I'll talk about a trip to Iowa. Y'all take care. Todd Monday, March 31st, 2008 8:16 PM CDT Week #12 Just a quick hit for now, folks. This week's song is called Evolution of the Soul and is available now. Enjoy! http://myspace.com/toddlorenz Todd Tuesday, March 25th, 2008 10:26 PM CDT Bronchitis...Wheee!!! Ok, so as it turns out, I probably had/have bronchitis. My wife went to the doctor and was diagnosed with it. I was sick for a week before she showed any symptoms, so I think it's likely that I had it first. I now don't feel so bad about canceling a gig. I'm still coughing just a bit, and my voice isn't quite back to normal...overall I think I'm up to about 90%. Back on Sunday when I recorded vocals, I was probably somewhere between 80% and 85%. But, I found that in order to get any kind of decent tone, I really had to relax, so I'd call it important experience. There is a new version of Ain't No Greater Sorrow available for listening, and I like this one enough to put it up for sale, if you're interested. It's over on myspace.com/toddlorenz. As of now, the song for Week #11 is one of my all time favorites. I usually wind up listening to my own material on a semi regular basis if I like it and I've listened to Beauty of our Lives quite a bit over the last couple of days. I love every component of the song...rhythm guitars, vocals, melody, the resonator parts...I really feel that it's a good representation of who and where I am right now. It's also available over on myspace. Oh, and for the record, I've had enough snow for the winter, thanks. Monday, March 24th, 2008 11:06 PM CDT Week #11 Just a quick note for now...this week's song is called Beauty of our Lives and I think it's really good. Have a listen and see if you agree; I always welcome honest feeback. http://myspace.com/toddlorenz Y'all be good. Monday, March 17th, 2008 10:04 PM CDT Week #10 Hello folks. This week's song is called Ain't No Greater Sorrow and has some story behind it. If you'd prefer to simply listen, here's the link: http://myspace.com/toddlorenz I've been sick for about 9 days now, and I lost my voice for a good part of that time. Today was the first time I've been able to sing at all in over a week so I wasn't really able to rehearse until today, and as you'll be able to hear, my voice isn't what is should be. Yet, it some way, I think it works because of the lyrics and the subject matter. Judge for yourself, if you're inclined to listen. However, while I am posting this for listening on myspace, I'm not yet making it available for sale. I may redo the song this week or over the weekend, or I may just leave it the way it is. I'll make that decision later, in part because I may have lost some perspective on it while working today, and I'm just tired. I'm not quite myself yet and the recording process can be quite taxing, though I am getting better at it. So, why post the file if it's not necessarily the final product? Simple. I have given myself a deadline, and barring something that's perhaps calamitous in nature, I intend to live up to it. I could have recorded another instrumental, but I really want to avoid doing that over consecutive weeks if at all possible. Of course, if my voice hadn't come back, that's exactly what I would have done. Now then, just because I've posted the song doesn't mean it isn't subject to revision. I just won't make it available for sale until I'm really comfortable with it, and even then, it's always possible that I may redo it further down the road. Hell, My Blues is made up entirely of songs I re-recorded because I felt the need to give them a better representation. Why wouldn't I do the same with a single song? Til next time... Monday, March 10th, 2008 7:33 PM CDT Week #9 This week's tune is an instrumental called The Meandering Hound. I'll probably post more about it tomorrow; right now I'm pretty damn sick and I'm going back to my couch. Maybe to bed. http://myspace.com/toddlorenz Enjoy. Tuesday, March 4th, 2008 9:57 PM CST Todd Snider & Jeff Healey Back on 2/22/08, my wife and I went to see Todd Snider perform at Shank Hall in Milwaukee. There was an opening act, but quite honestly, I don't remember his name. He was entertaining at times, but I'm afraid I can't say much more than that. Todd is one of my favorite artists (alongside Guy Davis & Chris Smither) and has been since around 1999. I've seen him twice before and enjoyed both performances. I enjoyed this one as well, but I do have one major complaint. He only played 75 minutes. That's less than an hour and a half for a ticket with a face value of $20 in a venue that is essentially a bar. Sure, the opening act played close to an hour, but I wasn't there to see him. Frankly, I would have preferred to see Todd play two sets of between 45 and 60 minutes each with a 15 - 30 minute break in between. That's usually what Guy and Chris do, and it's far more satisfying. They actually wind up selling CDs between sets and after the show, and that's to their advantage. To date, Todd hasn't really bothered with that. I don't think he cares much about CD sales; he plays his songs, interacts with his audience a bit from the stage, and then bails out. I should point out that I drove 2 hours each way to see him, so I'm sure that's affecting my point of view. As much as I enjoy the man's songs and watching him play, I won't be going out of my way like that to see him again anytime soon. It's really not worth it. 4 hours of driving for 75 minutes? Thanks, but no thanks. Again, I really loved watching him. But it wasn't enough. I didn't walk out feeling like he had really committed and given his all to the performance and I just wasn't satisfied. The other thing I wanted to discuss was the passing of Jeff Healey. He died on 3/2/08, finally succumbing to what was largely a lifelong battle with cancer. I've been a fan of his and counted him as one of my favorite people since sometime in the early 90s. I have all of his albums (save for perhaps a best of or two) including his last three jazz CDs. Even though I'm not really a fan of that genre, I do enjoy hearing Jeff do just about anything. I think there is something each of us finds appealing about the energy put out by certain people; perhaps that's why there are those that transcend styles or trends with an audience...obviously some have a wider appeal than others. I'm not going to go on about his career; that information is readily available elsewhere. I just want to say that I will miss him. I was lucky enough to see him perform 5 times, and while he did seem to start one show just a bit off, all of them were really great. I won't pretend to know what happens to people and their souls, essences, or whatever when they die. I can say it hurts to know that I'll never see him again during this life, and that I never got the chance to interact with him, or have a simple conversation. I would have liked that. However, I do believe that the universe tends to provide us with what we need, though we often don't understand it. Jeff lived his life until his time was up. We never know when our time will come to move on to whatever is next, if anything. It's important to try and remember that when our lives are going really well or very poorly; it only takes a moment for things to change, or end. This is where people tend to say to live each moment as if it were your last, but honestly, I can't quite buy into that. If I really believed this moment was my last, I wouldn't be sitting here typing, or worry about money, or my mortgage, or my car, or anything else...I'd be off finding whatever pleasure suits me. So, I guess the trick, as usual, is being able to find balance in all things, difficult as that may be or as we tend to make it. Bah. I've blathered on enough. I'll miss you, Jeff. I hope to see you again in whatever follows death. From Jeff's web siite: Jeff's family would greatly appreciate a donation in his memory to Daisy's Eye Cancer Research Fund (to support their efforts to discover a cure). Donations may be made through the organization's website: www.daisyseyecancerfund.ca. Monday, March 3rd, 2008 10:22 PM CST Week #8 Hey there. I actually have a few things I want to talk about, but I'm out of time for the night. I plan on posting a longer entry tomorrow. For now, suffice it to say that the song for week #8 is called Never Mind and is now available. Talk to you tomorrow... http://myspace.com/toddlorenz Monday, February 25th, 2008 7:31 PM CST Week #7 Hm...it seems I missed an entry here last week. The song was up on time and it's called Trouble No More. It's actually one of my favorites. This week's tune is called Moonbeams and it's an instrumental of which my wife is particularly fond. I was practicing one night, and she actually called me from bed (our bedroom is above my office/music room) and asked that I "play that song that sounds like moonbeams." Pretty cool title, and I think it does sound like that. Enjoy! http://myspace.com/toddlorenz Monday, February 11th, 2008 8:19 PM CST Week #5 I record Share of the Blame on Sat; good thing, too. Sunday I started to feel pretty bad, and today I'm in fairly horrible shape. I spent most of the day asleep. In any case, I posted the new tune on Sunday. Enjoy. http://myspace.com/toddlorenz Monday, February 4th, 2008 10:38 PM CST Week #4 I'm really hungry & tired, so this will be brief. The song for this week is called Balance of Life and is available...now! Enjoy. http://myspace.com/toddlorenz Saturday, January 26th, 2008 10:26 PM CST Song For Week #3 Hello there. The song for Week #3 is called Rock Me and is now available. http://myspace.com/toddlorenz This was actually a lot of fun to do, and I think it comes through in the tracks. I honestly grinned like a kid while I was working on this, especially during the last guitar solo. Sometimes I forget how much fun this can be. I often find recording music to be grueling, but rewarding in the end. This was just a good time for nearly the whole process. And, there is more going on than just vocals and one guitar. Three different guitars were used, though the song is not at all complicated. Anyway, the lyrics are also posted, and yes, they're supposed to make you smile. Enjoy! Sunday, January 20th, 2008 10:13 AM CST Song For Week #2 Hello all. The song for this week is called Keep My Faith. Make what you will of the title; part of the beauty of art is that it's open to interpretation. I know what I was thinking when I wrote it; that doesn't mean it will have the same meaning to you. The lyrics are available over at myspace, where it can be heard for free, and downloaded for $.99 via my Snowcap store: http://myspace.com/toddlorenz My plan for getting a song posted once a week is to work on three songs. This means writing, arranging, and recording each tune. The one that was my favorite just didn't sound as good as I hoped when I listened back to it; I'll have to work on the arrangement. The other option will be available in a few weeks. I'm happy with the song, but I screwed up the lyrics performing what turned out to be the best take, that one whoopsie aside. Of course, it was the last couple of lines in the song. So, Keep My Faith it is. It's the best presentation I have this week. Enjoy. Sunday, January 13th, 2008 9:25 PM CST First New Song Available Ok, so the first new song of what will be a new tune every Monday for a year is up for listening and purchase on my myspace page: http://myspace.com/toddlorenz It's called Three Chords and the Truth and it has a fairly simple story behind it. It's been said that a good country song is...can you guess?...three chords and the truth. I don't know who first uttered those words, but the first time I heard them was during a Chris Smither concert; something about his producer telling him his songs had too many chords. It's also the name of a song and album by Sara Evans, though I had never heard of her or it until after I wrote my own tune and thought it might be a good idea to do a search and make sure I wasn't subconsciously stealing from anyone. I've listened to her song; mine has nothing in common with it other than the title. In any case, I've carried the phrase around in my head for a while, and the words came quickly when I put pen to paper. I played it at gig last Friday and it received a good response. I think the lyrics can be discerned fairly easily, but if you'd prefer to read them, there's a pop up link on the myspace player. The download price is $.99 - 99 cents, from the snocap store on the same page. Enjoy! Wednesday, January 2nd, 2008 7:00 PM CST Happy Holidays & New Songs So, Happy Holidays to those of you who read this page and aren't on my email list. While I haven't updated this blog for awhile, I do send emails out periodically to let folks know what I'm doing. If you'd like to be included, et me know: todd (at) toddlorenz.com. So, I've decided to try something rather ambitious. Starting Monday, 1/14/08, I will post a new song every week for a full year. They will be available for listening and purchase on my myspace page (http://myspace.com/toddlorenz). The goals here are for me to grow as a songwriter and to try and further my career. Songs will be original compositions that have not been previously available in any form. No cover tunes, and no reworking material. Postings will continue until 1/05/09. Exceptions may be made in the event of serious illness and/or hospitalization to me or my wife, death in my family or close circle of friends, or if I have the opportunity to tour. That's it for now. Be good. Friday, September 21st, 2007 5:01 PM CDT Ok, I realize it’s been over three months since my last update here. As with most things, there are a number of factors involved…my laziness and a lack of much to say are both at the top of the list. Anyway… Back on 8/18 I performed at a benefit in Rockford for the Blues in the Schools program. It was a pretty good time and I performed fairly well. I sold a few CDs and donated the proceeds to the cause, which I felt was only appropriate. I also made a few connections that may prove to be valuable, including one with the gentleman who orders CDs for the Borders in that town. I also perform there on a regular basis. In any case, he emailed me and said that he had a spot open at one of the listening stations and wanted to stock some of my CDs, specifically My Blues. Now that’s pretty damn cool. For those of you who may not be familiar with what a listening station is, essentially, people who are browsing music at this Borders store will be able to put on a pair of headphones and check out my CD. Of course, I’m hoping this leads to a few sales, but honestly, I think it’s great that he thinks enough of my work to put me in this spot. As Cartman might say…”Sweeeeet.” I went to see Rush in Milwaukee on 9/6/07. They played well, but overall, the sound wasn’t great. I don’t know how much of it had to do with the amphitheater versus the band’s sound system. The drums sounded great, keyboards & vocals were good, Geddy’s bass was ok, but anytime he played with the band, Alex’s guitars sounded really muddy and just didn’t cut through the mix at all. In defense of the arena, my seat was next to someone who had seen them in St. Louis, and he said the same problem was evident there as well. But, not having attended, I can’t say that building didn’t factor into it. To be honest, I think it was the guitars Alex was using. He used Gibsons for every song for the first time that I can remember (I’ve seen every show since the Power Windows tour back in 1986/87), and I think that that sound isn’t conducive to what he plays live. Single coil pickups cut through more, in part because they don’t have as full a sound. But, when your guitar is getting buried by bass & drums, there’s a problem. Listen to the acoustic player offer his opinion on why a major league rock band had problems with their mix…nice. At times, the guitar sound was so bad that if I hadn’t been familiar with the guitar parts, I wouldn’t have had any idea what he was doing. On the plus side, Neil had a lot of new stuff in his drum solo, which is always a treat to watch and hear. They also had three different video screens that sometimes showed different shots of the band, sometimes the same, and of course, sometimes had videos to enhance the show. They had video intros from Bob & Doug McKenzie for The Larger Bowl) and the kids from South Park for Tom Sawyer. I love Bob & Doug, but I don’t think I’ve heard anything funnier than Eric Cartman pretending he’s Geddy Lee and screwing up the words to Tom Sawyer by mixing them up with the plot line from Huckleberry Finn. Bloody brilliant. So, all in all, I had a good time and I’m glad I went. But, it also reaffirmed the position I’ve taken in avoiding music shows set in larger venues, particularly rock shows. There was NO sense of intimacy, and I wasn’t all that far from the stage. I’m fairly certain that Rush is the only band I’ll go see in this setting. By contrast, I then went to Yellow Springs, OH the next day to spend the weekend at a Blues Festival that included performances by Guy Davis and the Nerak Roth Patterson Band. Well, it was more than that. I went to spend time with those two artists, who performed both together and separately. I was welcomed into Roth’s house, and the highlight of the trip for me was the jam session in his basement the first night I was there that included myself, Guy, Roth, and a number of people I had not met before. Consider that for a moment. Guy Davis has been one of my favorite artists for almost a decade, and I was able to play with him. Not only that, but I think it’s fair to say that he now considers me a friend. Sometimes, life can be pretty good. Roth is one of the few guitarists that can solo for as long as he wants without losing my interest. Generally speaking, one of the reasons I prefer acoustic blues to electric is that I don’t really care to hear anyone solo for more than a couple of rotations, if that long. I’ve been listening to music for most of my life, and a smokin’ guitar solo generally doesn’t get to me like a good song does. Roth can. So, it was great to go back and forth with him a bit. I was also involved in a workshop Guy led the next day, which he actually turned over to me for a couple of songs. That was pretty cool as well. That evening, I had the chance to see Roth perform with his band for the first time, and WOW. He has some really great players backing him up, including his son. Great show. I guess that’s it for now. I’ll try to update this on a more regular basis. Be good. Friday, June 15th, 2007 6:43 PM CDT Ok, so this felt like a pretty long week and it was definitely a day that seemed to just crawl. So, now that I'm home with a good, stiff drink at hand, I thought I'd update this page. I was involved in a car accident back on 5/31. I'm fine and so is the other driver. However, my car is now without a front bumper, and my lovely insurance company - Geico - just issued a check today. The damage was assessed by someone they chose back on 6/1, but apparently, they're just really busy. Lovely. On top of that, the Scion dealership I chose in Middleton couldn't even start work on the car until the middle of next month. Um, no. So, I had it towed to a body shop in Monroe where they will start work next week. I realize that in the grand scheme of things, this really isn't that big a deal, especially when I and the other driver are unhurt. That doesn't mean that this whole process hasn't been annoying and unnecessarily time consuming. Moving on... I have a gig in McHenry, IL on Sat and a kind of informal booking at a private party on Sunday. It would really be nice to sell lots of CDs at both. Musically, songs have started to come for the next recording project. I don't expect that to happen anytime soon, but it's nice to feel the creative process starting again. I guess that's it for now. Be good. Tuesday, May 22nd, 2007 10:15 PM CDT So, my gig last Friday in Rockford went pretty well. I played better, particularly during the 2nd set. In fact, it might be safe to say that I didn’t really get it going until then. I wasn’t bad during the first set, but for whatever reason, I didn’t really “feel it” until about a third of the way through the 2nd hour, though I wasn’t really aware of that until I got there. So, I guess I am, or was, a bit rusty when in comes to live performance. It makes sense. Prior to the current bookings, I hadn’t really played live for around two years. It seems I forgot how different playing live with a PA system is from being alone in my home. I’m not talking about the audience or the corresponding pressure, though both are factors. I mean the technical aspects of being able to hear yourself, trying to find the right mix and balance of sound, and lots of other little details. It can actually be quite a pain, until the right combination is found and a comfort level is reached. It’s not like I just gave up music or gigs; I simply made the decision to focus on recording new songs. Then, I realized I didn’t have anywhere I could record unless I decided to pay for a studio and that just wasn’t an option. So, I waited til after the move, finished the songs, decided that they all had to be redone, re-embraced the idea of revisiting some older material, and finally released the CDs. Of course, they’re not on my site yet. They will be available online via CDBaby.com and I’m selling them at gigs. I may also wind up selling mp3 files on my site if I can find what I think is a fair deal with a reasonable amount of work involved. Oddly enough, work seems to have started on the next batch of songs, at least in terms of lyrics that seem to have sprung from nowhere. Maybe I’ll be able to actually record and release another batch by this time next year. I’m going to get somewhat political for a moment. First, let’s just acknowledge that the oil companies are just vigorously screwing us as hard and as deep as possible. This is evidenced by record prices at the pumps and record profits: http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=1029991 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8646744/ Feel free to find your own articles if those aren’t sufficient. I don’t care what spin they put on it. In my opinion, they’re reaping the benefits from years of greasing our political and economic systems. They’re doing it because they can. That’s kind of the nature of capitalism, isn’t it? Get as much as you can as quickly as possible. But, moving on for now… So, when gas costs near or over $3.50 a gallon and the daily commute to and from work totals 100 miles, what does one do to try and conserve gas & cash? Simple. Slow down. At least, that’s my solution. I typically get between 30 and 33 miles per gallon when I drive between 60 and 65 miles per hour. Last week, I made the decision to drive no faster than 50 mph and kept to it about 95% of the time. I did creep up to 55 mph a few times, but not for more than a few seconds. For that tank of gas, I got just over 39 mpg. So, assuming that I put 9 gallons of gas in when I fill up, I get an extra 54 miles per tank. That’s half of one commute. In terms of cash, it breaks down like this. I have to drive roughly 500 miles every week to get to and from my day job. If I’m getting 33 mpg, that breaks down to 15.15 gallons of gas. If I’m getting 39 mpg, that breaks down to 12.82 gallons of gas. If gas costs $3.50 per gallon, that’s a difference of $8.16 per week, or $424.24 per year. I won’t add it what it costs to get me to and from gigs and/or the surrounding towns. Is it worth it? I’m not sure, honestly, but it comes down to time and the irritation of other drivers. The speed limit on the roads I use is 55 mph when I’m not going through a town. Of course, very few respect that, so If I slow down to 50 mph it really annoys a lot of people. Frankly, I don’t really care, though I clearly remember what it’s like to be on the other side of that equation. Sometimes one has to save money wherever possible and in all honesty, there is something almost liberating about driving a bit slower. I feel a bit more relaxed, regardless of the nasty stares I get from some of those that pass me. 55 is the speed limit, not the minimum. On to something political, yet humorous. I’m a huge Todd Snider fan and I stumbled across this the other day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=si0WTCMrksw It’s a video for Conservative Christian, Right Wing Republican, Straight White American Males. I plan on working that song into my repertoire, because I think it’s important to give some form of tribute to artists that inspire me and it’s just a cool tune. Enjoy! 5/14/07 So, I had my first gig back last Friday. It was not exactly what I would call a triumphant return. Iíve had better, and Iíve certainly had worse. I suppose I was a bit rusty, though I didnít think I would be. I did learn a few things, one of which is that I need to organize set lists so that they are paced well. This is something I used to do, but I had become more likely to simply have a list of songs and then pick & choose as the evening progressed. I suppose I may go back to that, but for now, I need to have a better idea of what I want to play going in. Of course, that doesnít mean that Iíll be inflexible, depending on the mood of the audience. The next booking is at Borders in Rockford, IL on Friday, then the following Friday at the Firefly Coffeehouse in Oregon, WI and Sat at CafÈ Carpe in Fort Atkinson, WI. The new CDs are available for sale at my gigs and will be at CDBaby.com within the next few weeks. This web site will also be redesigned, and I really have no clue what my wife has in mind. We shall see. Not much else to report for now. Be good. 3/5/07 Done. Finally done. Iím finally done recording songs for the new album. Maybe. Ok, so Iíve been down this road before. But, as I type this, I honestly believe that I have finally finished recording material for my next collection of songs. Well, the next two collections, actually. The new material has gone from being called Geometry Of Life to LiveÖLoveÖLearnÖSing. I just like the title better and it seems more descriptive of the content. The second CD will be called My Blues and consist of songs from my first three albums that Iíve chosen to revisit because of the tremendous growth Iíve experienced since they were first recorded. Iíve redone 21 of them and will decide which ones to include while Iím going through the mixing process. This should all be done in no more than two weeks, and once the art work is completed, Iíll be all set. SoÖthen what? Iíll be firing off copies of both to various outlets that review material because I need the press. Both will also be available for sale at CDBaby.com and at my gigs. Of course, I need to get some gigs. Iíll be working on bookings within the next two months using a demo consisting of seven songs chosen from existing material. Itís my goal to make my living with my music, and itís high time I really got started. By this time next year, I hope that ìday jobsî will be a thing of my past. 11/23/06 Happy Thanksgiving to you all. It's been about four months since my last entry, so I probably have quite a bit to discuss. First, big news for me and my wife. We just bought a house in Juda, WI. It's 7 miles from her job and about 45 from mine. However, my commute is actually a rather pleasant drive. The location is also probably better for me in terms of getting gigs, once I start that process. I'm only an hour from Madison, two hours from Milwaukee, about 40 mins from Rockford, IL and a couple of hours from Chicago. The house is on a beautiful two-acre lot and is very private. Its only real problem is that it only has one bathroom and we really would like to have an additional half bath. However, the place is about the perfect size and we may add the missing element in a few years. As for my next CD, it is still coming along. I mentioned in my last entry that I'm redoing all of the songs, and I'm now about halfway done. The home buying process demanded quite a bit of my time and attention over the last two months, and so did moving everything we own for the second time in six months. We are just about unpacked and I anticipate getting back to the songs next week, or perhaps this weekend. Most of those who read this journal on a regular basis should be aware that my three favorite acoustic artists are, in no particular order, Guy Davis, Todd Snider, and Chris Smither. I just had the chance to see them all within a 7-day time frame. Todd was Madison on 11/10, Chris was in Milwaukee on 11/15, and Guy was in Wisconsin Rapids on 11/16. Chris was also in Madison on 11/16, but I chose to seem him on 11/15 so I could make the trip to see guy the following day. All three shows were excellent. It seemed to me that Todd and Chris were both more relaxed that the last time I saw them perform, though it is possible that I'm just seeing my own state of mind in them. I think I'm really at ease with my own music it right now. Of course, I haven't really played consistently for about a month, but sometimes stepping away from it and gaining some perspective can be necessary. I'm growing. The way I sing is changing, as is the way I approach the guitar in general. It's exciting and frustrating at the same time, but right now, I'm really looking forward to finding a way to express these that is best suited to show who I am at this moment in time. In other words, I'm starting to really be comfortable in my own skin. I hope. :) I had another observation about these three artists. Todd is probably 39, Guy is 52, and Chris is 62. There's 10 years, give or take, between each one. It seems to me they're all at different stages of development. I really think Todd Snider is approaching the level of what I would consider to be a master craftsman at what he does. His songs are getting better and he's finding ways to express himself and his views that entertain and stimulate the mind of the listener. Hell, my wife has stated that she doesn't necessarily care for most of his music, but she likes what he has to say. That's high praise; trust me. She's not much into music, though she is highly supportive of me. As a performer, he's solid. Very good at translating his songs to a live setting. I would much rather listen to him live than one of his CDs. That's also true of Guy nnd Chris. Guy Davis IS a master at what he does. Amazing songwriter, musician, singer, and performer. What's more, I really think he's a teacher. This is based on interaction I've had with him and my observations of the way he deals with people who are also players or writers. Yet, he certainly doesn't put himself on any kind of pedestal. He remembered me from the last time we spoke and invited me to spend time with him in the dressing room before this most recent show. He made me feel almost like one of his peers simply by treating me that way. I say "almost" because in my mind, he's at a level where I want to be someday. Yet, he sat and listened to me play some in his dressing room, nodding his head, smiling, and saying "yeah..." more than once. Trust me, that's a compliment. I got him to feel. Oh, I also need to mention Nerak Roth Patterson. He's played on a few of Guy's CDs and has been touring with him lately. This man can get that guitar of his to really talk. Have a look at his web site: http://www.nerakblues.com/ He struck me as a really nice guy. We seemed to get along really well. Finally, Chris Smither strikes me as a man who is not only a master of his craft, but as someone who has used it to help him find at least some inner peace. I don't know him as a person, but I've seen him perform three times now and we've shared a few conversations. This last time he just struck me as more happy and content, both when we talked and while he performed. This is on the same day that the airline lost some of his luggage, including the CDs he had intended to sell between sets that night. Yet, it seemed to roll right off his back. A friend of mine says that Eric Clapton has used his art to heal himself. Chris might also fit that description. I have a couple of political things I need to get off my chest...but I'm going to be brief. Tell me, when was the last time that having only two choices was a good thing? What if there was only one group with real power in the world? How would they lull the masses into thinking they had some control over the law of the land? Controlling the media is a good step. So is having them believe they choose their leaders by offering them two candidates from parties they control. How does voting for one puppet over the other help when there's only one person pulling the strings? Do I believe that is the way of the world right now? To be completely honest, I lean in that direction, but I'm not sure. I certainly don't have any idea on how to fix it. Power corrupts. The pursuit of it can do funny things to people. I won't even get into what love of money can do. Combine the two and it's not hard to believe that those in power, both in government and in the corporate world, care nothing for the rest of us. We're probably on the level or worker bees or ants to them. But, all I can really do is control how I live my life and treat people the way I want to be treated. I'm not always successful. But it's an ongoing process. Lastly, I have little patience and tolerance for those who say that anyone who is anti-war doesn't support the troops. To them I say, "if you want to support the troops, bring them home." What better way is there to support and appreciate those who have to defend our country than to bring them back to it, away from a situation that is clearly getting worse? I won't discuss the war profiteering or the lies our leaders told us to justify what they've done in our name. Just bring the troops home. Stop the unnecessary death and destruction, for them and those who have to live in those countries. Bring them home. 7/30/06 I suppose at some point, I will stop being surprised when life hands me exactly what I need, when I need it. But, now is not that time. I just spent a good portion of this past Friday & Saturday with one of my favorite acoustic artists. Iíve decided not to name him out of respect for his privacy. However, he has an extensive catalog of music and has won a number of awards. He is highly respected and as it turns out, a genuinely good human being. The gentleman in question listened to a number of my songs and offered very specific feedback on four of them. He shared his opinions on what was good and what needed change and/or work and he did so in a very constructive manner. He made sure that I wanted to hear his true thoughts and feelings before speaking his mind, and then offered wonderful insight in a manner completely free of any malice or bad intentions. He made a few observations about issues that I had chosen to ignore and he shared ideas that had simply never come into my mind. He made it clear that at some point, I should be successful ñ but there is work to do. I thought I was done with these new songs. It turns out that Iím not. I will have to evaluate each one, and redo a number of recordings ñ possibly all of them. That prospect frightened me yesterday. Today, Iím looking forward to it. In my heart of hearts, I know this is good material. I also know some of the parts I recorded could be better. However, itís very difficult to maintain any kind of perspective when youíre the only one working on a project. One of the necessary ingredients for growth is honest, constructive feedback from those qualified to give it. Itís come from a number of people in my life, most of which has been discussed within this web site. However, this is the first time the source has been an established, award winning artist who I happen to admire and respect. I donít know what the result will be, but I am certain that I needed this. I was prepared to release Geometry of Life and fire it off to critics, clubs, booking agents, and anyone else I could think of that might help me really start my career. Now it will have to wait until the songs are right and Iím really showing who I am. Otherwise, why bother? I donít know if this artist understands how much this will affect me. Other than offering my sincere thanks, Iím not sure it particularly matters. However, it does illustrate to me that we never really know how much our words and actions will affect other people. Therefore, isnít it important to uplift all beings while doing as little harm as possible (thank you, Clark Sensei) as often as one can? 7/9/06 I believe that I may be finished with Geometry of Life. I've already gone through remixing all the songs at least once and will be lisetening to them some more this week, but I'm pretty sure that I'm finally done. My wife is currently working on the both the album artwork and redesigning this web site. I don't know how long either one will take, but once I'm sure that I'm content with the new music, I'll post links to it on this page. I don't have much else to report right now. I plan to spend most of my time preparing to perform live again. Once the new CD is ready to go, I'll start trying to find gigs. Talk to y'all later. 6/11/06 We had to go through it again today. We had to euthanize another ferret. Friday was the 3rd ferret my wife and I acquired, and he was almost the 2nd. When we brought Ajax home, we had narrowed our choices down to two ferrets. We took Mojo to the store and essentially let him decide for us. However, a few months later, the woman who eventually bought Friday returned him to the store where my wife was working the time, so decided to take him in. In his youth, Friday was quite the daredevil. It seemed his mission in life was to find a jump from one surface to another that was unattainable by any normal ferret, and keep trying until he got there. Once this involved landing in the cat's water dish, which according to my wife, was a very funny moment. I was working at the time. However, I do have many memories of watching him gauge distance and thinking to myself that there was NO WAY he would jump, only to watch him give it his best shot. I don't think he made it half the time, but it was fun to watch. I was always afraid he would hurt himself, but to the best of my knowledge, he never did. As he got older, these leaps became less and less frequent until they stopped entirely. Eventually, he fell victim to a common ailment in ferrets from Marshall Farms (FUCK THOSE ASSHOLES), adrenal glad disease. The gland was removed surgically, and he seemed to recover fairly well. It extended his life by about a year, and up until the last couple of weeks, it was a damn good one. I'm really not in the mood to discuss it in any detail, so suffice it to say that he had one or more of the following problems: kidney failure, a form of cancer, or intestinal problems. I had prepared myself for the need to end his life a couple of days ago, but he responded to some treatment, so we decided to see how things progressed over the weekend. This morning he made it clear that he was done, so we took him in. It's the second time it seemed to me that a pet knew where he was going and was content with the decision. I understand that I may well be simply seeing what I want to try and rationalize the choice I made, but I don't believe that's the case. In any event, if ever I'm in a similar condition, I hope someone is kind enough to help. Quality of life is a major issue with me. Musically speaking, I'm still trying to finish vocals. I had hoped to get a major chunk done today, but for obvious reasons, that didn't happen. I'll get back to it tomorrow. 5/19/06 Ok, so I'm now in Madison, WI. So far, I like it here. I haven't done much besides get settled, unpack a few things, work on my new CD, and begin the job hunt...but it appears to be a nice place to live. It seems I'll have a harder time finding a day job than I anticipated, but that's all right. I've had a feeling that I would wind up doing something new and more fulfilling. The appropriate solution will present itself at the right time. Meanwhile, I'll keep looking. Obviously, I'd prefer to really get my music career going. To that end, I have one more guitar track to finish and then I'll start working on vocals. With some luck, I'll be done with recording by Monday. Then the mixing process will start and that's about another week or so. Once the CD is ready to go, I'll start trying to get gigs in the surrounding area. I had also decided to redo a bunch of older songs as a kind of "best of" CD, but after giving it some serious thought yesterday, I've changed my mind. Once I've finished the new songs, I want to start playing out again. And, I'm of the opinion that as I now play them, most of my older tunes are not different enough from the original versions to spend the time and expend the energy it would take to rerecord them. That can be very tiring. Yes, I'm a better player and singer now. Hopefully, I'll make a bigger jump in another couple of years, and I believe I'd be better served with moving ahead than by looking back. Of course, I could just be rationalizing the fact that I don't want to work on another 18 or 19 songs. As enjoyable and fulfilling as it can be to record, it is also a VERY taxing process. It's one thing to flesh out new ideas and work on arrangements. It's something else entirely when one is trying to create something that's a keeper. That's it for now. I'll post another entry once Geometry of Life has been finished. 4/12/06 Ok, I've been very busy, and I've made a couple of major decisions in my life since my last update. The first and most significant is that we'll be moving to WI at the end of this month instead of waiting until June. The reasoning behind this is fairly simple. Neither I nor my wife was inclined to work at our current jobs for any longer than was absolutely necessary. She was actually having a harder time of it than I was, meaning she was a bit more miserable. So, at the end of March, I just made the decision to go. I was actually inclined to do so by 4/1, but that would not have been very smart. We both really needed to give the appropriate notice to our respective employers, as well 30 days written notification that we were vacating our apartment. So, today is my wife's last day at work, and mine is tomorrow. Man, it's going to be hard for me to get up and go in for one more day when she's already done. Ah, well. It's my own fault. I picked the date. I should have been smart enough to have them coincide. At any rate, we'll be in Madison, WI by 5/1/06. The second decision is that I have suspended work my next CD, and again, the reasons are simple. I had hoped to lay down some tracks at the Jiyushinkan dojo because the room has really interesting acoustics and wonderful energy. I've made a couple of live recordings there, and liked the sound quite a bit. However, the room just isn't suitable for a studio quality CD. There are too many outside noises over which I have no control, the most notable of which are cars and planes. I considered recording in my apartment again, but things really aren't much better there. We're in the flight path of Phoenix International Airport and there are a couple of dogs owned by neighbors that can be heard any time they bark, plus my own little demonic canine. It's not so bad that it bothers me every day, but I don't want to try and fight it while recording songs. I managed to do so for Here I Stand, but I'm still not quite sure how. So, what's the solution? I wait until I get to Madison to finish up. The home in which we'll be living for at least a few months is in a very quiet neighborhood and has a finished basement. I've been told that it will be ideal for me. The acoustic quality of the room is a complete mystery, but I'm willing to take the gamble. It's easier to compensate for mediocre to bad acoustics than it is to quiet planes, cars, and neighbors. I realize that it seems like I keep putting off this new batch of songs, but a certain amount of work has been completed. Assuming I still like what I hear the next time I listen, drum and bass tracks are finished and I was prepared to begin guitars and vocals. Even after I made the decision to move to Madison by 5/1, I initially gave myself a week in April (including four days while my wife would still be employed) to do nothing but apply myself to the recording process in the hopes that I would finish before relocating. However, it seems to be smarter to use that time at what should be a better location. So, I decided to work for another week instead, and then take a week before I go hunting for a day job in Madison. So, that's pretty much it. I imagine the next time I update this page, I'll be in another state. 3/3/06 I decided against selling the collectible items I mentioned in my previous post. I did sell the old US coins to a local dealer for a decent sum of money, which will just about cover what I owe the IRS this year. (grumble) Stupid federal taxes. That's what I get for claiming too many deductions. Recording update - progress continues to be S L O W . As of last night, I have completed the bass parts for 3 songs, with a possibility of a 4th, depending on what I hear when I listen tonight. I plan laying down bass tracks on a total of 8 songs, so I may or may not be halfway done after about a month's worth of effort. Damn. I had hoped to start recording guitars and vocals on 2/11/06. Now it looks like I'll be lucky to be overdue by a couple of months. I understand that I shouldn't let this bother me. It's not like I have people beating down my door, demanding that I have some finished product ASAP. Still, I had set what I thought were reasonable goals, and it bothers me not to have met them. I suppose I should have considered the fact that it's been 5 years since I made any kind of effort to play bass. When I think about that, it doesn't seem so odd that I'm having significant trouble getting a recording that I find satisfying. I *really* hope things go smoothly once I start guitars and vocals, but if history is any kind of indication, the whole process will prove to be frustrating. I just need to remember to be patient and have faith in myself. Truthfully, no one cares more about these songs than I do. So, I can just take all the time that's necessary. No need to rush it. I got to see Buddy Guy perform at the Mesa Arts center this past Wed, 3/1/06. I didn't even know he was going to be in town until the prior Sunday, when I happened to tune in to a local blues radio show and heard it mentioned. I'd never seen him before, and I'd had the thought more than once that I should before it gets to be too late. I had a good time, as did a couple of friends that went with me. Thatís it for now. 2/14/06 For those of you who may be interested, I'm selling a couple of guitars that I no longer use on Ebay, as well as a set of Norman Rockwell Silver Ingots and a Franklin Mint Bicentennial Day Medal. I will also be listing a collection of old US Coins, once I get them sorted out. All the items can be seen here: http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZtoddmustelidQQhtZ-1 Progess is being made on recording my new songs, though it is rather slow. I suppose I'll be done exactly when I should be, though I really have no idea when that will be. I'm in the midst of writing and rehearsing bass parts, and I'm having to shake loose quite a bit of rust. I had hoped to be done with bass and drums before 2/11/06, but that didn't happnen. In fact, it will probably be another couple of weeks before I'm happy with the bass tracks. But, that's ok. The only deadlines I have are self imposed. It's not like I have any kind of contractual obligation to anyone. I can afford to take my time. I don't have much else to say right now. Talk to you later. 1/23/06 Ok, it's been a month since my last entry, so I figure I need to post an update. It now looks like there will be a total of 15 songs on my next CD. As I type this, I plan on having drums, bass, vocals, and least 2 guitars on 8 of them. There will be 2 instrumentals. The rest will be voice instead of a living, breathing drummer, I have two primary reasons. 1. I don't currently know anyone who plays drums. 2. I have, with one exception while at MI, had the absolute worst luck with those whose play percussion as their primary instrument. So, it is currently my preference to program a box that sounds reasonably good instead of trying to find a drummer with the skill I need and a personality I like. Trust me; I'm better off this way. That meant relearning how to use said machine. I couldn't find the owner's manual, so it took a few hours to figure out how to use it efficiently. Then it became a matter of deciding which of the sounds available were the best for each song, as well as arranging the drum part. It can become rather tedious, but it's necessary. Once I get the drums recorded, I'll lay down a scratch guitar track, followed by bass. The scratch guitar track is temporary. I'll use it to get a better idea of what I want on bass. All this will happen at home, and will done be by plugging directly into the recorder - no microphones. Once that process has been finished, I'll move to the location where mics will be used for vocals and guitars. That's where room ambience and dynamics will come into play. As of now, I have most of the drum parts written, and a couple of them recorded. I anticipate finishing them during the week, and hope to finish bass tracks over the weekend. My goal is to then practice for a couple of weeks, and start recording guitars and vocals on 2/11/06. Once I get to that point, I'll only be able to record for a few hours on Sunday afternoons at my location of choice. If all goes well, I'll be finished by the end of the month. I'll let y'all know. 12/20/05 So, it's been awhile since my last entry. What can I say? I've been rather busy. I spent most of November polishing songs for the new CD. The beginning of December saw me focused on Shayna's Christmas Celebration which was quite a success. It's my understanding that there will be a DVD available with proceeds going to the Child Crisis Center. I'll post details as they become available to me. That was back on 12/10. On 12/13, my wife and I flew out to Madison, WI to visit her family. We got back into Tempe last night. We stayed with her parents and little brother, and her older brother and his girlfriend came in from IN for a few days as well. Essentially, we had an early Xmas celebration on Sat, 12/17. I'll finish off the holiday season by visiting my mother and grandfather in CA on xmas eve. Overall, it was a great trip. We had some wonderful time with my wife's side of the family, and I got to do some quality guitar shopping. I was able to visit the McPherson Guitar shop in Sparta, WI which only reaffirmed my strong desire to obtain one of these wonderful instruments. I've discussed the redwood top/rosewood body here before, and after playing a few different top and body combinations, it remains my favorite. However, they did not have an all koa instrument. After playing an all koa Taylor at Dave's Guitar Shop in La Crosse, I called McPherson Guitars and asked for a price quote on one. $7500. Wow. And, that would be without a pickup. Of course, when considering that their guitars start at $4000, it really isn't all that surprising. The question for me then becomes whether or not dropping that kind of coin on one instrument is worth it, or even reasonable for someone with my level of finances. In other words, how in the hell can I even consider something like this when I'm essentially broke most of the time? Well, first of all, I need to be more responsible with my cash. I seem to be able to do so in spurts. Then I go on binge where I eat out all the time for a couple of weeks and the dent in my checking account is matched by the expansion of my waistline. Factor that in with the normal xmas indulgences on gifts and a few other expenses, and you find a certain fat bearded man unable to seriously consider purchasing a quality instrument. However, I now understand that I really have no business buying anything less that a top notch guitar. I guess that once you buy one, there's just no going back to something that's been mass produced - unless you happen to stumble across something that's a happy accident. While in Madison, I visited two stores that had a nice selection of high end instruments, Spruce Tree Music and Madison Music. In my opinion, the latter was particularly nice, and I would be very happy spending a sizeable portion of my time there. I played a lot of really expensive guitars, and I was particularly impressed with a Lowden and a few Goodalls. Price range? about $3600 to $5500. The starting price of $4000 on a McPherson no longer seems so high. But again, how can I consider this? Simple. I'm an artist. I write songs. That's the heart of me. In order to grow, I need the proper tools. The Reuter Resonator I now own has helped me as a guitar player and songwriter in ways I couldn't possibly have imagined. Having a similar quality instrument that is used for a different style of playing is vital to my progress. Theoretically, a guitar is a guitar. I can play on just about anything you hand me that's in serviceable condition. However, once you have something that is not only a high quality tool but a work of art as well, there simply is no comparison. Not only does it magnify what you do and force you to make refinements, it inspires you to use it. I've said this a few times; the Reuter Resonator is the first instrument I've ever owned that it is difficult to put down. I need more tools like that. Right now, I'm honestly leaning towards trying to find the money for a koa McPherson guitar. However, I'm keeping myself open to other possibilities. I have time. I have one other topic I wish to discuss, and it's of a rather sensitive nature to most people. However, this is my site, the forum for my thoughts, and I'm striving to be more open and honest with everything I do. I urge you to accept nothing at face value, particularly anything on television or that comes from the mouth of a politician. We're at war, though you wouldn't know it from any images on TV. People are dying unnecessarily every day. Over 2000 American soldiers to date, and that's the official number - which is probably well short of the real one. Countless Iraqis. And for what? Weapons of Mass Destruction? Apparently not, considering we've never found them. Regime change? Excuse me? Saddam Hussein may have been a bad guy, but I'm of the opinion we had no business interfering, especially since our government was responsible for his installation. But, never mind that last point. Focus on this: What if China, Russia, or some other major power decided that our leader was evil, invaded our country, and threw out our government? Then, after they captured him and the heads of state, left an occupying force to maintain order? What if your town was decimated in the process? Your family and friends killed, even if they had nothing to do with the military or some kind of resistance? Think about it. Troops from another country telling you what you can and can't do, upholding their version of laws. Think about having to go through checkpoints manned by military personnel from overseas anytime you drove on the main highway out of town. Martial law imposed by those who don't even belong here. Pissed off yet? You should be. This is what Bush is doing in Iraq in our name. Other countries don't hate us because of our freedom; they hate us because we're acting like the new Roman Empire. Question everything, including what you just read. Start with http://rense.com. I'm not saying you should believe everything there; hell, I'm not saying you have to believe *anything.* But, if there's some small part of you that believes things may not be exactly what they seem, look around. Read alternative news sources online. Research things that seem credible or that ring true to you. We *know* The Gulf of Tonkin was an incident staged by our government to draw us into the Vietnam war. FDR not only knew about the attack on Pearl Harbor before it happened, he pretty much forced the Japanese into it. Don't believe me? Good. Prove me wrong. Send me links to information that contradicts what I've said. Try to do so without passion or prejudice, and without anger. Truth is truth. That's what we should all be after, constantly. I was going to discuss something else that should be questioned, but I think I'll pass for now. Suffice it to say that blind faith scares the shit out of me. Don't be so attached to any belief that logic is abandoned in favor of unquestioned devotion. Finally, new songs will be coming. I'll start recording after the holidays. 11/7/05 So, I didn't make the AZ Blues Showdown finals this year. Congratulations to those that did, and best of luck to whoever moves on to the finals in Memphis. Having said that, I'll admit to being annoyed when I found out I wouldn't be involved next week. My biggest problem was that I honestly thought I made a solid representation of who I am right now. I knew I had made a couple of mistakes, but nothing major. I also thought I sang well. Was I wrong? Was my perception of myself so far off base? No, it wasn't, and I have proof. (chuckle) A friend of mine was kind enough to videotape my set for me, and I watched it right after I got home and unloaded my car. It wasn't the finest performance I've ever given, but I'm satisfied with my showing. No regrets. And, there are things upon which I can improve. Some of which I was already aware, others I wasn't. I thought I covered a more dynamic range, instrumentally and vocally. The video didn't reflect that. I thought I had more stage presence, and that I made my emotions more obvious through body language and facial expressions. It occurs to me that I've toned that done a great deal since my youth because I used to make the *ridiculous* facial expressions. It was kind of painful to watch. But I think I've pared it back too much. That's actually somewhat ironic, considering how important it is for me to express myself as openly and fully as I can. I also think this marks the end of a chapter in my life, and the start of a new one. For a long time now, I've considered myself a "bluesman" - whatever that may be. I really no longer do, and my newer material is reflective of this. That doesn't mean I think any less of the blues songs I've written, those I will write and perform in the future, or of the art form in general. That word just no longer defines who I am, if it ever did. In fact, that point merits some further discussion. A recent debate over my new business cards might illustrate what I mean. While designing the new cards, there was some deliberation over how I should identify what I do. It started out as "Acoustic Musician," but I felt it didn't say quite enough. Next was "Acoustic Artist," but I wasn't comfortable with that. It struck me as a bit pretentious. Then I hit on calling myself an "Acoustic Craftsman" and really thought it was perfect. I liked the images that phrase brought to my mind; crafting songs from whatever served as inspiration on my chosen tools, sweating it out in my "workshop," struggling to achieve something as close to perfection as I possibly could. However, my wife disagreed. Her opinion was that it would create confusion by giving people the impression that I build acoustic instruments. So, I called a few people and got their thoughts. It turned out that I was alone in my belief that the word "craftsman" was the better choice. What finally convinced me was a friend who essentially said that an artist does everything a craftsman does, and then some. He said I was being too modest. There's truth to that. I was hesitant to give myself that label, thinking it wasn't really my place to do so. Well, people whose opinions I value have cast their vote. Acoustic Artist it is. So, calling myself a "bluesman" or "blues artist" simply isn't accurate. It could be that I needed this last bit of experience for it to really sink in. I play blues. I write songs that could be called blues. I probably will for the rest of my life. But it doesn't define who I am. Now that I stop and think about it, I suppose that's one of the reasons I'm redoing some of my older material for a "best of" CD. I need to give these songs a better representation of what they are before truly being able to take my next step, whatever that may be. 11/01/05 So, I was accepted into the Blues Showdown this year. Info on the even can be found here or on my gigs page. I discuss my feelings on this in some detail in the entry dated 9/30/05 below. Feel free to read it now if you haven't already done so. I'll wait. ;-) My feelings are pretty much the same. I still want to win it, and I believe I have a pretty good chance. First things first; get past the first round. If I don't, that's ok. I have 2 CDs to record over the next couple of months, regardless of whether or not I do well in this competition. All I can do is share who I am and perform to the best of my ability. Now then, there's something else I want to discuss, and it's at least somewhat related to most recent entry here dated 10/27/05. I talked about the need to be subtle, and the need to change the way I approach my music and my life. Not only has it really started to take root, I can now look back and see some of the events that led up to this rather dramatic change. First, there was meeting and marrying my wife, whose patience is apparently endless. *You* try spending about 85% of your life with me and see how long it is before your well runs dry, so to speak. (grin) Second, I started practicing aikido at the Jiyushinkan in Feb 2003. It really isn't possible for me to explain how this practice works. If you're interested, have a look at the organization's web site and contact Clark Sensei: http://www.jiyushinkai.org For the purposes of this discussion, it's enough to say that it has helped me learn the importance of being appropriate to any given situation. That might strike you as somewhat vague, but it's really an all encompassing answer. I spent too much of my life being loud and overbearing when it was not necessary, and that had infected every aspect of my being. I'm fighting to get past it. My akido practice and the people there with whom I've developed relationships are a huge part of that. Third, I started taking vocal lessons because I honestly started to believe that I had the ability to be a good singer. This came from not being horrified at any given point by my vocals while listening back to a recorded concert. Enter the help of Patrick Cunningham, wonderful person and vocal teacher who can be found at: http://azmusicinfo.com Fourth, I bought a high quality tool for my trade, meaning a top notch resonator. This is something I would never have done were it not for my wife, Clark Sensei, and a close group of friends. This guitar has helped me become a better player. It's far more responsive to how I play it, and as a result, I've had to learn to be more relaxed and precise with my technique. That's important for everything in life. Relax, and be precise. Apparently, I'm really taking all this to heart and making it a part of my being. While I was practicing new songs last night, I found that I was having difficulty staying in pitch and hitting the notes I wanted. After dealing with some frustration, I discovered it was because I was trying to hard to sing and project; I was being too forceful and that led to tension, which is probably the enemy of any kind of efficiency. So, I relaxed. I went slower, working back up to speed. The problem solved itself, and by the time I was finished for the night, I was all smiles and felt absolutely wonderful; Not only because I had practiced well, but because I could *feel* the change. There was more depth and nuance to what I was doing. I knew it was there. I gotta say, it's pretty cool. Lastly, the need for another tool has been slowly making itself known over the last few months. I play guitar in three tunings: standard, open A, and open D. So, for live performances, I really need at least 3 guitars. I've found over the years that each tuning really sounds best on a specific guitar. Open A sounds best on my resonator, D on my Ashland dreadnought, and standard goes on my Fender Newporter. Now then, just as I outgrew my last resonator, I've really outgrown the Newporter. I still like the guitar, but it just doesn't quite measure up to the sound of the other two. Furthermore, it doesn't enable me to improve the way the new resonator does. On a side note, The Ashland is the one that's really inexplicable. It was less than $200 in a small music store, and I think it holds it own quite nicely for playing slide. However, I can see the day where it will be replaced coming as well. So, I've been poking around, trying to find something. There are a couple of brands I'd like to try, CA Guitars and Emerald Guitars in particular, but they are not easy to find. I did find one CA, but it isn't the model I need. Still sounded cool though. This past Saturday I wound up at Cave Creek Guitar and played a McPherson for the first time. Damn. Talk about being blown away. The guitar sounds absolutely amazing, is exquisitely crafted, looks beautiful, and feels like home sitting on my lap. No, I didn't buy it, and it will be some time before I have the money to do so. However, there is no question in my mind that an instrument from this company will help me do what I need, the same way my resonator has. Having said that, I'm in no huge rush. Their guitars start at $4000. That's far from being an incidental expense for me. But, after having held it, I can say I believe it's worth every penny. Conincidentally, the company is in WI, reasonably close to my in-laws. We'll be visiting them in mid December, and I hope to check out the McPherson Guitars facilities during that time. It's become important to me to know that I support good people. If I get bad vibe from the company, it will sadden me, but I'll look for a new guitar elsewhere. I will let you know. In the meantime, you can have a look at their website here: http://mcphersonguitars.com The particular model I played is this one: http://mcphersonguitars.com/redwood That's it for now. 10/27/05 Every once in a while, a person is lucky enough to have an epiphany. A moment of clarity about something that will leave him forever changed. Such was the case for me last weekend. Technically, ìepiphanyî might not quite be the right word. While it did come upon me suddenly, I know with absolute certainty that it had been brewing for at least a few weeks, and probably longer. It may have started when I realized that I was probably annoying a few of the people in my life that I value and with whom I would like to develop closer relationships by being needlessly crass and inappropriately blunt at high levels of volume. In other words, I think I was getting on the nerves of some of my friends by saying shit that was unnecessary in my typically loud fashion. It would seem a little of me goes a long way, and this is with a group that is rather tolerant. I feel the need to acknowledge that in hindsight, the preceding observation may be entirely wrong and a figment of my own imagination. I donít believe thatís the case, but itís possible. However, it was part of the path that led me to what I think is a better place, so for the purposes of this discussion, it doesnít really matter whether or not my perception was accurate. So, it occurred to me that maybe I needed to tone things down. Maybe I didnít need to be the guy that always had a wiseass comment in my hip pocket, no matter how clever. Maybe I didnít need to be the loudest person in the room. And maybe, just *maybe,* contrary to what I had been saying for many years, I could be subtle. My attitude on relationships in general had been simple. I was who I was. If that happened to be someone you didnít like, you were more than welcome to leave my presence. It didnít matter to me either way. After discussing this with my wife last Saturday, I came to the conclusion that this acted a defense mechanism that enabled me to deal with the fact that Iíd been socially inept for most of my life. It had been my way of saying, ìYou donít like me? Fine. Fuck off.î I had decided long ago that I wasnít about to change who I was for anyone. I was maintaining my integrity and being true to myself. There is value in that stance. Truly, there is. However, at some point, I think I started to become my own stereotype. I may have been amplifying my personality as a form of protection; a means of keeping people at a reasonable distance while I decided whether or not I could let them see who I really was. Why? No one likes failed relationships, whether theyíre friendships or something on a romantic level. I donít know that Iím more affected by them than anyone else. I actually doubt it. However, I can tell that when it comes to both emotional and physical pain, I am a giant wimp. Huge. Tremendous. ENORMOUS. I have no problem admitting it. Pain hurts. I donít like it, though I realize it's necessary in life on innumerable levels. That doesnít mean I have to enjoy the process. With that in mind, I could make the argument that I tested people to see if they could put up with me before trying to get close. I now think that doing so is actually somewhat dishonest and probably at least a little stupid. But, I digress. So, a few weeks ago, I decided to make a real effort at controlling my tongue and being more appropriate to any given situation. That was step one. There were probably a series of small things between then and this past Saturday that I either canít remember or am unable to recognize for what they were. In any case, the major revelation came last Friday night when I least suspected it in a location that I guess shouldnít surprise me, though it does. I went to a Fiddlerís Dream for a blues night. If youíre not familiar with the place, it is a small non-profit organization/venue that features entirely acoustic music. No amplification of any kind. In my opinion, itís a wonderful place to play. The gentleman who went on last goes by the name of Jack Straw, and I had never previously heard his name, or seen him perform anywhere. You can have a look at his web site here: http://jackofroses.net From looking at him and the guitar he held, I wasnít expecting much. Turns out that was rather foolish. He had me from the first note of his first song, and I was hooked for the duration of his performance. He played mostly slide guitar with a delicate command and articulation that just knocked me out. His voice was raspy and even somewhat abrasive, but it worked. I was amazed. I was moved. I was blown away. He was subtle and unobtrusive, and yet somehow, he held my attention for his entire set. I made it a point to shake his hand and let him know how much I enjoyed him. I didnít know it at the time, but his subtlety of performance was going to be the catalyst for some major self analysis and change. I spend my life shouting; this man whispers elegantly. Then, standing at my car, before I even got in, it started to hit me. I didnít know what, exactly, but I started to ache inside. Something just feltÖwrong. I stood there for a little while trying to figure it out. It didnít come. On the drive home, I realized that I had just been taking the wrong approach to a great many things. It really began to bother me. In fact, the following day I snapped at my wife because she let me know I was being too loud in the car while we were discussing something by saying, ìHoney, Iím right here.î She didnít deserve to have her head bitten off, and I knew it. I apologized immediately. Once we got home, I talked to her about what I had started to feel the previous evening. Not only did I realize that I wanted to make some changes, I was also wrestling with the idea that maybe by changing I was somehow abandoning who I was at my most fundamental level. I was also exploring with her issues that I have discussed in the preceding paragraphs. At some point, she said something along the lines of, ìBut donít you think youíve changed a lot over the last couple of years?î My considered response was, ìNo, I think Iíve just become more of who I really am.î That may have been when it really started to sink in. This defense mechanism I had used, who I thought I was, this sort of front I put up had infected every aspect of my life. Everything I did was too hard, too loud, too strong. Everything. I canít emphasize it enough. Every ñ fíing ñ thing. Why? Because I was a fat, social misfit minority as a child? So what? Because two of the major adults in my life had loud, dominating personalities? That meant I had to be bigger and louder than them? Why? To what end? How much time had I wasted creating a persona that defeated the heart of me? I cried. I sat there, pondering these questions with my wife, and cried like a scared child. At first, it hurt. Then it was more like a release; a relief that I had discovered this, and was letting ago. That had actually been happening for the last 2 Ω years; I just hadnít been aware of it. There are many people to thank for helping me, mainly my wife and my extended family at Jiyushinkan. I had a gig that night, and I know my approach was different. Iím certain it was reflected in my performance, as it has been in my practice all week. Is it better than before; more skillful? I think so, but that doesnít really matter. Itís more honest. Itís more indicative of who I am. And right now, that *does* really matter to me. 10/13/05 A funny thing happens when you practice consistently with the intent of writing new material; it actually begins to happen! (chuckle) It looks like Iíll about 17 new songs for the next CD, and Iím thinking about having other musicians do guest spots for the first time. Should be interesting. My wife has inspired two new songs, one of which Iíve been playing publicly for a couple of months, and the other I may perform this weekend, though I doubt it will be ready. I just finished writing it this week. Thereís actually no real chorus to it, but there is a form. In any case, I donít yet have the whole thing memorized. In fact, Iíll list out the new songs Iím trying to work into my sets: Will Play: The Ballad of Papa Chuck Hey Baby From Time to Time Blues Karma Living One Day at a Time Charlotteís Happy Place Not Ready This Week: Crying Blues Stand Up & Take The Fall Who I Am Feel Alive Running The Way Itíll Be They Let Go Still Being Refined: Choices I Could Be Wrong Unnamed Instrumental I also have another instrumental Iím calling Lullaby that will really only be a CD track; it wonít be playable live. And, as I look at these songs and try and classify them in terms of genre, I really only have 4 that I would call blues. The rest are folk, orÖ.well, shit. Maybe even country. Go figure. I always knew Iíd wind up embracing my hidden, undiscovered hillbilly roots. Thatís it for now. 9/30/05 Hello again. Writing continues on the next CD. As of this entry, I have 12 songs in various stages of development. I'd like to have at least 14 when I start recording, which should happen in November. The plan is to practice and woodshed them as much as possible in October, both with my practice and at gigs. It occurred to me some time ago that I really don't have full command of my material until I feel comfortable playing it live. I can create numerous recordings and practice songs for limitless periods of time at home, but thereís a whole new level of ownership when I perform well in front of an audience. I suppose it has to do with development. It's not entirely a matter of an audience accepting or appreciating a song, though that helps. Itís also about making a commitment to the song, taking a risk with it, and becoming enriched with the process and experience. In any case, I plan on playing at least 5 new songs tomorrow, and am hopeful of adding 3 - 4 next week. The next AZ Blues Showdown has its preliminary round on 11/6/05, and I've decided that I'd like to participate. I'll be sending in my application and demo within the next few days. I've been in 2 previous competitions, most recently making the finals in 2000. That was my goal at the time. Now I've decided that I'd like to win the whole f'ing thing. But, I do have mixed feelings about it. I'd like to believe Iím above things like Battle of the Bands type competitions, but apparently, I'm not. I'd like to think that I don't judge other artists/players/bands based on whether or not I perceive them to be better than me, but it's just not the case...yet. That part of me has grown smaller, especially over the last 2 1/2 years, but sadly, it's still there. What I do with my music isn't based on being better than anyone else; that I can say with a clear conscience. All I'm really trying to do at this point in my life is to express myself as best I can, and grow as a songwriter/singer/guitarist. I'd like to be successful and make a living at this, but thatís not what motivates me. Having said that, it still bothers a part of me when other people succeed, especially if I think they're not as good as I am. But, I'm growing, and trying to get past it. Ideally speaking, I should help other artists in whom I believe to the best of my ability with only the best of intentions. That includes not expecting such help in return, though of course, reciprocation would be nice. Why do I say that? Because in my heart of hearts, I believe that's what people should do - take care of each other. If you like what I do, come see me play. Drop some money in my tip jar, and/or buy one (or more) of my CDs. Clap if you like what you hear. I'll do the same for you. If you don't find any value with my music, that's fine. Support someone who does move you. What's the old saying? "Good deeds are their own reward." That's true, to a level I'm only just beginning to comprehend. Now then, in the business world, that viewpoint is incredibly naive. I know that. However, I have the luxury of being able to do things the way that I want. I can conduct myself in a manner that makes sense and feels right to me. I have to answer to no one, except perhaps the audience and my wife. In this way, my music stays as pure as possible. No compromises, aside from those I make myself as a writer and artist. That limits my commercial appeal, and as I type this, that's fine. Ten years ago, I would not have said the same thing. Ten years from now, I may believe something completely different. Thatís acceptable to me. All I have is right here, right now. I hope to evolve for the better, but that remains to be seen. Hmm. Seems I went off on a bit of a philosophical tangent there. Back to the Blues Showdown. I said I'd like to win it. I would. But, I also believe that desire is small and narrow minded. I believe my primary goal here should be to share my music and give the best performance possible. That's all I can do. I can't control whether or not anyone finds that appealing. So, I really need to let that part of me go. I just need to take part and enjoy the other artists as best I can while trying not to indulge in petty judgments about who is better than whom. Things will unfold as they should. That's the way of things. Of course, first I have to be accepted into the contest. :-) I'll let you know. 8/30/05 Ok, so the smile at work thing has lost most of its power. It's still somewhat effective, but I suspect its time is limited. It seems the older I get, the less tolerance I have for being a cog in corporate machine. The bitch is that the only thing I'm sure I want to do is make my own music. Currently, there is a minimal market for that. In terms of making a living, I have to work for someone else. It seems that whatever job I hold, I eventually become disenchanted. It just feels wrong after awhile. The phrase "dying inside" comes to mind, and it has found its way into my newer lyrics lately. So, what's the solution? I'm not really sure. I've said many times that if someone isn't happy with their station in life, they should either take steps to change it or quit complaining and deal. The only change I can see bearing any kind of real happiness is what I've already mentioned. Trouble is, I don't know how to get there. I'm not about to start up a cover band. In some ways, that's worse than a regular day job to me. I've been down that road. I have no desire to spend 4 hours a night playing music written by other people in crappy bars. No, I'm afraid it's making it with my own material or not at all. There's a part of me that thinks it will happen when the time is right. I've reached a point where I honestly believe I'm now good enough. Songs, vocals, guitar...all solid to me, even exceptional sometimes. And yes, I'll keep improving. I've also resigned myself to the fact that I may never get anywhere. I can't quite say that's ok with me, but it doesn't change the fact that I have to keep at it. I've tried giving up music before, and it just doesnít work. It's something I *must* do. And, I'm not content to just sit at home and play for my own amusement. There's some masochist in me that insists on playing live and trying to get to people's emotions; to try and move them. I'm pretty sure it's not about craving attention. If that was the case, I'd have no problem doing whatever it took to draw an audience. I've also realized somewhat recently that money really isn't all that important to me. Sure, I'd like to be more comfortable, but apparently, I'm just not motivated enough to take the steps necessary to ensure a higher level of income. I've seriously considered going back to school, but I hit a road block when I try to decide what to pursue. Music is the first answer, but honestly, what I want to do doesn't require any kind of degree. I don't want to teach, at least not in any kind of classroom setting. I've been in those classes and seen what teachers go through. No thanks. I could see getting a degree in order to become a better private instructor. Hmm. That actually makes sense to me. Fuck. I may have just had an epiphany. Shit. I've tried giving private lessons before, and had some success. Truth be told, I'm probably not that good a teacher. That doesn't mean I can't become one. In fact, I'm certain I can be pretty damn good at it. Hmm. Truly food for thought. Obtaining a degree and furthering my knowledge not only for its own sake, but to actually become a good private instructor. But, would that then detract from what I really want to do? Probably no more than a normal 8 hour day job. This feels right to me, at least at the moment. Kinda weird, actually. Something to think on. So anyway, I was going to say that getting a degree in order to do a higher paying and still unfulfilling day job makes no sense, but I was sidetracked - as you can probably tell. But, I've probably been on this topic for too long. I'll end this entry by saying that I have no gigs in September, and that's by design. I hope to finish writing and possibly start recording new material. There was a Discover Your Music set for 9/10, but that's been cancelled because all Borders' cafes will be undergoing a remodel during the month. The next DYM is at Borders in mesa on 10/8, with a kind of preliminary event being billed as Todd Lorenz & Friends on 10/1 at Borders in Paradise Valley. That's it for now. 8/18/05 I've been feeling downhearted broken down and dead I feel there's a stranger sleeping in my bed I've seen his eyes in the mirror looking back at me I've been blind enough blind enough to barely see So, what do you think? Those words came to me last night while I was laying in bed. I nearly got up and wrote them down, but in the interest of marital happiness, I didn't. I did, however, manage to remember and write them down this morning. I'll admit to not knowing exactly what, if anything, will happen to them, but I thought they were interesting enough to share. I suspect they'll find their way into the next song I write, but one can never tell. So, I've started a new day job in a call center; temp job making good money. It is an incredibly repetitive job, and any time I interact with people on the phone, I worry about coming across as rude. I have a strong voice and presence, and sometimes that works to my detriment. So, I decided to try something that had been suggested to me in the past. I smile while I'm on the phone. Sounds stupid, doesn't it? Seriously. F'ing ridiculous. And, in my opinion, hypocritical. Why smile if it isn't genuine? Well, it turns out that it works. I don't know why, exactly, but I do know that my voice sounds different; the edge that slips in without my knowledge does not make an appearance - and that's not the strangest part. I feel better. Yes, I actually feel better. The day is less tedious, and even now while my back is giving me problems, I'm in a better mood. Make of it what you will. I'm just going to figure that I shouldn't mess with results. I need this job right now. Ok, I do feel compelled to analyze it a bit. My best guess is that I'm creating my mood by forcing the smile. Making my own reality, in a small way. That's not to say that I can't sometimes hear a lack of sincerity in my ever so polite phone manner; I can. However, that's better than being pissed off about doing a meaningless job for 8 hours a day. Making good money just doesn't make me feel that much better, even when I know how badly we need it right now. But, somehow, wearing a forced smile while I'm on the phone just makes things easier. (shrug) We do what we have to, I guess. If you didn't come to the Discover your Music last time, you need to go to the one in Chandler on 9/10. I promise you'll hear at least two people who will knock your socks off. It will be worth your time. I recorded my last set at Fiddler's Dream on 8/5. There were 5 songs that I think may be worth sharing, including a new one. I'm waiting on some feedback from people whose opinions I value. That's it for now. Talk to you later. 8/8/05 Well, it was a pretty interesting weekend of gigs, but I don't feel like discussing it right now. We lost another ferret sometime this morning. Devon was pretty sick. He had a heart tumor, some kind of infection, and had built up fluid around his heart and lungs that made it difficult to breathe. He was on medication, and had improved quite a bit. Up until Saturday night, he had been eating willingly, and had seemed at least somewhat like his normal self. However, late Sat he began to have trouble breathing again, and had less interest in food. Sunday night he wouldn't eat at all, and I realized it was probably about time to euthanize him. I made a mental note that we needed to move up his Thurs appt, and be prepared for the worst. When I went to let our weasels out of their cage for the day just a bit ago, he was dead, and apparently, it hadn't been long. We got Devon and Whisper at the same time about 3 1/2 years ago from a woman who just had too many pets, and she had to part with some of them. They were both adults at the time. We found out that first night that Devon was deaf, though it didn't seem to have any effect on his quality of life. He seemed to always have a great time until the first night I noticed he was having problems a few weeks ago. Oh, Friday is better. Here are a couple pictures of Devon. I'll miss you, pal. 7/21/05 Well, I'm short on time these days, so this will be a brief entry. A couple of our ferrets are having health issues. Friday is borderline insulinomic, and Devon appears to have a heart tumor. Both seem to be responding to medication, and Friday is practically his normal self. Devon has improved, but I'm less optimistic about him. We'll know more tomorrow after an appointment with our vet. I have a new temp job working a full 40 hours per week, mostly because our car died and we had to buy a new one. Yes, my/our first brand new car. The Tracker died, and I wasn't about to throw more money at it. We purchased a Scion XB, and it seems to be the perfect vehicle for me. I fit nicely, it gets great gas mileage, and there's plenty of room for my gear when I'm gigging. Not much else to report right now. Still at 7 songs for the next CD; I've been job hunting, which as most of us know, is an exhausting process that detracts from one's creativity. In other words, it sucks balls. Heh. Til next time... 7/7/05 I see there's been a bit of a lag since my last entry. My apologies for that. So, I am currently unemployed. I had been on a temporary assignment, and, like they tend to do, it ended. (chuckle) So, I'm seeking gainful employment, which is always a lovely experience. I had acccepted something at a call center, and about halfway through my first day of training, I realized that I really did NOT want to be there. So, I left. I'm actually at a bit of a loss as to what type of day job I should pursue. I've decided that data entry is probably my best bet, in terms of finding work fast that I consider to be acceptable. Of course, I would certainly be thrilled if something that was actually stimulating came along. I've even given some consideration to finding a sales job in a music store, but it would really have to be the right situation. I'm not the type of person that enjoys trying to talk people into buying something, though I'm more than happy to function in an advisory capacity. LOL That's just what every storeowner wants from his sales staff, right? But seriously, I could be very happy working in the right store; someplace that cares as much about the customer being happy and satisfied as they do about overall sales. Does such a place really even exist? I honestly don't know. I now have 7 tunes for the next album, 5 or 6 of which I plan on performing this weekend. I've come to the conclusion that I don't really have full command of songs until they are played live comfortably a number of times, so I probably won't start the recording process until I have about 14 that fit that category. I don't think it will take long, but one never knows. I would like to have another collection out before the end of the year. That's it for now. Be good. 6/16/05 Ok, all better now. Nice to be back to my normal self. New songs are coming along nicely. Since I last updated this page, a new tune has been nearly completed, with another on the way. That makes a total of five new songs so far, and I'm just getting started. (chuckle) Kind of an interesting gig this weekend; an internet radio show. There's a link to it on my Gigs page. It should be pretty cool. I don't really have much else to discuss at the moment. The new Batman movie is pretty cool, though it seems the older I get, the less I care for anything that happily tosses any semblance of reality out the door while trying to tell a story. This film is guilty of that in places, but I'd still say it's worth your time if you're an action movie fan. Without having watched them recently, I'd say it's better than the other films inspired by the same character. Talk to y'all later. 6/2/05 I'm better, but still not quite myself. This bug that's making the rounds here in the greater Phoenix area is really starting to piss me off. I generally don't stay sick this long, and I especially don't have things hang around for more than a day or two once I start to recover. So, I had the one gig/private party last Friday, which I had seriously considered cancelling. Boy, am I glad I didn't. I had the best reaction I've ever received from an audience, including my first standing ovation. I also sold 18 (!) CDs, which is probably more than twice as many as my previous high. I can at least say with a high degree of certainty that I've never sold into double digit figures before. I actually didn't think I performed very well, especially considering that I hadn't practiced at all during the previous week. But, when I was doing vocal warm-ups and running through some songs that night at home before I left, I knew I was ready. My energy and/or spirit felt good, even if I was still sick. I guess that's what came through. A friend of mine who has probably seen me more than anyone else over the last few months said it was absolutely my best performance, and a couple of others said my presence was entirely different from the last time they saw me - in a good way. There are really at least a couple of reasons for that. First, as I've discussed before, I've been taking vocal lessons, and when I'm healthy, I do exercises for at least 30 minutes a day, 6 days a week. My teacher is Patrick Cunningham, and you can have a look at his web site here: http://www.azmusicinfo.com/Sing.htm He's been a tremendous help. Second, and equally important, is the new guitar. Clark Sensei said it was going to teach me to be a better guitar player, and he's right. It's so responsive to what I do that my technique has to get cleaner, though it's not something I'm really doing consciously, at least not any more than I always try and improve. But, I do know that I find myself laying back and playing more, rather than trying to work the instrument and wrench the sound I want out of it. I suppose it's like driving a high performance sports car instead of a Pinto; both will probably get you where you want to go, but one will do so with a higher degree of...hmm....authority. I hope that paints the right image. So, I'm actually getting pretty anxious to get enough songs written and recorded for a new CD. I want to see what happens next! It's nice to feel like I'm becoming who I should be. 5/26/05 I spent Mon through Wed of this week home sick. Lots of fun. Lots of yucky symptoms I won't describe here. Suffice it to say that I'm getting better, though I did cancel my Sat 5/28/05 gig at Borders in Scottsdale. I decided it would be wise to give my body and voice some rest. I'd like to say that new songs are coming along, but that's not the case. When I'm sick, I don't do much of anything, and that includes singing. I don't really pick up a guitar without doing so with the exception of a few instrumentals, so that means I haven't played all week. So, no writing or polishing has taken place. Hopefully, I'll have a really productive week starting this Monday. Have a great Memorial Day weekend. I'm going back to lying down now. (chuckle) 5/19/05 Hey there. I had a pretty good couple of gigs last week, particularly at The Duck and Decanter where I sold 5 CDs. Always a good feeling. Thanks to each of you who bought one or more; believe me when I say it is deeply appreciated. I also had a few people sign up for email list; thanks to y'all as well. I saw the new Star Wars flick today, and I have to say I enjoyed it. How much? Not sure, really. Will have to see it a few more times and let it sink in a bit more before I really make up my mind. Probably once more in a theatre, and then on DVD. I will say the special effects were really amazing, and the film was far more intense than any of the other installments in the series. One more little note before I go. Those of you who appreciate art should have a look at the following web site: http://jamesno.com I don't know much about that kind of stuff, but I think this guy's work is really excellent. Bye for now. 5/11/05 As I mentioned in my last entry, I have a new guitar. She's a resonator hand built by a luthier in Phoenix named John Reuter, and she speaks with a great deal of warmth and clarity. I haven't taken any pictures yet, but I will. It's the first instrument I've ever owned that I actually find difficult to put down once I start playing. Note that I've referred to her in the feminine gender; that's not a mistake. She's very much a lady with a deeply seductive quality, and I'm not the only one who has made that observation. How I came to acquire her is an interesting story. The resonator I had been simply became unserviceable to me, and it wasn't worth the money it would have taken to repair it. So, I made the decision to buy a new one with a budget of around $500 - $700. I was discussing this with Chuck Clark, someone whose opinion I greatly value. He agreed that I needed a new tool, but encouraged me not to limit myself to selecting something within a certain price range. He said I should find the best instrument that suits me and what I do, make my need known to the universe, and keep an open mind because one can never tell what will happen. Well, he is an instructor of aikibudo (I'm part of his dojo), and he offered to teach a weekend clinic and give me the proceeds in effort to help me get what he believed I needed. I was moved to tears, and humbly accepted his generous offer. I went down to see Mr. Reuter and as it turns out, the 100th instrument he built is now the one I have. It's really amazing how acts of kindness can affect you, how you conduct yourself, and how the world is perceived. There's also a great deal to be said for people you trust stating that you're worth a tool of the highest quality, and then going out of their way to help you bring it home. Thanks, guys. Mere words could never properly express how much what you did means to me. So, while I do have this new guitar in my home and she's been a part of a gig, I don't yet feel like I own her yet. I'm still learning to understand her, which I would say is necessary when dealing with any woman. I believe part of this comes from not yet discovering her name. No, I won't just give her one. She has an appellation, and I need to find out what it is...which will happen when it's time. New songs are brewing; I hope to start recording in June or July. The name of the next CD will probably be The Geometry of Life, which is something that came to my wife one night. Damn it if it just doesn't sound good. Talk to you later. 5/4/05 Ok, so here it is...the site redesign. Very much like the old, but somehow more streamlined and efficient...at least in my humble opinion. There are a few new things; the songs on my music page should now stream automatically, and you can listen to a whole album at at time if you wish, instead of clicking on each song. Pretty cool, I think There will also be a links page, though it is blank at the moment. My wife wants to design nice banners for each one, so it will take some time. I have a new resonator; more about it in words and pictures to follow next time I post; it's getting late as I type this, and I'm pretty tired. I'm looking forward to its first live performance at Borders in Mesa this weekend. 4/4/05 Had a decent gig at Borders in Scottsdale back on 3/26. Sold one CD, and made decent tips. Didn't have a very good couple of gigs at the Duck and Decanter and Borders in Avondale on 4/1 and 4/2, respectively. Didn't sell a single CD, and actually made better tips at Borders. The Duck is kind of a hard place for me to figure out; I guess it just depends on who happens to bet there. I don't care much for playing a bunch of covers, so unless the crowd is interested in original music, I'm not going to go over very well. That's fine. My choice. I'd rather play what stirs my soul than compromise and become a jukebox. Hell, I've been through that, and it pretty much kills me inside. I actually had someone complain about the content of one of my songs at the gig on Sat 4/2. I believe the tune in question was One Last Time, and before I played it, I commented that it is somewhat dark. Well, a parent was bothered enough that she told the manager that it wasn't appropriate for a song with lyrics like that to be played in a family atmosphere. I have to admit, I'm somewhat torn about it. My first reaction, both as an artist and someone who can be rather confrontational was a big mental FUCK YOU. It's art. The lyrics discuss the state of mind of a man who has been trashed emotionally by someone he loved, and what he's thinking about while getting drunk. Feel free to listen to the song and see what you think. However, if I try to approach it from the parental point of view, I can see where one wouldn't want his/her young child exposed to that subject matter. Personally, I believe if the kid is old and/or smart enough to be affected, it should be discussed. Of course, I have no offspring, so I can't say that with any real authority; just my own opinion. The manager's course of action was to let me know about it, and she advised me that if any more of my songs were violent, that I may want to keep the complaint in mind. I offered to pack up my stuff and go, to which she replied, "I would prefer that you didn't." She then stated that she had told the person who had approached her that there had been no other complaints, most seemed to be enjoying the music, and that she was free to choose not to listen. So, I played my wife's two love songs and a couple of other "happy" numbers before I went back to the rest of my material. I was made aware of no other complaints, and a number of people approached me to let me know they enjoyed what I did. Something that's kind of amusing about this situation is that after writing those lyrics a few years ago, I decided not to do anything with them because of how I thought people might react. My wife is actually the one who changed my opinion. She found and read the lyrics and told me that I *needed* to do something with them. I've also discussed it with a few people whose opinions I value, and they all pretty much think it's a good song about real feelings people have. It also brought to mind the situation this country seems to be in with the vocal minority. It appears that if you bitch loudly and often enough, you get your way...regardless of the number of people who don't agree. I don't want to turn this into a political rant, so I'll just leave that there. I guess the bottom line for me is this; I wish the woman would have said something to me personally. I believe that had she voiced her opinion in a rational manner, we could have discussed it and perhaps each of us could have understood the other a little better. Of course, there's something to be said for not interrupting a performance. I am EXTREMELY thankful to the manager for pointing out to the woman that she was in the minority and not asking me to leave. I enjoy playing at Borders, and one of the main reasons is that I'm free to play original material. If I had to censor myself, I'm not sure that I would continue. It's not like I was being profane or obscene. That's it for now. Be good. 3/24/05 I had a pretty good gig at Borders in Mesa last week, which included selling a couple of CDs. I didn't get a chance to speak with one gentleman, but I believe the other's name was Phil. Pardon me if I'm mistaken. Thanks to you both. This web site will be getting a bit of a redesign within the next couple of weeks; it will be going to regular HTML, which I actually prefer. I will also be going to strictly high quality m3u files, as opposed to the mp3s I have now in both high and low. Why? Well, the low quality files don't really get many hits, so I'm just going to dump them. I'm going to the m3u format so that the files stream automatically. I may take most of June off from gigging so that I can concentrate on new songs and spend a few Saturday nights with my wife. I'm already booked the first weekend, but I may just let the rest go and start back up in July. I think I'll let the idea simmer til Monday and decide then. I'll be buying a couple of hand built resonators from a luthier in Phoenix within the next few months. Rather incredible instruments, and there's an interesting story behind how I came to make this decision. I'll tell it when I have them in hand and I post some pictures. Guess that's it for now. I'll be playing at Borders near the 101 and Scottsdale Rd on Sat for the first time. I'm looking forward to it. Be good. 3/7/05 I have a couple of things to talk about. First, I had a pretty decent gig at the Biltmore Borders over the weekend. I made ok tips, and sold a CD to Rita Buhrman. Thanks, and I hope you enjoy it. Second, I've started taking vocal lessons. I'll be going once a week for the foreseeable future, and while I've only been twice so far, I can tell it's made a difference. I went to an instructor once before in my early 20s, and it was a miserable experience. However, I'm not the same person, and I'm obviously seeing a different teacher. You might be inclined to wonder why, after singing for roughly 20 years, I would suddenly choose to do this. The easy answer is that I want to get better. What prompted it is a bit more complex. I recently listened to a live recording that was made of one of my gigs a few months back, and for the first time, I wasn't altogether displeased. In fact, I thought it was almost acceptable. It then dawned on me that I truly might be able to get really good at this. I've also received positive feedback from people whose opinions I value highly, including someone who is going to teach a weekend seminar and give me the proceeds so that I can buy a quality resonator (thanks Sensei!). These, and a few other things, have all led me to the conclusion that I can become a damn good singer/songwriter. I just need a little hope in a few areas, vocals being first. So, the time is now. On an unrelated topic, I'm writing new songs. I'd guess that I'll have another collection out before the end of the year. Be good. 1/24/05 I had a wonderful, if tiring, weekend of gigs. All on Sat. I made nice tips and sold 5 CDs, including 3 to one gentleman. Second time a person has done that, and I have to say, it's a pretty cool feeling. Also sold one to Mary Lee and...hmmm....Ashdon, maybe? Sorry if I don't recall. I do remember his little girl's name was Rachel, and she was a fantastic little dancer. It's great to watch young kids enjoy music. At any rate, thanks to y'all! Not much else, for the moment. Talk to you later. 1/21/05 I had a nice gig at Fiddler's dream last weekend. Made good tips, and sold 3 CDs to one woman (thank you, Rachel). I also had the privilege of hearing Teresa Storch for the first time. She seemed nervous to me, but I really enjoyed her songs. It would probably be worth your while to have a look at her web site, teresastorch.com. Busy day for me tomorrow. 2 gigs; one at Duck and Decanter from 1p - 5p, and Borders in Chandler from 7p - 9p. What the hell was I thinking??? Should be fun though. There are certainly worse things for me to do than spend 6 hours playing music. I'm starting to incorporate some new covers into my sets; stuff that I'm actually singing about an octave lower. I'm not quite sure about the reactions I'm getting, but I think they're pretty good. That's it for now... 1/9/05 Happy New Year. I started out my 2005 by making the decision to euthanize one of our ferrets. It's not the first time. That was Sebastian, and then shortly thereafter, Zoey. However, that was different. They were two ferrets who we adopted late in their lives because they had been abandoned at a PetCo, and we wound up taking them into our home. My wife (then girlfriend) and I knew that they really didn't have long to live - though the decision to end their lives certainly wasn't reached easily. Ajax, on the other hand, we bought when he was a kit who fit in the palm of my hand. He was our 2nd ferret, acquired as a companion to Mojo. There were a number of things wrong with Ajax, and he was on a few medications. To make a long story short, we were trying to get him healthy enough for surgery, and it wasn't happening. In fact, it was getting worse. He had stopped eating on his own because it was too painful (ulcers and other problems), and the medications were no longer having any effect. So, I made the difficult decision to end his life. He wasn't yet five years of age. This was done last Friday. It was, and continues to be, quite painful. My wife and I were both there with him at the end, and truth be told, I feel something within me has changed. I suppose being present when ending the life of a loved one will do that. Yes, fine, he was a pet. An animal. But, he was *MY* pet, and I took his health and welfare very seriously. I feel that in some way, I failed him. I'm not much of one for playing "what if" games, but I can't help but wonder what steps I should and could have taken to ensure a higher quality of life for a longer period of time. I'm a human being, and therefore far from perfect. However, I can honestly say that I do what I think to be best and within my means for my animals. I don't consider them to be my children, but like a good parent, I do recognize and welcome the responsibility that comes with pet ownership. One can argue about whether or not animals have souls, but the discussion is not particularly relevant to me. They are dependent on me for their well being. One of them got so sick that I thought it was appropriate to make that last decision. How can it be anything but painful? In fact, when I first mentioned the idea of it to my wife, I did so by saying that if I were in a similar condition, I would want someone to put me down. And, I guess that's really the bottom line of it all. Treat others as you wish to be treated. I hope he understands, and agrees. If not, I'll discuss it with him when my time is done. I also had a few gigs this weekend, including one Friday night, at which I don't think I performed very well. However, it was cathartic for me. It was also necessary in a way that I can't fully explain. I then had a couple of bookings on Saturday; one in the morning at the Cave Creek Coffee House, and one that evening at Borders in Glendale. Both went well, and I made decent tips. No CD sales, but I actually forgot to take them with me for the Borders show. Rather brilliant, don't you think? I'm getting to a different place, performance wise. I feel like I'm making progress with really giving of myself, which is the goal. This weekend is a set at Fiddler's Dream. I hope to see you there if you can come. todd@toddlorenz.com 12/27/04 Happy Holiday Wishes to everyone. My Xmas was pleasant enough, but I'm looking foward to the New Year. It's been an interesting time for me, and I suppose like most people, I feel that when I'm creative, it's a constantly evolving thing. New songs have begun to spring up, and it seems to me that they'll be rather different from my last batch. We'll see. Hopefully there'll be some remodeling to this site, including a non-flash version, within the next month or two. Not much else to report. Y'all be good. 11/30/04 I hope you had a great Thanksgiving. I was at a gathering of friends on the day itself, and then had pretty much the same group at my place on Saturday. Great food, better people. It was a great couple of days. Stinkweeds at Central and Camelback has acoustic blues on Sunday afternoons from noon until 2p. I was there last week at 1p, and I will be again this week. For those of you who may not know, it's a record store that actually stil sells vinyl. Yes, they have CDs. Cool little place, and the main store is actually in Tempe. Have a look at their web site, stinkweeds.com. I need to update a few things on this site, and one of them is info about my CDs. As you can guess from the music page, I have three: Here I Stand Reflections Even My Shoes Got The Blues All three are available at my gigs for $10.00 each. Here I Stand is now available for sale on CDBaby.com for $13.95. Get a load of this: http://cdbaby.com/tlorenz1 If it goes well, I'll put the other two up for sale there as well. That's it for now. Hope to see you at either one of my gigs this weekend; more info on my gigs page (link in lower left hand corner). 11/22/04 So, I had my first not-so-great gig at The Sail Inn on Friday. I was playing outside, which I thought would be ok. However, the place is in the flight path of the Phoenix International Airport. Now, I may have a pretty strong voice, and I was playing through a PA system, but there was no way I could compete with jets flying low overhead. It turns out I also had to argue with the jukebox playing inside the bar, which was loud enough that I could hear it between songs on the stage outside. Nice, eh? Still, I had a couple of people tell me how much they enjoyed what I was doing. On Saturday, I went to see Todd Snider at the Cave Creek Coffee House. Augustus Brett opened up, and played some great tunes. Nicely done, Gus. Check out his web site at: http://gusbrett.com Now then, Todd Snider is one of my favorite people. In my mind, he's up there with Guy Davis, Chris Smither, and Harry Manx. I've never seen him live, and was really looking forward to it. I'm glad I went, and he put on a good show, but I really wish he would have played longer. He went no more than 90 minutes, and while I feel like I got my money's worth, it would have been wonderful to hear him for another half hour. He's a gifted songwriter and a great performer, and in all honesty, I'd listen to him for as long as he'd be willing to play. In this case, that was 90 minutes (chuckle). For some reason, he seemed really nervous and somewhat uncomfortable between songs. There was none of that while he was singing, and I obviously have no way of knowing if there was something troubling him, but regardless of all that, I hope he finds something resembling inner peace. If I knew of a way to help him personally, I would. Til next time... 11/16/04 Ok, 3 gigs last weekend, all of which went pretty well. I sold 3 CDs on Friday at Xtreme Bean, and 2 on Sun at Minder Bender's. None at the 10k run, but considering I was playing for people running by me, I wasn't expecting to do so (chuckle). So, not counting the 10k run, I've sold at least 2 CDs at every one of my gigs so far. I think that's fantastic. It's my goal to sell at least one, because that means that someone in the room placed enough value on what I do to actually pay me for it. Obviously, I'd like to sell bunches, but I'll take one at a time. It's certainly better than none. I fired off some demo CDs to some people around town today in order to get some more bookings, and 5 to CDBaby.com, which is the net's biggest independent music store. I'm curious to see how that goes. I figure that at the very least, it's some exposure. At best, I'll sell some CDs. Either way, I'll keep playing for whoever wants to hear me. Back to the 10k thing for a sec...it was actually a pretty cool experience. A number of the runners and walkers took the time to say "Thank you!" as they went by, which put a big smile on my face every time. A few even went so far as to thank me for playing peaceful music, or unplugged music, or even good music. Hmm...I guess not everyone is a fan of loud rock bands these days. So, to those of you who expressed your thanks, you're all quite welcome. It was a pleasure and a privilege. Lastly, a woman who apparently does promotion work here in Tempe gave me her card after I was done at Minder Bender's on Sat. I actually have yet to email her, simply because I've been either wiped out or busy since that night. However, I'm going to drop her a line as soon as I get this posted, and I'll let you know if anything comes of it. Til next time... 11/08/04 I had a great concert last Friday at Jiyushinkan. It was for a few close friends, and the vibe in the room was AMAZING. If I could half of that feeling on a regular basis, I'd be pretty happy about it. I tell you, there is nothing like an appreciative audience, regardless of size. Thanks, guys. I had a blast. I have a few things lined up this weekend; Xtreme Bean on Fri, a benefit at Minder Benders on Sat, and then I'm a part of the entertainment for the New Times 10k Run on Sun. Details on the gigs page of this site. This week, I'm going to start firing off CDs to various places to be reviewed, mainly for exposure. I'll probably get them over to CDBaby.com for sales as well. Seems like I'm now in the business of promoting myself. Should be an interesting ride. 11/01/04 Elections are on Tuesday, and the temptation to say at least a little something about them is too great to resist. I have rather mixed emotions and strong opinions about the state of politics in this country, and yet somehow, I doubt things are much different than they've ever been. I just perceive them differently. I don't really want to go off on a long rant about this. Suffice it to say that I consider our current president to be a criminal for a number of reasons, and believe that within his family, those types of activities stretch back to at least his grandfather. Furthermore, regardless of what has been presented to the public by most of the media in this country, the incumbent and his opponent aren't really any different. One can actually handle public speaking and say the word "nuclear" properly, and the other can't. Both went to the same college, and while there, became members of the same elitest organization. Two candidates, no real choice. I'll be voting my conscience, which means for someone else. Hell, I'm not really convinced the electoral process is any more than a way of keeping the masses in check by leading them to believe that they have a say in the way they're managed, but that's another discussion. Note: this is MY web site and these are MY opinions. I currently have no evidence that would be admissable in a court of law. Musically, my gigs start again this weekend. I'm looking forward to it, and hope to have more posted soon. I've been to a couple of open mics since the last time I posted a note, with varying results. One thing is clear; I'm not yet where I want to be in terms of performance. I'll get there, eventually. I'd say I find most of what I do acceptable for public consumption, but I have yet to find the true essence of what I'm chasing. I have before, and I will again. The goal is to be able to do it whenever I want, and that will take years. Talk to you again soon. 10/13/04 Ok, the site needs a revision or two, the most obvious being what happens when you click on one of my music files. As it stands now, that depends on what program you use to listen to mp3s. If you're using Windows Media Player, it opens in a separate window and begins to buffer and stream the song automatically. However, if you're using just about anything else, it opens the file in the same window as my page. Not that big a deal, though when you click on the BACK button on your browser, it reloads the page from the beginning instead of going back to the music section. Apparently, it's a Flash thing. In any case, until we change the code so that the files automatically open in a new window, please right click on the song you want to hear, and then select OPEN IN A NEW WINDOW. That will solve the problem. If you want to save the file to your hard drive, please use the FILE...SAVE AS command in your player. I've been booked at Fiddler's Dream on 1/15/05. It had been quite some time since I visited the place, so I went down there on Sat night with a few of my friends. I took my guitar just in case there was space available for the open mic set after the regular sets were finished. Pretty good night of music. I particularly enjoyed Ed Sloat, who had a great touch on guitar. Very solid; great picker. As for me, I did play 3 songs for the open set, and was pretty horrified by my performance. I started with Dance of the Mustelids, and it wasn't until I was about a third of the way through that I realized I was nervous and the adrenaline was pumping. Mustelids is a pretty fast tune; not what you want to try and keep tempo on when the blood starts to really flow. It really wound up feeling like I was in a car racing downhill, swerving erratically to try and regain control. I really should have known better, but it never even occurred to me that I'd be anything other than perfectly calm. I've played more gigs than I can even begin to count. However, it has been roughly a couple of years, so I guess it makes sense. Next was One Last Time, and I settled down quite a bit. I still wasn't thrilled with myself, but was getting better. I had intended to play I'm Your Man last, but decided that I needed something that was more of a sure thing - a security blanket of a song, if you will. I went with FatCat Howl, and while I still don't think I nailed it, I got closer with that song that I had with the previous tunes. If the words of my friends and the response of the rest of the audience are accurate means of measuring how well I did, I guess I sounded really good to them. I received what seemed to be very enthusiastic applause after my last song. However, my problem is this: I wasn't happy with myself. The vibe that I strive for when I play; that connection between me, the audience, and the music just didn't seem to be there...though it was close on FatCat Howl. I could feel it dancing somewhere just beyond my reach. I guess I could just chalk it up to first time in a long time jitters, but I need to do better. I know I can do better. Of course, I'm sure that when I feel like I've just had the best set of my life, there will be someone in the audience who will be at the other end of the spectrum. That's ok. Nowadays, I'm doing this for me. If people enjoy it, I'm glad to have been able to bring about a smile or two. If a listener doesn't care for what I do, I hope someone more to their tastes can be found. I'll just keep on keepin' on. 10/06/04 Well now, hello again. The time has arrived. New songs are posted along with the old, and in a wonderful new web site designed by my amazing wife. So, I suppose a few words about my most recent tunes are in order. It's been a real trial getting these songs recorded with a quality I consider acceptable. First, of course, was my performance. Remember, these tracks were all done live; just me, my voice, and my guitar, one track at a time. If I listened back to a take and wasn't happy with something, it meant I had to do the whole thing over again. No patching in and fixing just one section. That's not what I wanted for these songs. Then, I discovered that my microphones were not getting anywhere close to the sound quality I wanted, and I was having issues with phasing. So, after some research, I bought a couple of fairly inexpensive condenser mics that had consistently good reviews (MXL 603s), experimented with mic placement, and had another go. Better quality. Next, my old analog four track recorder died, just as I was about halfway done. So, time for some new equipment, provided unexpectedly by my father in law. Thank you, Lindell. :-) When I was finally done recording, I mixed down and burned my first CD. I tossed it on my stereo, and was promptly horrified by what I heard. Muddy and unclear...ack! But luckily, I was now working in a digital medium, and all that was required was some remastering. Then...done. You can hear the results within these pages. So, how do I feel about them? Well, mixed emotions, as usual. There are some tracks with which I'm absolutely thrilled, and others...well, let's just say that at some point I realized that I had to do the best I could, and then let it go. After all, I'm usually surprised by what people say when they tell me which of my songs they like best. They rarely, if ever, coincide with my own personal favorites. That's ok. These songs are mine, but when I share them with the world like this, they take on a life of their own. People are affected differently by them, and I'm good with that. Why? I've come to the realization that it doesn't really matter what people think about my music. I have to continue to do it. Most of the time, I also want to, but the HAVE to never goes away for long. Believe me, there have been many occasions where I've tried to give this up. I wind up miserable, and things always get better when I start to play regularly again. So, a change in how I approach this whole thing was inevitable, and as happened. I will share what I have to offer with whomever wants to listen. If someone finds value or enjoyment in it, that's great. If not, it doesn't really change what I'm doing. Sure, I'd prefer having people enjoy what I do to having them dislike it, but the bottom line is that I'll still play. Yes, being successful with making a living at this means connecting with those who enjoy my music. Hopefully, I'll be able to do that. But, I won't compromise who I am and what I want to do in order to make someone else happy. I am who I am, and I do what I do. When I play live, it's mostly original material with a few covers that I enjoy. I will only play a request if it's a song that has meaning for me. It's not that I want to annoy someone offering to tip me to play his favorite pop song; it's that I'm not the person who wrote and/or recorded it, and unless it gives me some kind of emotional satisfaction, how can I possibly do it justice? I'll use "Margaritaville" as an example. It's a good song, but it just doesn't give me a charge. It doesn't make the hair on the back of my neck stand up. So, I don't try to play it. How about the song everyone who has ever played a paying gig has heard shouted out at least once, "Freebird?" Now that's a number I really like, but there's no way I'd feel comfortable trying to knock that out by myself. Besides, do I sound like the late Mr. Van Zant? Not one bit. So, if someone thinks enough of what I do to buy a CD, or book me for a gig, or drop some money in my tip jar, I'm grateful for it. I will always try to do my best to ensure they get their money's worth. For those who don't...well, I'll just keep on keepin' on. 2/22/04 The time is almost here. A batch of new songs almost ready to record, and a new site just about ready to go, designed by my new wife. Maybe I will have some new luck getting a new lease on life with a record deal. At any rate, what do y'all think of the design? Pretty sharp, I'd say. What can I tell you? I married someone who is better at what she does than I will be at anything I ever do. A touch depressing and uplifting all at the same time, if you ask me. As of this writing, I would say the new songs are going to be one guitar and one voice, recorded one take at a time. No overdubs - strictly barebones, stripped down to me, my guitar, and my vocals...for better or for worse. Why, you may ask? A few reasons, I suppose. It is part of my new attitude and new approach to my new life. I seem to keep saying that, but it is true. I have had a personal revelation or two over the last few months, and I believe it to be a good idea to start nearly from scratch, with as simple of a path as I can follow. That's not to say that I'll never go back to the drum machine, or to being experimental again. It is just not what feels right now. What else do we really have besides this moment as it is lived, before the future comes to be and the present slips away to become the past? Right here, right now. It's all there really is. Enough of that for now. Soon, there will be new songs and a new CD. Hope you enjoy the new look. 1/18/04 Wow. Been awhile, eh? Well, let's get on to the important stuff, if there is anyone out there reading. At the top of the list is the fact that I'm getting married next month, 2/8/04. It will mark four years together for my fiancÈe and I, and ain't no one put up with my shit for this long before. We're having a small ceremony and reception for family and friends. As for me and my music, I have 13 - 14 new songs that I'm polishing up. I believe they'll be recorded and posted no later than the end of April. They just started to come. At some point, it dawned on me that it doesn't really matter that much whether or not I ever manage to be anything resembling successful with my music, I still need to make it for my own reasons and peace of mind. It's too deeply ingrained in who I am to ignore it for any length of time. When I do, I become more and more miserable until I pick up a guitar and let it come, and then things fall into place. I've heard it said, I forget by whom, that music is an evil bitch of a mistress. That's truer that I really care to consider for long. As you may or may not know, MP3.com has gone the way of the dodo. That's actually ok, because it comes as my site is in the process of being revamped. My future wife is going to school for graphic and web design, and she'll be handling it. I'll also be paying for some new hosting somewhere, and plan right now is to post all the music I have for free streaming and download. If people want to buy CDs, I'll send them. If they want to drop some money in my tip jar, so to speak, via PayPal, that option will be available. I have some great songs that are deeply meaningful to me, and I want to share them. If people share my belief, and think they're worth paying for, great. If not, it doesn't really change who I am. 2/6/03 Back in June, we had to put Sebastian down, and Zoey took a turn for the worse. At the end of September, I said she was doing much better, and she was. But, last week, she again stopped eating. Off to the vet she went. Understand that she has been nearly entirely hairless for as long as we've had her, indicating problems with her adrenal gland; probably tumors. But, she saw the vet back when we treated her for her infection, and she said Zoey was probably mostly ok, and that she would let us know when she wasn't. Zoey had a few good months when she seemed happy, and even affectionate, in her own way. But, when she stopped eating again, and just seemed more than entirely listless, we thought it might be time. The vet listed a number of tests, none of which she'd enjoy in the least, and told us that said tests would probably indicate that surgery was necessary, and the odds of her surviving the surgery, much less recovering, were just not good. I made the decision to put her down, and let her move on to whatever awaited her once she was done here. It hurt, and I got very drunk that night and had a good cry, but I'm ok with the decision. Her pain is done, and she's in a better place. When we meet again, I believe she'll thank me for the care and quality of life she had while she was with us. Rest in peace, little girl. I've just started something new in my life. In fact, tonight was the first time I participated in the class. I'm taking Aikido, and here's a link to the organization I've joined: http://www.jiyushinkai.org I won't get into any of the philosophies or techniques here; if you're interested, have a look for yourself. I highly recommend it. Suffice it to say that I'm finally pursuing a lifelong interest in the martial arts. There are a number of reasons, but the bottom line is this: it's something I want, because I believe that physically and spiritually, it will fulfill something in me that has been lacking for some time. It will give me some much needed focus. But, it's new, and therefore (at least in some ways) difficult. Learning this is not going to be easy, and that's ok. I've already hit a "wall," so to speak, in learning how to fall. That's one of the major things taught to beginners; simply learning how to fall. It is absolutely essential to everything done within the art. Anyone who knows me should be aware that I'm about as big, dumb, and graceless as they come. But, I managed to do back and side falls without killing myself, or hurting myself much. I had a bad moment when I did something a bit wrong and kind of wrenched my back, and I have a history of back troubles. I slipped two discs when I was in my early twenties, and for the most part, I'm usually ok, but there are times when it's an issue. Of course, I'm fully aware that a large part of my problem is the fact that I weigh in the neighborhood of 325 lbs. But, I kept on, never mind the slight pain and fear that I was going to make things worse. Guess what? I'm fine. Stiff and a bit sore, yes, but I'm ok. Hell, that wasn't even the scary part of my evening. That came when trying to do a simple forward somersault. You're supposed to tuck your chin when you do this, and simply put, I didn't do it properly, and I have only myself to blame. I'm fine, but it hurt, and was more than a little frightening to put the bulk of my ample weight on the back of my neck. More than once. I did manage to do it something resembling correct one time, but managed to do it wrong afterward. Again, more than once. Am I going to get it right, or am I going to continue to hurt myself? In my opinion, succeeding at most things in life comes down to a matter of desire. How badly do you want something? How badly do you want to do what it takes? At one point in my life, I wanted nothing more than to succeed in music, and be heard and respected for the artist I thought I was. For the most part, I've given up. Why? Because I don't want it anymore. The price I was paying was no longer worth it. Either I wasn't good enough to convey what I felt and/or sufficiently move people to experience what I felt when I was laying out my soul, or I just wasn't any good at all, or I didn't have the right contacts...whatever. The number of people who seemed to "get" what I was doing were infinitely outnumbered by the ones who either didn't care or flat out thought I sucked. I finally reached a point where I got tired of trying. The goal was no longer worth the effort required. Some things in life just aren't possible, and as much as it hurt me, I finally accepted the fact that most didn't care about my music, and probably never would. Do I still play? Not really, but the urges are slowly coming back. I'll pick up a guitar and slide again, and it will feel good when I do. How does this relate to my experience this evening? I see what the members of the dojo can do; the seniors, the beginners, and everyone in between, and I want that. I want the knowledge they have, and the ability to control my body the way they can control theirs. I want to achieve that focus and sense of oneness (which I did, at times, with music) with myself and those around me. I want inner peace. They assure me that I can do it; it just takes practice. I may never be an "elite" martial artist, or a top level black belt. Then again, I might. But, I'll be damned if I'm going to give up before it becomes absolutely and painfully clear that it will not, under any circumstances, ever happen. If they can do it, I can do it. If Mick Foley can fall off the top of a cage, not once, but twice in single match, and then have the intestinal fortitude to finish, I can learn to do a simple forward somersault/fall. I want it. I want it badly. I want to do what it takes. After class, one of the newer students asked me how I was feeling. I told him that aside from a sore neck, I felt pretty good. Referring to my troubles with the roll, he said "Don't worry, you'll get it." I laughingly replied, "Well, either I will, or I'll break my fucking neck. Either way, my problem will be solved." Funny? A little. True? Yes. Scary? Absolutely. I had a tear or two run down my cheek as I was driving home. It's been quite some time since I had to face my own inner fears like this. I don't want to break my fucking neck, so I guess I better get it right. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12/25/02 Merry Xmas and Happy Holidays to any of you who still happen upon this site of mine every once in awhile. I don't really have anything in particular to say, so I'll just leave it at that. Oh, all my pets are doing quite well, as is my better half. She's actually in Wisconsin for a week visiting her family for Xmas. Y'all take care. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9/28/02 Zoey is certainly much better, and a much more pleasant ferret to be around. I'm even considering trying to integrate her with the rest. We'll see. I went to see Rush last night. Anyone who knows me is fully aware that they have been my favorite band for as long as I've been into music. It was them, and just them, with no opening act, for the second tour in a row. They did a total of about 2 1/2 hours of music, not including a 20 minute intermission between sets, and it was a damn fine show. The guys were loose, enjoying themselves, and it was good to see. This is the first time I've been to one of their shows at a venue other than the San Diego Sports arena, and my first trip to Cricket Pavilion. Pretty nice facility, if you ask me. Much more pleasant environment than that horrid arena where I've seen every one of their previous tours since 1986. There were some issues with the sound during the first set, as it sometimes sounded like it was going through an old Leslie speaker (rotating cabinets), but it was cleared up during the break, and wasn't a concern during the second half of the show. They opened with Tom Sawyer, which while somewhat bizarre, immediately struck me as a brilliant idea. It is their most recognizable song, and to get it out of the way off the bat was just fine with me. It left a bit of mystery as to what their encores would be. While I have no intention of giving away their entire set list, that seemed worth mentioning. They closed with something off of their first studio album, and while I can't say for certain, I don't believe I've ever heard them do it in person. It was tres cool. Any guesses, anyone? One of the evening's surprising highlights was an acoustic adaptation of Resist from Test for Echo. It was after Neil's drum solo, and was just Geddy and Alex on a couple of guitars. It has been one of my favorite songs since the first time I heard it, and this version was beautifully subtle. I just wish they would have done a few more songs like this. Rush Unplugged, anyone? THAT would be awesome. I'm not ashamed to say I was moved a few times last night. There was a time or two when I was a teenager again, and nothing else in the world was as important as the effect these songs have on me. But, more often than not, lyrics from my youth rang true with a different meaning. Maybe this will summarize what I mean for you. Back on the Hold Your Fire tour in 1988, I bought one of nearly every style of concert shirt the band had for sale. I was just out of high school, working, and still living at home. I had money to burn, and actually spent just under $100 on souvenirs. Last night, I was hoping to at least by a program as a memento of the show. Shit. It was $15, and that's not quite a tank of gas these days, my friend. The least expensive shirt was $30. It was not even an option. There are far more important demands on my income. Frankly, I was lucky to be able to afford the $40 approximate cost of the ticket ($30 face value, $6 TicketMaster fee, plus at least one other "convenience charge" that currently escapes me). My best friend paid the $8 for parking, and even bought me a $6.50 beer...which I didn't request, but did appreciate. This is why I almost never go to concerts. I can rarely, if ever, afford to do so. Hell, Todd Snider was in town some time ago, and he's one of my favorite artists. But, the ticket price was $40, and he was opening for John Prine, so I would have gotten to see Todd play for about 45 mins, tops. That would be at least $80 for me and my female. If memory serves, I decided I'd rather be able to buy groceries that week. I'm not complaining about my station in life. I have a roof over my head, and am light years away from starving to death. I have everything I need, and a few luxuries I want. There are plenty of people who can't say that. This concert came at an interesting time in my life. Back when I was around 20, I told myself that I would give "making it" in music 10 years. If I didn't get there by then, I'd try something else. It's been a bit longer, but it seems to have come to pass. I've given up on making my own music, for what is an undetermined period of time, in favor of allowing my creative side to try and flourish elsewhere; writing fiction. While I realize that in my previous Thoughts entry I stated that new material was coming, I've decided that I'm tired of banging my head against the wall. I love playing, writing music and lyrics, and entertaining people. Trouble is, it seems that those who actually enjoy what I do make up a miniscule portion of our population. In other words, not much of anyone gives a shit about my music. But, that's ok. Music will always be a part of me, but I'm not going to put the time and effort required to seriously write and record new material when there simply isn't any market for it whatsoever. So, this web site will evolve into something else. I'll update it periodically. Y'all be good. FatCatBlues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8/5/02 Just a quick update for those of you who may be wondering about Zoey. She's recovered from the infection, and is pretty much back to her normal self...though I believe her disposition might be a touch better than it was. Seems she might be with us for some time to come. Music...new material has begun to sprout. No idea when I'll have anything ready for release, but the seeds (and a few songs) are there. I'm considering knocking off the Coffee Plantation gigs with Ronn. No offense to him, but those gigs are little more than some extra money to me -- and believe me, I need all the extra I can get -- and it's the way he manages to make his living. I enjoy playing with him, and manage to get my blood going once in awhile. But...it's starting to feel too much like a "day job," and that's not why I play music. We'll see. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6/30/02 Well, about a couple of weeks ago, I had to deal with something that hadn't been a factor in my life since I was a child. I made the decision to euthanize a pet. Sebastian was an old man of a ferret, and we got him at the same time as Zoey...a somewhat cranky an cantankerous female. She obviously has adrenal cancer, as she is nearly entirely hairless. We were treating it with some prescribed medication from a vet, but it turns out this particular medicine is useless on ferrets. That's what I get for straying from a vet I know is good, and going with one where my girlfriend was working at the time. Hey, there's something to be said for discounted medical care. They were abandoned at a PetCo over a year ago, and my girlfriend took them with the intention of finding a good home for them...not our own. After all, we already had six. They also didn't get along with ours; Zoey in particular was EXTREMELY aggressive towards our ferrets. I have no doubt she would kill one or more if she could. We wound up keeping them separated, in a different room. Difficult and inconvenient as hell, but we had little choice in the matter. Of course, we ended up keeping them, as there aren't many people willing to take on older ferrets, one of whom obviously has cancer. We did find a lovely women with some kind of shelter in Casa Grande, but decided to hold on to them. In any case, Sebastian was losing weight, and seemed to be having more trouble getting around. I tried to feed him by hand, and he would take a piece of food, only to put it down after trying to chew it. So, we checked his teeth. Poor creature...what a mess! He had some nasty looking growths along his gum line, and the teeth themselves were in bad shape. He obviously couldn't eat because it was simply too painful. We discovered this after one of my Sat night gigs, so getting him to the vet wasn't really an option. We put together a batch of duck soup (kind of a mushy protein shake for ferrets), and he actually lapped some up in periodic spurts, though not nearly enough. We force fed him some, but didn't have the heart to do it very often. On Monday morning he was off to the vet, and I prepared myself for the worst. As I said, he was an old man, and if surgery was necessary for his teeth, I wasn't sure he would make it through the procedure. Well, turns out his teeth were the least of his troubles. The poor old boy had a couple of forms of cancer as well, confirmed by a few blood tests. Putting him down was really the only humane thing to do. The vet said that in all likelihood, he would not survive any kind of surgery, and while the cancers could be treated with medication, his teeth would never allow him to eat normally. He would have to be medicated and force-fed for the rest of his life. Would you like to live like that? So, rae (my better half) made the decision to let him go. I was at work, but fearing the worst, had already said goodbye. It was hard on both of us, but we took some comfort in knowing that while he was with us, he probably had the best care, food, and attention of his life. These animals had obviously been abused somewhere along the line. While Sebastian was a sweetheart, Zoey exhibits behavior indicating she was tormented by people. She will bite, and we've both been nailed a few times, though she has gotten better. The hardest part in all this was wondering how she would react to her friend's death. We thought she might follow him across the rainbow bridge, and who could really blame her? He's the only one for whom she really has any affection. It seems now that she might be headed that way. She's had horrible diarrhea for a few days, and isn't eating much. So, off to the vet she went, and I again feared the worst. This time, the news wasn't so bad. She has some kind of intestinal infection, and it is treatable. She's getting meds a couple of times a day, and seems to be doing a bit better, though she's far from healthy. Before Sebastian was put down, she actually seemed to be getting better. She was playing more, and was actually somewhat affectionate. Now...well, she's in pain. We'll see how she is if she manages to get rid of this infection. As a way of dealing with my loss, I wrote the following lyrics for Sebastian: Goodbye My friend, goodbye I can't wait to see you again Goodbye my friend So long My friend, so long You know I loved having you here But for now, so long No more pain No more pain for you You crossed that Rainbow Bridge Now you can run and play You know I miss you And I'm not the only one She might not understand But somehow, we'll get along I'll see you someday Someday again When my time is gone I'll see you again But for now, goodbye My friend, goodbye I can't wait to see you again Goodbye, my friend. They've been put to music, and I think it's a great song. The ones that deal with some kind of trauma usually are. Til next time, keep on howlin'. FatCatBlues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5/19/02 Rush has a new album out, Vapor Trails, and it's very different from anything they've done recently. First, there are no keyboards on the album. The last time that happened, off the top of my head, was probably Caress of Steel in 1976. Second, I've only listened to this thing twice, but I don't believe there's a single guitar solo. That's never happened before. Very odd. That's not to say that the album isn't good. It is. I'm just not yet sure how good. It's very raw, very primal - both lyrically and musically. That might be one of the reasons I haven't made the time to listen to this thing more just yet. It strikes me as a deeply personal album; something not to be taken lightly or trifled with. If you're to listen seriously, there is a price to be paid. As for events within my own life, I've started a movie review page, though it is still under construction to a degree. There's a link in the bottom of the frame to your left. I figure I go see films often enough; why not share my thoughts? It's not like I don't have strong opinions on just about everything I see or hear. Still gigging with Ronn Thomas on weekends. I don't always get the chance to update my gigs page, so if you're interested in coming out to see us, drop me and email and let me know. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4/23/02 Well, I find myself with a few free moments, so I thought I'd update these pages. The revamp is coming, and I'd say that the end of June is a reasonable target date. You might even notice a few changes before then...like this one: http://cafepress.com/theymustdie You might find that a bit on the funny side, or you may not. If you do, buy something. I have too damn many bills and not enough money! Not much else to say. I continue to play with Ronn Thomas every weekend, and may have something else brewing. We shall see. Til next time, keep on howlin'. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4/3/02 Greetings again. Things with Ronn Thomas are going fairly well. We play together just about every weekend at one of the many Coffee Plantations in the greater Phoenix area. I try to keep my gigs page updated, but don't always succeed. Drop me a line if you're interested in coming to see us. Now then, some fairly major news. I'm moving my web site. It will no longer be http://fatcatblues.com. The new address is as follows: http://home.earthlink.net/~toddlorenz That also means a new emailing address: fatcatblues@earthlink.net And if you think I'm only doing this because I'm tired of paying for web hosting...well, you would be correct. Times are tough around my home right now. My girlfriend is in school full time, and working very part time. But, bills still have to be paid, as you all know. That money is far more important elsewhere right now. However, this is only a temporary thing. Why, you may ask? Let's just say that this web site is, once again, going to undergo a major change in the near future. I'd say no later than then end of June. There will be more content besides music, and you will be able to shop for things besides FatCat merchandise. Probably darn near just about everything you might want. So, check back every so often. Til next time, keep on howlin'. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/9/02 Greetings. I hope everyone had a great holiday season. Mine was all right. Nothing particularly overwhelming, but it was mostly pleasant. I actually don't have a whole lot to say, aside from the fact that I'm gigging again. Check my gigs page for upcoming info. As I right this, it's mostly sitting in with Ronn Thomas, who is a damn fine guitar player and a pretty good singer. We seem to have a pretty good deal of chemistry when we play together, so we'll see where it leads. He and I almost hooked up a few months back, but it didn't happen. Stay tuned and see what happens. We now have 8 ferrets, two of which don't get along with the regular six, so they have to be kept separated. How we got them is a bit of a long story, and perhaps I'll get around to telling it sometime. I may also go on a binge where I take lots of pictures of them within the next few months. I love these animals dearly, and am thrilled to have them in my life. Things between my woman and I are going very well. She had some serious back troubles for about 5 months, and she has largely (though not completely) recovered. She was out of work for most of that time, and has only recently started some part time phone work from home. It was a tough haul, but we appeared to have made it. That's it for now. Drop me a line, if you're so inclined. fatcatblues@earthlink.net Secondary email: FatCatTodd@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6/7/01 No big news on the musical front. I have no gigs booked, and I'm not particularly looking for any. Should something come up, I'll probably accept, but I currently lack the drive and time it takes to get in somewhere for little money and the privilege of being largely ignored and under appreciated. No, I'm not bitter. That first paragraph was a bit harsh, but it's how I sometimes feel, including the time necessary for writing this particular Thoughts entry. I've reached the point where the rewards are not worth the effort. I'm not giving up on music; I'm simply not capable of that. I've tried before, only to become completely miserable. No, I'm going to take some more time away from a strict practice regimen, and only pick up an instrument when I truly feel like it. Something tells me my next collection of songs will be instrumentals, but I that's just a weak hunch at best. Knowing me, I'll have something to say, and will feel the urge to express it lyrically. We shall see. On a lighter note, I have a new job working in the Harkins Theatres corporate office. I'm the Internal Auditing Assistant, or something like that. I still sit in front of a pc all day, but am making a bit more money. I'm also now working for a company that is expanding, and places a high value on keeping both their customers and employees happy. For those of you who don't know, Harkins Theaters is the largest and most successful chain of movie houses in AZ. Their roots date back to 1933, though the companies booming growth came mostly during the 90s. The coolest perk I get is free admission to any theatre, for any movie, any time. The only exception that anyone could remember was The Phantom Menace; go figure. Anyway, here's a link to the Harkins Website. http://www.harkinstheatres.com You'll find theater listings, show times, and company history. I anticipate having some time to revamp my ferret and links pages this weekend, though I may begin as early as this evening. That's it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. http://www.mp3.com/fatcatblues fatcatblues@earthlink.net Secondary email: FatCatTodd@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5/9/01 It's been awhile since my last entry. My apologies. Preacher and I did not get together as planned and discussed in my last Thoughts entry. He still did really well at the gig, but I did not attend. My woman was rather sick, and I didn't want to leave her alone. We may still work together in the future, but we haven't discussed it for a couple of weeks. I'm considering doing an instrumental CD for no particular reason, as well as posting some older songs I have lying around on cassette. We shall see. MP3.com has restructured their CD pricing. It used to be that the artist would set the price, and then the sale would be divided equally between the artist and MP3.com. That is no longer the case. They now have two ways music can be sold: DAM CDs and Net CDs. A DAM (Digital Audio Music) CD has all the music in the standard CD format, as well as a MP3 file for each song. There is also a multimedia presentation that includes an artist picture and all lyrics, if the artist has made them available. It's what MP3.com has been doing for as long as I've posted material. A Net CD is being plugged as an online version of a DAM CD. That is to say that you have access to the music, but an actual CD is not mailed to you. You can download the music, which depending on the artist, may be available for free anyway. In terms of cost, artists get to set the price for their Net CD, and a DAM CD costs an additional $3.99 processing fee. MP3.com and the artist split the cost of the Net CD, and the artist sees none of this new $3.99 fee. So, let's use my CD Reflections as an example. It used to be available for $8.99. If someone bought a copy, I would get $4.50, and MP3.com would get $4.49. On the next purchase, that extra penny would go the other way. Now, I have set the Net CD price of Reflections at $5.99. For someone who wants a DAM CD, the cost is that plus the $3.99 processing fee, for a total of $9.98. Still pretty good for 14 songs, I think. But of that $9.98, I see $3.00. That's still a higher percentage per CD than your normal top 40 artist will see, but said artist typically has a promotions machine behind them. Anyway, the bottom line is this: for someone who is content to be able to download my music, it now costs them less. For someone who wants to actually own a copy of the CD (myself included), it is now more expensive. I don't begrudge MP3.com their right to be profitable; it's what makes our economy run. After all, my music is still potentially available to infinitely more people that it would be if I wasn't on their site. And, I'm free to take my music down anytime, for any reason, if I'm so inclined. They also seem to have jacked up their shipping rates. Anyway, I will adjust my Music page to reflect the new prices later this evening. Til next time, keep on howlin'. http://www.mp3.com/fatcatblues fatcatblues@earthlink.net Secondary email: FatCatTodd@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4/17/01 The Preacher and I will be jamming with a full bad this weekend - should be interesting. Info is available on his MP3 page, in the calendar section: http://mp3.com/preacher I'm not sure at this point whether he wants me to sit in for the whole set, or just a couple of songs. Either way, we're going to run through some things that day at his drummer's residence before going over to the gig. Without trying to sound overconfident, we both feel we're going to blow the f'ing roof off the place. We are also probably going to do a CD together, though that isn't even in the infancy stage yet. We've just agreed to do something together, but I do already have a couple of pieces I think may work - though he isn't aware of that yet. Maybe I'll be able to write lyrics for them before Sunday and spring them on him. Of course, if he reads this site, he now knows. Doh! I still haven't revamped my links and ferrets pages, and may not for a couple of weeks. My best friend, Frogg, is getting married this weekend. I lobbied to have the Wedding March replaced with either the Imperial Death March from Star Wars, or Taps, but I don't think it's going to happen. Guess that's it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. http://www.mp3.com/fatcatblues fatcatblues@earthlink.net Secondary email: FatCatTodd@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4/9/01 Last Friday's gig at Borders in Mesa was a definite mixed bag. I played and sang really well, but didn't sell a single CD, nor did I make much in tips. Rather annoying, really. On the plus side, the Preacher showed up with his bass player, and we had a pretty good jam for about the last 40 mins or so. We'll see if this will become a regular thing. I haven't really discussed it within these pages, but I've started creating stations over at mp3.com. Basically, anyone can create his or her own mix of music, which anyone else can hear. I am not only using this as blatant self-promotion, but for plugging other people and music as well. I have 4 stations so far: http://mp3.com/stations/7acousticblues http://mp3.com/stations/7slowblues http://mp3.com/stations/7instrumentals http://mp3.com/stations/7misc I'm considering setting up my mp3.com page so that my music is available for streaming audio, but not for downloading. Most of the time, people who listen use either the hifi or lofi to check things out. Downloading doesn't seem to happen as often, though I did have 70 downloads the other day. My thinking on the subject is this: while I'm obviously not doing this solely for monetary satisfaction (otherwise I would have given up long ago), I think I'm entitled to make some money on something that has taken up so much of my time and energy. Why should anyone be able to download it for free? At the moment, the answer is because I have it set up that way. I'd hope that people would listen, and if they like it enough, would then pay the $8.99 or $6.99 for the CD with the songs they like, rather than download it for nothing. Of course, I do make some money using mp3.com's payback for playback promotion. I'm not yet sure what I'm going to do. Any feedback on the matter is welcome. Til next time, keep on howlin'. http://www.mp3.com/fatcatblues fatcatblues@earthlink.net Secondary email: FatCatTodd@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4/2/01 Still not a whole lot to discuss...let's see... WrestleMania went down on Sunday. Great show, and I enjoyed it completely. I won't get into any details here, but suffice it to say that the TLC match was absolutely incredible. Them boys ain't right in the head. The main event was something pretty special as well, and HHH's match was damn good. He is definitely the best in the biz right now. I've found someone local to Phoenix on MP3.com that I think is fantastic. He'll probably be doing a few songs at my next gig, and vice versa. Check out his site: http://www.mp3.com/preacher Great stuff. My home internet service is dead, so I won't be revamping my links and ferret pages this week. Someone from Sprint is supposed to come out on Sat, and hopefully will fix whatever is wrong. Til next time, keep on howlin'. http://www.mp3.com/fatcatblues fatcatblues@earthlink.net Secondary email: FatCatTodd@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3/19/01 Ok, it's been awhile since I updated my Thoughts page, but as you can see by the updated layout and pages, I have been a bit busy. This will make things easier for me when it comes to updating and/or adding new pages. I really don't have much to discuss at the moment. I'm not done revamping this site yet, as both my Links and Ferrets pages will both be getting a new look. Next gig is 4/6 at Borders in Chandler. I'm hopeful of selling a few copies of my new CD. I'm also considering using my drum machine. There are pros and cons to the idea, and I'm weighing them out. Right now, I'm leaning towards bringing the drummer in a box; we shall see. If you haven't done so, go listen to my new tunes. Better yet, buy the CD! Til next time, keep on howlin'. http://www.mp3.com/fatcatblues fatcatblues@earthlink.net Secondary email: FatCatTodd@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2/27/01 The songs are up, and ready to be heard. There was a time when I wasn't entirely sure they'd get to that point. This started off being very discouraging, and it was quite some time before things began to look at all positive. Now, after living with these songs for so long, after going through the sometimes painful process of recording them, and after replacing a small snafu on my MP3.com site involving someone else's file, they're set to go. I still need to get some new pictures done for my CD, and get that insert done. I was out of town last Saturday, and rather busy with normal everyday life things on Sunday (laundry, shopping, etc.), so they didn't get done over the weekend. Monday I finished mixing and uploading songs, and today (Tuesday) it was raining outside so I couldn't get the pics I wanted. Hopefully, tomorrow will be a different story. The name of the new CD is Reflections, and considering the material, it's certainly an appropriate title. Here's hoping something comes from these new songs. http://www.mp3.com/fatcatblues fatcatblues@earthlink.net Secondary email: FatCatTodd@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2/22/01 Ok, NOW I'm done. Recording, I mean. I finished up over the weekend, as expected. I then took a couple of days off from the new CD in order to prepare for the CyberRadio.com Battle of the Bands at the Cajun House, which took place last night. I have VERY mixed feelings about how it all went down. First of all, one can question the sanity of a solo acoustic blues act performing in a competition like this at all, much less one in which said act is the only A) blues performer, and B) acoustic entertainment; at least I was for my round. Second, it was at the Cajun House. It's actually a nice room with good sound, but $3.00 for an f'ing bottle of Budweiser? C'mon now! I won't even get into the situation I had there when I went to see Jeff Healey. Suffice it to say it's not my favorite place to be. I was also bumped from playing second to playing last. This isn't something I found out until I got there. Fabulous. That's what I wanted - to play after 11pm on a weeknight for no cash. It was one thing to be scheduled at 9p. That would have put me home at around 10:30p, and asleep at my normal time. As it was, I didn't get back to my apartment until after midnight, and didn't fall asleep until somewhere in the neighborhood of 1am, and that was with me cutting two songs out of my set. I'm a 31 year old man. The days of wanting to stay up late and go to work on a few hours of sleep are long gone. Now, shall we discuss the wisdom of putting on an acoustic act last? If anything, I should have opened the evening. But, the promoter of this thing had his reasons. Still, I seriously considered going home. Let's face it: I wasn't going to advance into the next round no matter what I did. This isn't the Blues Showdown where there is a panel of judges using a standard set of criteria to rate each act. This will be decided solely by the votes of those who were in attendance. That means whoever had the most friends there will win. Considering how many people I know were there to see me, I don't even have a snowball's chance in hell. Now then, having said all that, the evening wasn't a waste. I played pretty well, and probably made a few new fans. The rep from CyberRadio.com went out of her way to compliment me heavily, and there was talk of featuring me on their site. We shall see. I certainly need and want the exposure, and she seemed genuine with what she said. I plan on discussing the matter further via email, and am hopeful of putting together something with her when my new CD is ready. I also enjoyed the other bands that played. It's not often I go out and hear 3 rock bands anymore. Speaking of which, I will begin the mixing process tonight. I'll be taking some new pictures over the weekend, and hope to have the insert done by this time next week. There is a slight chance that all the new songs will be done and uploaded to MP3.com by the end of this weekend, but it's probably safer to say it will be done by the end of next week. I would guess that everything will be approved and ready to go by a week from Monday. Geez, only about 6 months later than I had originally hoped. Til next time, keep on howlin'. http://www.mp3.com/fatcatblues fatcatblues@earthlink.net Secondary email: FatCatTodd@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 02/13/01 Done. Finally Done. Well, almost. The recording process for my next CD is damn near complete. All of songs have been finished, save for one bass line and the song that will be the last one heard. Those of you who have copies of my first two CDs know that each one ends with a song that is distinctly of the non-blues persuasion. This one will not break that trend. It will be a song I wrote for my current girlfriend of just a touch over a year. I have composed a drum part for it, but I'm flirting with idea of just keeping it as just guitars and vocals. With any luck, I'll be finished with this last song before the weekend is out. Oh, the bass line that has yet to be done should take me all of about 5 mins, so it's not a big deal. If I get really lucky, I'll finish recording by the end of the weekend. If things go fabulously well, I'll finish mixing by Sunday evening...and on the off-chance that everything proceeds unbelievably trouble-free and at an incredibly fast pace, I might even begin uploading material to MP3.com. We shall see. It's been kind of interesting keeping track of my state of mind during the recording process this time around. I started out feeling HORRIBLY discouraged. Nothing sounded anywhere near as good as I wanted, and it didn't seem as if anything ever would. Then one song clicked in. Then the next two. Then another. Then things bogged down again, and I was once again an emotional train wreck. But, as with the first few, the next bunch came around. I finally have something down on tape with which I am happy. Of course, whether or not this new batch of songs will do anything for me in terms of getting noticed - or maybe even making a bit of money - remains to be seen. Aside from this project, life has been what it normally is. More car troubles; whoo-hoo. I actually came damn near to buying a new one, but I'm really not in any shape to commit to that kind of financial responsibility. Car payments and full insurance? At the rates charged in this state? Not bloody likely. As long as that trusty pickup of mine gets me from point A to point B, I'll drive it into the ground. Til next time, keep on howlin'. http://www.mp3.com/fatcatblues fatcatblues@earthlink.net Secondary email: FatCatTodd@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/22/01 Just a quick update today, based more on principle than anything else. I have five songs done, in terms of recording new material, and am hopeful of finishing two more today. Progress at last! Mind you, when I say done, I mean the recording process. I still have to mix them down to my PC before I can upload them to MP3.com. I'm going to finish all my new songs (12 - 14) before I do that, so we're still a ways off...like sometime in February. Still, it's nice to be able to say that I finally have some results to show for all the hard work I've been doing. When I started this last time, the normal frustration that I have when I begin any project was present in spades. I can't get a track I like, and if I'm doing vocals, it's that much more difficult. Now I seem to have found my groove, and things are clicking along nicely. I took a bunch of pictures of my ferrets yesterday; I'll go through them tonight, and perhaps get them posted by this time next week. That's about it for now.... http://www.mp3.com/fatcatblues fatcatblues@earthlink.net Secondary email: FatCatTodd@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 01/03/01 Happy New Year to one and all. Mine was uneventful and quiet, spent happily with my significant other. We managed to stay awake until midnight, and then promptly conked out. Hell, I didn't even get all that drunk. Guess I'm getting old. Xmas was good. We did the same thing that we did on Thanksgiving; we drove down to the Imperial Valley and back in one day...in this case, the Sat before the 25th. It was very pleasant, and I'm always glad to see my family. Work on the new CD continues. I've actually written out a schedule to ensure that this thing actually gets done. If I hadn't, I'm not certain it would have ever been completed. I've had any number of false starts, bad tracks, and the motivation required to get it done right seems harder to come by. Actually, that's not entirely accurate. Once I get started on a recording session, it's as much fun as it has ever been. Getting started every day seems more difficult. Hence, the need for a written schedule. Part of it is that I no longer have the time to spend 3 - 4 hours a day recording. I'm happily involved in a deeply committed relationship, have a full time job, and have a number of animals that require care and attention. Mix in a desire to write the occasional work of fiction, one just doesn't have a whole lot of free time. Mind you, I'm not complaining. Life is what it is, and right now, I'm pretty happy. I just seem to need a bit more discipline and better organizational skills than in the past. I'm working it out. Guess that's about it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. http://www.mp3.com/fatcatblues fatcatblues@earthlink.net Secondary email: FatCatTodd@aol.com 12/18/00 Happy holidays to everyone, regardless of faith. The recording process has begun in earnest, and as usual, it's proving to be more difficult than I anticipated. You'd think I'd stop believing that it will come easily, regardless of the amount of rehearsal I do beforehand. I should just accept the fact that recording songs will always be the equivalent of a difficult birth for me. But, if what is produced is a healthy child, so to speak, it will be worth it. If that child goes out and becomes successful in life, it's an added bonus. Of course, if the kid is a worthless bum, it's all a waste of time. And all you ladies can save your emails. I'm sure that actually having a child is far more demanding, physically and mentally. It was an analogy. My girlfriend is out of town, visiting family in Wisconsin. The chances of me going were slim and none. Not only have I used up my off time at work, but snow and extreme cold are both things I HATE. There are reasons I live in a desert, and 70-degree weather in December is a good one. Who cares if it gets above 100 during the summer? I grew up with it, and prefer that to freezing nostrils, black ice, and chains on my tires. We have 5 ferrets now, including a deaf one. We were shopping at PetCo, and there was an ad on their bulletin board for free weasels to a good home. We called, went over, and got em. One male, one female. Devon (male) is the deaf one, and he's a big boy. Maybe 5 pounds, and not much of it fat. Whisper (female) is the direct opposite, weighing maybe a pound. She's tiny, and pretty skittish, but seems happy. Devon is very affectionate with rae and I, but may be asserting himself as the dominant one of the bunch. We shall see. Pics to come in the near future. For those of you keeping track, that's 5 ferrets, 1 dog, 1 cat, and several fish. Til next time, keep on howlin'. http://www.mp3.com/fatcatblues fatcatblues@earthlink.net Secondary email: FatCatTodd@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11/27/00 I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving. I spent the day with my family in CA. Well, part of it anyway. The bulk of it was spent driving. 4 hours there, and 4 hours back. Why not spend the night, you ask? Simple. I have 3 ferrets, a dog, and a cat. They all require my attention. I didn't want to leave my girlfriend alone for a couple of days on the holiday, so we went there and back in a single day. Twas definitely worth it. And yes, I said 3 ferrets. We adopted Friday some time ago from someone who didn't have the time to look after him any longer. I'll post pics when I get a new scanner and/or digital camera. Work progresses on my new songs. Most of it now is wood shedding/rehearsing for the recording process, but I'm still tinkering with some of the arrangements. I doubt it will be done before the New Year, simply because I'd still like a new microphone with which to record, and money is, as always, scarce. My girl was unemployed for a brief spell, so we've had to tighten our belts a bit more than normal. Some of the songs sound about ten times better with the drum parts behind them, and one or two haven't found the right accompaniment yet. I'm toying with the idea of just using a drum loop on a couple, as opposed to composing an entire song. We shall see. Not much else to report right now. TIl next time, keep on howlin'. http://www.mp3.com/fatcatblues fatcatblues@earthlink.net Secondary email: FatCatTodd@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11/8/00 You won't find any political commentary on my site, other than to say that this year's Presidential Election is a shining example of an antiquated electoral process. There has to be a better way to get it done. Work progresses gradually on my next CD. I'm still programming the drum machine for the tracks that will have percussion. Once that's done, I will begin the recording process for about the 4th time. No, I'm not horribly anal about this whole process. It seems that I may have someone to do my booking for me; stay tuned for more info in the weeks to come. Not much else to say. I'm pretty busy with music and life in general. My woman and I are very happy together, which is always a good thing. Til next time, keep on howlin'. http://www.mp3.com/fatcatblues fatcatblues@earthlink.net Secondary email: FatCatTodd@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10/25/00 The new drum machine is going to be both good and bad for me. Good in the sense that I can add some decent percussion to my songs, and bad in that I have something else I can be anal about. Luckily, it's not that different from my old one, so once I figure out what I want, it doesn't take all that long for me to program it. Trouble is, not only do I have to figure out a drum part, I have to choose which drums I want to use. For example, I've gone from having one snare drum sound to around 12. I don't know exactly how many off the top of my head. Same thing with bass drums. Three different sets of toms and high hats. Two different ride and crash cymbals. Various latin drums and congas, and a few sound effects. There is definite potential for overkill and/or mass confusion. ;-) But, it's a nice problem to have. It's always preferable to have too many choices instead of not enough. Not much else to talk about right now. I don't have any future bookings, and I may keep it that way until I finish this new CD. Focus and all that. I'm pretty excited about this new batch of songs. Rain sucks. Til next time, keep on howlin'. http://www.mp3.com/fatcatblues fatcatblues@earthlink.net Secondary email: FatCatTodd@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10/16/00 Not a whole lot to report this week, though I do have a status update on my next CD. I bought a new drum machine this past Sunday. So, after that rant I did last week about not having the money, I somehow find it. Of course, now all I have to do is figure the damn thing out. It shouldn't be that hard; it's basically an upgrade (albeit a rather substantial one) from my old machine. I played around with it some tonight, and I'm fairly pleased with the basic drum sounds. What I really like are all the new sounds I now have at my disposal. The trick will be learning to use them tastefully. Remember, I got this thing to add some depth to my arrangements, not take them over. So, just about all the recording work I have done to this point is largely useless. Delays, delays, delays...it will all be worth the wait. I hope. That's about it for now; short and sweet today. Til next time, keep on howlin'. http://www.mp3.com/fatcatblues fatcatblues@earthlink.net Secondary email: FatCatTodd@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10/09/00 OK, Earthlink is now hosting my web site. It took a couple of days to make the switch from PSN for a few reasons (mostly red tape with Network Solutions), but it's done. For the record, I absolutely do NOT recommend PSN to anyone for anything other than an example of how to alienate your customers. I won't go into details about my what led to my decision to move and subsequent problems. Suffice it to say that so far I have been very happy with Earthlink. They have handled a couple of bumps in the road professionally and quickly, and I didn't have to sit on hold for a half-hour when I needed to speak to either their support or customer service departments. Take from that what you will. The new CD is still in the works, though I've reached a point of indecision. Y'all know I'm an acoustic musician/artist. As such, I have a few tracks that will be nothing more than me and my guitar. However, a number of songs seem to cry out for a bit more, like bass and drums. I'm still a damn good bassist, so that's not a problem. Drums are a bit more difficult, as I've had my drum machine for about 14 years. Needless to say, it's horribly dated in terms of sound quality. A new one will run me around $200, and a used one about half that. I strongly dislike buying used gear, so that is not a likely solution. $200 ain't all that much, but right now, I don't have it to spend on something that isn't essential. I've spent $1300 on car repairs in three months. That makes it rather difficult for me to drop coin on something I can really do without. There are also a number of things I should get first, including new glasses. I've been wearing prescription sunglasses all day and night for the last couple of months because my frames broke, and I just haven't gotten around to replacing them. Money is tight right now. Then again, when isn't it? Anyway, that's my dilemma. Do I use the drum machine I have now, even though I know I won't be happy with the end product? Or do I wait until I have the cash to spend on a new one, even though that will push the CD back even further when I'm already getting to be two months later than I expected? I somehow feel that this next CD may make or break me somehow. I have a sneaking suspicion that it will be a very important step up or down. If that is indeed the case, what's another month or two? Then again, timing is everything. I'm not indecisive about this or anything. Well, maybe just a touch. I'll wait, if for no other reason than my gut feels more comfortable with that decision. Not much else to discuss right now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. http://www.mp3.com/fatcatblues fatcatblues@earthlink.net Secondary email: FatCatTodd@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9/25/00 The AZ Blues Showdown Finals were on Sunday, and no, I didn't win. Hell, I didn't even place in the top 3. But, that's all right. My goal, both this year and last, was to make the finals. This year I did it. The Cadillac Mike Moses Band won, and they are who I would have chosen. All the guys in the band have a pretty deep musical history in Phoenix, and they mesh together really well. They deserved to win, hands down. What did yours truly learn, if anything, from this experience? Simple. As long as I'm an acoustic solo act, I will never compete with full bands. Of course, that's not anything new to me, but it was made painfully obvious...as if the places I manage to get booked in don't already illustrate that. When was the last time you saw a solo act in a bar in this town, aside from Hans Olson? Hell, even Hans puts a band together for certain venues. Am I complaining? Not at all. I play solo acoustic music for several reasons. However, there was a time when I considered putting together an all-acoustic band. The idea was to not only cover blues, but the occasional rock classic as well. Picture "Whole Lotta Rosie" as an acoustic number with slide guitar. I think it would sound f'ing cool. The problem is that I have always, and The FatCat means ALWAYS, had trouble maintaining a consistent band lineup. We're talking back when I was in my teens playing rock up until a few years ago. Drummers were especially difficult to come by for me. Apparently insisting that they actually keep a steady beat and maintain a drug-free lifestyle was too much to ask. It may still be. I've never hidden the fact that I am an opinionated, stubborn SOB who wants things done his way, even if that way turned out to be wrong. The plus side to that is that I rarely make the same mistake twice. The down side is that most people don't like being told what to do, or that what they are doing just ain't cutting it. I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who think I suck and have no talent. That's fine. At least that opinion is based solely on something I've done myself from start to finish, be it a live performance or one of my recordings. Speaking of opinions, I received the highest of praise on Sunday. A woman sought me out and told me that I was the best blues she had ever heard, and that she was truly moved by my performance. She said she had come very close to crying -- I had touched her that much. THAT'S what it's all about; that's why I do what I do. Sure, I'd love to make a decent living at this. But if that was all I wanted, I would have quit long ago. I play because it's the only thing I do that truly makes me feel alive, and as though I have some purpose. When I'm playing and singing particularly well, I have to fight back tears. There are times when I am truly pouring out my heart and soul, and am completely giving of myself. When someone shares that with me on even the slightest level, it is extremely satisfying. When the experience is completely mutual, and I can feel it, nothing is better. Thank you, dear woman, whoever you were and wherever you are. Of course, when I suck, it devastates me. Til next time, keep on howlin. http://www.mp3.com/fatcatblues fatcatblues@earthlink.net Secondary email: FatCatTodd@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9/18/00 I did it. I'm not sure how, but I did it. And I'm here to say, it feels good. I made the AZ Blues Showdown finals. I'll be frank. I don't believe I gave my best performance. I caught a cold on Saturday night, and had a sore throat. Hell, as I type this, I'm congested and my throat has gotten worse. I really wanted to hang out after my set, but I just didn't feel up to it. I went home and pretty much crashed out for the rest of the night. It wasn't until I checked my email this morning that I found out I had achieved my goal. Last year, I didn't get past the first round, and was pretty disappointed. This year kind of makes up for that. Anyway, info is on my gigs page. There are some great people playing, and y'all should come out if at all possible. New CD still in the works; stay tuned. Oh, and I had a great time with my grandfather, uncle, & aunt at the San Diego Zoo a couple of weeks ago. Jeff Healey was freakin' AWESOME, as usual. He has a great new album not yet available here in the US, but I got a copy at the show. Here's his web site: http://www.jeffhealeyband.com That's it for now. I'm going back to bed. Til next time, keep on howlin. http://www.mp3.com/fatcatblues fatcatblues@earthlink.net Secondary email: FatCatTodd@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9/10/00 Very brief entry this week...here's the schedule for the Blues Showdown this year. If you're within driving distance, come support the cause! 2000 ARIZONA BLUES SHOWDOWN Schedule For Qualifying Rounds Sunday, September 17, 2000 Round 1 Time Act City 1:00 p.m. Record Heat Scottsdale 1:30 p.m Sunny Sunshine Tempe 2:00 p.m. Kenny Burdello Scottsdale 2:30 p.m. Slyde Maglass Phoenix 3:00 p.m. HouseRockers Tempe 3:30 p.m. Danny Rhodes & the Messengers Cottonwood 4:00 p.m. Big Daddy D & the Dynamites Prescott Valley 4:30 p.m. Woody & the G-Men Tucson 5:00 p.m. Cadillac Mike Moses Band Phoenix Round 2 6:30 p.m. The Fat Cat - Todd Lorenz Phoenix 7:00 p.m. Buzzard Luck Tucson 7:30 p.m. Smoke Dogs Payson 8:00 p.m. Phat City Blues Band Flagstaff 8:30 p.m. Thunderhead Blues Band Mesa 9:00 p.m. Nicodemus Mesa 9:30 p.m. Roy Pinn & Hot Ice Phoenix 10:00 p.m. The Blue Healers Tempe 10:30 p.m. to be announced NOTE: This schedule is subject to change. All times are approximate. http://www.mp3.com/fatcatblues fatcatblues@earthlink.net Secondary email: FatCatTodd@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8/29/00 This will be a brief entry. Some f'ing virus is making me feel like I haven't slept in 3 or 4 days. Friday's gig at the Duck & Decanter and Monday's at the Peoria library both went well. Didn't sell any CDs, but I made good tips on Friday, and got great response on Monday. My new CD is being put off until the end of September for a number of reasons, mostly personal, but nothing urgent. I'm hopeful for having it ready by mid September, but there's not way it will be done by the end of this month. I'm taking my grandfather to the San Diego Zoo the day after Labor Day. He and I are very close, and I'm looking forward to it. Til next time, keep on howlin'...and stay healthy! http://www.mp3.com/fatcatblues fatcatblues@earthlink.net Secondary email: FatCatTodd@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8/22/00 Saturday's gig at One World Bakery was an unmitigated flop. I gave up after a half-hour because I didn't want to waste the owner's money or my time. I really love that place, but I can't draw squat there, and I refuse to take Jean's money when I haven't earned it. When I have gigs like that (and thank heaven it's not very often), it really makes me question what in the hell I am doing. Sure, I enjoy playing. But what difference does that make if no one else gives a shit about what I do? I might as well stay home and play in my living room. I play live because I enjoy it. I enjoy entertaining people, and feeding off the vibe that comes when people are into what I'm doing. It wasn't so long ago that I had an outstanding gig at Borders in Mesa. But, I've never been one to delude myself. Even the people that enjoy me well enough to buy my CDs never show up again; at least not that I've noticed. Why not? Simple. I'm not a draw. I don't inspire people to come see me. No one sits around and says, "Hey, where is that FatCat guy playing this weekend? I want to go see him." I'm sure potential bookers and promoters are thrilled to have read that last paragraph. You know something? That doesn't make much difference. I play and make music because there's something driving me to do so. I don't think I have much of a choice. I'm sure I've discussed this within these pages at least once before. I've tried to give up on music; it doesn't work. I become dead inside. Life pretty much becomes dreary and meaningless, and I have difficulty finding joy in much of anything. Now then, I realize that any career (or hobby, if you prefer that term in this case) goes through peaks and valleys. I can accept that. But how much good is an entertainer to anyone if he can't put butts in the seats? Would John Lee Hooker be the legend he is if no one bought his albums or went to hear him sing? Of course not. No, I'm not comparing myself to Him. Just making a point. If it sounds like I'm going through a bout of self-pity, that's not the case. This is more along the lines of therapy via the written (or typed) word. I haven't been myself since Saturday, and my hope is that by rambling a bit here, I can move on and prepare myself for a four (4! Yikes!) hour gig this Friday at the Duck and Decanter. I am also still hopeful of having a new CD ready by the end of this month, though that is looking less likely. Guess that's it for now. If you are so inclined, visit my mp3 site and listen for awhile. http://www.mp3.com/fatcatblues fatcatblues@earthlink.net Secondary email: FatCatTodd@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8/15/00 My last gig at Borders in Chandler went fairly well. I sold 3 CDs, which is always a good thing. I did not record the gig, mainly because I was a bit pressed for time. I had to get home from work, pack my gear, drive to Chandler, and be ready to play at 8pm. If the gig had been on Saturday instead of Friday, I might have given it a shot. I just had to throw $493 at my pickup for brake repairs. It had gotten to the point where I wasn't driving the thing to work in the morning; I was either taking my woman's car or having her drop me off. I just didn't feel safe driving it. Had the need arisen to slam on my brakes to avoid hitting something or someone, there was no way I would have been able to stop in time. I actually think I got off rather inexpensively, considering how bad they were and all the grinding I would hear. I'm very happy with the guy's work. If you need a reliable mechanic who doesn't overcharge (read screw) you, Terry is your man. Terry's Tire & Auto 40th St & McDowell just north of 7-11 602-275-1202 I will never go to Pep Boys again. "FatCat, you fat bastard, what about music? This IS a music site, isn't it? I don't wanna hear about cars, ferrets, or glasses!" Ok, you in the back, pipe down. On the musical front, those of you in the Phoenix area are probably aware that AC/DC is going to be in town on 9/13. I really dig that band, but I will not be going. Why? Because Jeff Healey will be at The Cajun House on the same day. Those who know me are well aware that Jeff is absolutely one of favorite artists. If you've never seen him live, I suggest you do so. Not only is he an incredible guitarist, he is also an extremely charismatic performer. If you've never heard of Jeff, I INSIST that you go see him. If you enjoy rock or blues/rock at all, I guarantee that you will get your money's worth...and then some. Tix are $19 (plus service charges) through Ticket Bastard...err....I mean Master. "FatCat, you honkey mofo, this is YOUR site. If I want to hear about Jeff Healey, I'll go to HIS site!" Didn't I tell you to pipe down? To the best of my knowledge, Jeff doesn't have a site. But, that's beside the point. I am still hopeful of getting a CD done by the end of the month. Considering the nature and content of the songs, I'm considering "Reflections" as a title. Time for a serious, pensive FatCat. No, really. Guess that's about it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net Secondary email: FatCatTodd@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8/7/00 Hey folks. Sorry I didn't post a Thoughts Entry last week. I did, however, put up a new section to my web site. If you haven't done so already, check it out: FatCat Ferrets I think you'll agree that it's worth a look, especially if you enjoy cute critters. Next gig is Friday at Borders in Chandler; info in the usual place...FatCat Gigs. I'm actually hoping to play almost nothing but original material. Between the songs I already have on CD and the ones I have ready for my next recording, I can just about do it. The question is, will I be recording the gig? We'll see how I think I sound while practicing this week. If nothing else, I should record some of these gigs just to make sure I'm performing as well as I should be. Got FatCat? How about downloaded FatCat? Take a trip over to my MP3 site and download/listen to my music: http://www.MP3.com/FatCatBlues Car repairs and broken glasses suck. I'm down to a single pair of glasses...my shades. That's right, like that 1980s Canadian Icon, Corey Hart (no relation to Bret), I wear my sunglasses at night. Of course, in my case, it's so I can f'ing see! I just haven't gotten around to replacing the frames that broke during the week. Maybe I'm going for that ultra slick, I wear shades all the time -- even at night -- Blues Brothers look. Either that, or I'm just damn lazy and indecisive about whether to use someone on my medical insurance, or just do the quick and easy Lenscrafters thing. Like you really care about where I get my glasses. Musically speaking, I may have another song or two for the next CD. Hell, I may wind up having to pick and choose what to keep and leave off. Better to have a flood than a famine, I suppose. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net Secondary email: FatCatTodd@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7/16/00 I have a couple of new bookings; both will be on my gigs page mere moments after this is posted. My last gig at Borders in Mesa went all right. I sold a CD, which isn't anything particularly noteworthy in and of itself. However, the purchaser happened to be a boy of about four years old. Needless to say, the kid didn't fork out his own money. His parents bought it for him. Why? Well, because the kid was groovin' with the FatCat, and groovin' HARD. If everyone enjoyed my music half as much as that child did, I would be a rich and successful man. Upon request, I autographed the CD for him. I asked his folks if he always responded that way to music, and the answer was "Not like that!" Well, here's hoping he enjoys my music for years to come...or at the very least, that it's something his parents can put on to get him to sleep! This actually leads me into something I've noticed for a few years now. Kids love live music. Not having any of my own, it's not something I'd really notice, except for the effect I have on kids in the crowd when I play places like Borders. Much like with adults, not all of em get it, or care. But at just about every gig I have where kids are part of the audience, a handful of them seem literally spellbound. Not all of em get down and boogie like that boy did last week, but the look in their eyes makes it obvious that they are transfixed. Pretty cool, eh? Of course, maybe they're just trying to figure out what that damn noise is all about, and why the source of it is so...large...and loud. Speaking of large, I've lost about 25 lbs. 30 isn't far off. I've just completely changed my eatiing habits, and its working. Amazing what one can accomplish when one takes something seriously. I've been getting more downloads than normal over at MP3.com. If you haven't already, jump on over there and download or play some of my songs. I think you'll enjoy what you hear. http://www.MP3.com/FatCatBlues Guess that's it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. Oh, Chicken Run is pretty damn funny. X-Men was very cool, and I have yet to see The Patriot. fatcatblues@earthlink.net Secondary email: FatCatTodd@aol.com Who are Mojo and Ajax, and when will I just tell you already damn it??? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7/5/00 Hello, all. I hope you had a safe and sane Independence Day. Me? I was pretty much a bum. I worked a bit more than a half day on Monday, then just basically sat around the new apartment yesterday. I did a bit of unpacking and organizing, but very little. Next gig is this Saturday at Borders in Mesa. Info is on my gigs page; link in the column on your left. Or, I suppose if you really wanted to make it difficult on yourself, you could scroll down through past Thoughts entries and find a link there. ;-) Lyrics, lyrics, lyrics...I need to write some more. I have a few new pieces of music (in addition to the new songs I've discussed here) that need words and melody to go with them. I also need a new notebook for writing them down. I've actually take to just typing them out in MS Word lately, but there is quite a bit to be said for putting pen to paper, especially in something that has been specifically given that purpose. I suppose it's kind of like having to wear a tie to work, or a uniform to school. It provides the right mentality sometimes. Of course, sometimes I stare at a blank piece of paper for awhile. It's really annoying when I feel like I have to use a specific pen, and can't find it. Superstitious, you ask? No, not really. It's not something I always have to do. But, there are times when I feel it is necessary. I was actually thinking about recording the gig at Borders this Saturday; specifically, recording the new songs I perform. If I like what I hear when I listen back, it will save me considerable time and effort normally spent locked away in my bedroom sweating each and every note when I finally do get to the point where I'm ready to put these songs down on tape. Of course, I'm not sure I want to drag my four-track recorder down there. We shall see. I need to go see The Patriot and Chicken Run. Guess that's about it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net Secondary email: FatCatTodd@aol.com Who is Mojo, and why does he kill roaches? And why does Ajax fear them? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 06/28/00 Well, I'm moved into my new apartment. It's a damn mess, but I'm in. I have a minor ant problem, but I'm in. My living room is nothing but boxes, but I'm in. I can't get faster than a 26400 Internet connection with my 56k modem because of old and/or crappy phone lines, but I'm in. Thanks to my woman, my bedroom looks good though. Priorities, you know. Next gig is this Saturday at The Willow House. Info in the usual place; gigs page. There's a link in the column on your left. Musically, I find myself wanting to expand what I do, and specifically, what I write. I have no particular desire to explore past what most would call blues, but I've been listening to a lot of Guy Davis lately, and I find myself being drawn to things of that style. I need to do something besides play slide on 90% of my songs. Don't get me wrong; I suspect I'll always feel most at home with a brass or glass tube on my ring finger and a guitar tuned to G or E flat. But, I want more. Sure, I have a few songs that don't fall into the standard blues genre. There's nothing wrong with that. But I need to become more versatile in terms of what I play and song structure within a blues framework. I play acoustic music, and blues in particular, for a number of reasons. Chief among them is the fact that acoustic blues has the deepest effect on me. I am regularly moved when performing in front of an audience, and sometimes I even hit that groove when practicing. I've thought many times that my life would probably be easier if my passion was something a bit more practical...like accounting, or sales. Things that are in more demand in terms of job skills. But, what the hell...I never knew a bookkeeper that could play worth a damn. ;-) Anyway, my point is this: It's not that I'm bored with what I'm doing. It's more like I feel I've reached a certain plateau, and it's time to start the climb to the next one. I'm sure many of you reading this understand exactly what I mean. Guess that's it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net Secondary email: FatCatTodd@aol.com Who is Mojo, and why does he keep attacking my toes? And why does Ajax look like a pear? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6/20/00 I'll be moving into my new place this weekend, specifically on Sunday. Next gig is on Saturday at the Duck & Decanter. More info is you know where. It appears that I will be sitting in periodically with Ronn Thomas of Tonopah Exit. The first time is this Monday at the Peoria Library. I'll keep you posted on future dates. In the meantime, take a look at his web site: http://www.TonopahExit.com I've been fighting some kind of bug for a week or two now. Nothing serious, but I have a nagging cough, a bit of a sore throat, and I'm tired most of the time. Between that and just a wave of laziness, I haven't been practicing new material as often as I think I should. Hopefully that will swing the other way beginning tomorrow night. Why is it that winning a Championship in a major sport somehow translates into a riot? Last night after the Lakers won the NBA Finals, the violence started virtually immediately. Similar things have happened recently in Detroit, Miami, and Denver...to name just a few. Victory = torching the city. Great f'ing logic. People can be SO stupid. Finally, I now have an AOL email address. I've had a couple of friends there tell me they can't email me at my normal address, so I got back on AOL. I'll use it as a secondary email. FatCatTodd@aol.com Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net Who is Mojo? And why does he pick on Ajax so much? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6/12/00 Last Saturday's gig at Borders in Mesa went splendidly. I made more on tips and CD sales than at any other gig in my considerable history, and to be frank, I'm really not sure why. I don't think I sounded any better than I normally do. I guess the right people just happened to be in attendance. I'm certainly not complaining; I wish all my gigs went came off as well. The really odd thing to me is that I didn't think people were paying all that much attention for the first 45 minutes or so -- then I played Sundance Blues, and the room came unglued. I had been getting very quiet, polite applause (if at all) to that point. For the rest of the night, I got enthusiastic responses from most of the crowd. I sold a total of 6 CDs during the course of my 2 hour set. Two were bought after my 2nd or 3rd song by a gentleman who was shopping and happened to love blues, and the rest went after I finished up. I even had a college student ask me to sign one of my flyers so who could use me as one of his required concerts for a music appreciation class. My pickup had developed a real bad shake, and as it turns out, it was just a bad tire. I replaced it, and it drives as smoothly as ever. I was afraid of some major repair with a big price tag. I got a raise at my day job. It wasn't quite as much as I asked for, but it is more that I was told I would be making after a year when I was hired. My love life is fantastic. Man, what the hell is going on? Life is pretty damn good for a change. Should fire fall from the sky tonight, I'll consider this good luck of mine as one of the Signs of the Apocalypse. ;-) I guess you just never know when life will become just a bit sweeter for at least a moment. Of course, fate can be an evil bitch of a mistress. It could all swing the other way and get blown up tomorrow. I don't sing blues out of choice, you know. Still, I'll enjoy the good while it lasts. Guess that's it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. Who is Mojo? fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6/5/00 Well, I'm on my last day of vacation from my day job. It was a nice week off. I went back home to Calexico and visited friends and family, and introduced them to my new girlfriend. Everyone seemed to like her, though she was pretty much bored stiff listening to me prattle on with my buddies. Can't say I blame her. We found a new place to live today. It's a big 1 bedroom apartment near 7th Ave and Camelback with a small fenced backyard. I was hoping to find the right house to rent, but this place is in a tiny complex, and the price is right. I think it will work out rather well. Next gig is on Sat, 6/10, at Borders in Mesa. After that is 6/24 at The Duck and Decanter. Info is on my gigs page. My new songs are coming together nicely. I'm now performing most of them at my gigs, though recording isn't going to happen until I have at least one (preferably two) new microphone(s). That will probably be in late July or August, so hopefully a new CD will be available by the end of September. Of course, I have two CDs available right now. Got FatCat? Guess that's about it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. Who is Mojo? fatcatblues@earthlink.net 5/23/00 Last week's booking at the Encanto Park Coffee House went really well. I ran into someone I hadn't seen in for some time, Ronn Thomas. Turns out he was booked to play the set after me. I don't remember exactly how or why it happened, but we turned our two separate sets into one big one. We jammed together for about an hour, and I think it's fair to say we tore the house down. We'd only met once before, and a year prior at that. We'd never played together. We did a few standards, some of my originals, and some of his. There were times were we were obviously not quite on the same page, but somehow it always came back together during the course of the same song. It was really rather invigorating for me. I haven't played with another musician in I don't know how long, and that's by choice. But, he and I may see about getting some bookings together. Things went that well. I'll keep you posted. Friday's gig at The Willow House was interesting. It started out pretty slow, but I wound up make pretty decent tips, and managed to sell a CD. I even played an extra half hour or so...4 1/2 hours worth of playing, and I had a damn sore throat! Yeesh! I couldn't really hear it in my voice until the last part of the night, but I sure felt it the next day. I'd been fighting a cold for about a week, and still sort of am. However, I don't miss bookings unless I'm seriously ill, and even then, if I can play and sing a bit, I'll still try and make it. Two couples came in just before midnight and wanted me to play some more, and backed it up by tipping well. Worn out or not, sore throat or not, I dutifully played through a few more songs. It wasn't just about the money at that point. I am an entertainer, and I love playing for people who are appreciative. If they express that by dropping cash in my jar, so much the better. Still looking for a new place to live. I'll be taking a vacation from my day job the week after Memorial Day. No big plans; just visiting family and friends back home for 2 or 3 days. I'm looking forward to it. Guess that's about it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5/16/00 Next gig is tomorrow at the Encanto Park Coffee House, and then a new addition on Friday at The Willow House. Info is you know where. Trying to find a new place to lives sucks. I pretty much refuse to live in a huge apartment complex, which puts me in a house or duplex. I have yet to find anything I really like, or can afford, that is in the same general area I'm in now. But I'm not being picky or anything. Something will come along, I suppose. It usually does. Not much else right now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5/10/00 Hey all. My apologies for the late entry. Real life kind of asserted itself, and I just didn't get around to this until now. Next gig is Fri 5/12/00 at Borders in Chandler. Info on my gigs page. I'm hopeful of moving the end of this month. I will also be taking a vacation from work, beginning the day after Memorial Day. No big plans; just possibly moving, and visiting family back in the Imperial Valley. I will probably introduce my sig other to mom & grandad...and friends back home. My voice is sounding pretty damn good right now. Some of the new songs are being difficult. I can't seem to consistently play/sing all of them well yet. That's why it's called PRACTICE. Wrestling is losing some of its appeal to me. There are still plenty of guys I enjoy watching and truly appreciate, but I guess it just ain't the same without Mick. That doesn't mean I want him back! Stay retired, Mick! You've earned it. Guess that's it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5/2/00 Not much going on as I write this. My next gig is on 5/12 at Borders, and then 5/17 at the Encanto Park CoffeeHouse. Info is, oddly enough, on my gigs page. ;-) Right after I talked about needing a new computer last week, it died. I guess it felt put off by public decree that its time had long since come and gone. So, I spent quite a bit of time searching around for a new PC. I wound up getting a great deal off the clearance rack at CompUSA in Chandler. Nothing all that fancy, but it suits my needs, and is a significant step up from what I had. In fact, it will support the software I want for recording purposes. Maybe new material will be available to y'all sooner than I thought. New lyrics are still springing up every once in awhile. I had settled on 13 songs, but that number might increase. Ferrets are cool little animals. I may get one in the near future. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4/24/00 Not much to report today; this will probably be brief. My next gig is Wed, 4/26/00 at The Willow house. Info is on my gigs page; link to the left. I hope to have new material to debut. As of now, it looks like my next CD will have 13 songs. I had hoped to have it all done and available by 6/1/00, but it doesn't look like that will happen. That date is now my target for moving, as I find myself in need of more space. I also have a few normal expenses popping up (car repairs) and I want a few new toys (drum machine, new computer, recording software), so money will be tighter than normal for me for awhile. I've also begun sending out my first two CDs for reviews in order to get myself some publicity. Stay tuned for further developments on that. I intend to have all reviews up, good or bad...course, I reserve the right to change that depending on how badly my ego is damaged. ;-) Car insurance bites ass. If anyone has any ideas on how to break into getting voiceover work, let me know. I've been told many times by all kinds of people that I'd be perfect for it, but I've no idea where to start. Any help would be appreciated. That's about it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4/17/00 Friday's gig at ERAU in Prescott went pretty well. They had planned on setting up a stage and playing outdoors, but weather drove us inside their Commons Building, which is their recreation hall. I got a pretty good response, and sold a couple of CDs. I also succeeded in driving out all but 2 or 3 of the girls in the audience with my traditional male, chest-pounding "all women are evil" schtick. I actually tried to be somewhat diplomatic when talking about a particular song, saying something along the lines of: "I suppose you laides could reverse this and apply it to men. Nah; fuck it. You're all evil." Of course, that drew a big roar of approval from most of the men. Still, one of girls went out of her way to tell me she really enjoyed my set, so I guess I didn't piss all of 'em off. However, the highlight of the evening for me was listening to the act that went on after me. Wendie Colter has a fantastic voice and great songs. My girlfriend was impressed enough to want her CD, and if she hadn't been, I would have bought it for myself. I've since listened to it a couple of times, and I can't for the life of me figure out why she's not absolutely huge yet. I suppose it will just be a matter of time. She has one MP3 file available for download at her web site; give it a look/listen: http://www.wendiecolter.com She also went out of her way to tell me how much she enjoyed my stuff, which was nice to hear. We spent about 20 mins chatting after her set, and actually seemed to hit it off fairly well. I suspect a friendship may be in the works, and that is a rare thing for me. Saturday's gig at One World Bakery went all right. They've taken to setting up their entertainment on their back patio, and now have their own PA system. It sounds damn good, and it was nice playing outside. There's a restaurant close by, and I seemed to pull over a few people from there as they were headed for the parking lot. I didn't sell any CDs, but I made pretty decent tips. Guess that's about it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4/11/00 Brief entry today; I don't have much time at the moment. I have two gigs this weekend; check my gigs page for more info. New songs are still coming along, though they are somewhat on hold in favor of preparing some of the older material for Friday & Saturday night. I'm hopeful of selling a few CDs. I had a damn good practice session this evening. If my recording sessions normally went half as well, I'd be a happy guy. Well, sort of. I broke a string, but once I replaced it, things went very well. And to think, I almost quit after the string broke. I hate doctors, but I seem to have found a good one. No details, but suffice it to say I have stitches on my back, near my left shoulder. Nothing serious; just had something removed (please refrain from emailing me brain and/or male anatomy jokes; thank you). I've never had stitches before, and it's a bit weird. The doc says they'll be in for a couple of weeks. Guess that's about it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4/4/00 Well, WrestleMania 2000 (or XVI if you prefer) was on Sunday, and it was a damn good show. I won't go into massive detail, but the ladder match was INSANE, and for the first time in WrestleMania history a heel left the event as the world title holder. Mick turned in a performance well below his normal level of PPV excellence, and I have a small theory about that. For only the second time in his career, he was billed under his own name. The first time was back when he was just a jobber (someone who lost every match). He wasn't Cactus Jack, Mankind, or even Dude Love, and therefore wasn't in the state of mind he normally psyches himself into for a match. Still, he has now accomplished everything he set out to do in the business. Enjoy your (semi?) retirement, Mick. You've earned it. On the musical front, I have a few new gigs posted and expect to have more in the near future. New material is coming along. I actually somewhat expected to do some recording on Saturday, but the time just didn't seem right. As of this writing, I have 13 songs for my next CD. Some new, some old but never recorded, and one that was on FatCat Too that has been retooled. I thought that would be enough, but it seems I have another idea or two percolating in that brain of mine. So, I'll wait til I'm sure. I don't start the recording process until I know exactly what I'm going to do. I won't record the songs I have, write some new ones, then record those. There really isn't any good reason for this, aside from the fact that I prefer to focus on a single task on a time. The weight is still coming off, slowly but surely. Down another 2 pounds. I suspect I could have taken more off, but I kind of pigged out on Sunday because of WrestleMania. I didn't eat anything that bad, or even that much, considering what I used to do (soda all day, pizza, ice cream, maybe some Double Stuff cookies), but still more than I have been allowing myself. I consider it at least a small victory of will power. I even managed to resist buying my favorite frozen pizza after looking at the nutritional information. Guess that's about it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3/27/00 Kind of an interesting development, music wise. I received an email from a gentleman who works at a college radio station in Prescott, AZ. He had been to my web site, and liked what he heard. He asked for whatever promotional materials I'd be willing to give him, left his home & office number, etc. Turns out he's a huge music buff with a special spot in his heart for acoustic blues. This may lead to not only airplay there, but gigs at the college as well...both concerts, and in a classroom setting. I am intrigued, to say the least. Stay tuned for details as they develop. New music...I was sitting at work, and a line popped into my head. "I've given up smokin' and I ain't gonna drink no more." I stopped what I was doing, thought for a second, and this line followed: "Cause if I don't fly right, my old lady is gonna show me the door." That's one verse; I now have four more. Nothing ground breaking or earth shattering, but good stuff, and I heard the accompanying rhythm in my head from the beginning. Though I haven't even picked up a guitar to try and polish it up (I forgot to email myself a copy of the lyrics, so I went the weekend without them), I know this is going to be a good tune. If played piano, or had a player backing me up, it'd probably be a boogie-woogie -- not to be confused with a John Lee Hooker type boogie, of which I have a new one that still needs lyrics. Understand? Or do you need to go back and read that again? ;-) Things are coming along. My new eating habits have already begun to pay dividends. I've lost four pounds since last Sunday, and have managed to keep from cracking under the demands of my sweet tooth and bingeing out on ice cream or something. I'd never thought I'd say this, but I tried some Dreyer's ice cream that has neither fat nor added sugar. Those who know me understand what a leap this is. I am a self-proclaimed ice cream junkie, and am pretty damn picky about what I buy. The stuff I tried was a vanilla & chocolate swirl, and was actually fairly tasty. I will probably buy it about every other week just to keep that particular monkey off my back. I'm also eating Dreyer's fruit popsicles (current fave: lime) and Shamrock Farms Strawberry Lemonade pops. No fat in any of em, and minimal calories...especially considering what I used to do / eat. Finally, Mick Foley has already come out of retirement, and will be part of a 4 man elimination match at WrestleMania this weekend. I have two distinct feelings about this. Mick went out of his way to get fans to believe that this would not be a standard wrestling "retirement," or an angle. He really was done. It bothers me somewhat to have it turn into a work. Not enough to really matter...after all, we are talking about pro wrestling. Part of its point is the suspension of disbelief, and at times putting one over on the fans. Mick will now get to live out the one dream that has eluded him thus far in his career; he will be in a main event at WrestleMania. How many of us actually accomplish our biggest career goal? Of course, I'm again worried about what he will do to go out in style. Besides, if the plan was to have him be in the main event all along, why not just make that his last match, instead of the whole retirement angle at last month's PPV? Perhaps the reaction from the fans caused a change in plans, but I somehow doubt it. In any case, I will be watching, and hoping that he wins and *really* calls it quits this time...and for god's sake Mick, don't kill yourself. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3/20/00 I went and saw Beyond The Mat on Friday night. It's a documentary on wrestling done by Barry Blaustein, a screenwriter with things like The Nutty Professor (the version with Eddie Murphy) to his credit. Blaustein openly admits to being a lifelong wrestling fan within the first 5 minutes of the film, and the whole thing is done with that approach: one of a fan. The movie focuses largely on three wrestlers: Terry Funk, Mick Foley, and Jake Roberts. Those of you who are close to me know that Foley has been my favorite performer for about the last 3 or 4 years, and that Roberts was THE MAN to me as a teenager. I won't go into a long, in depth review of the film. As much as I enjoyed it, it was significantly darker than I expected...or perhaps hoped for. Jake Roberts has become a junkie, and is pretty much a lost cause - though he still wrestles on the independent circuit. The worst part is that he seems to know it, and during a moment of self-reflection asks, "Ever know a child who said he wanted to be homeless or a drug addict?" I thought I'd go back to see this thing at least once more in the theater, but I don't think I can handle it again just yet. I knew Jake had fallen a long way, but it still hurt to see it. Foley's footage pretty much depicted him as an all-around nice guy and family man who is extremely devoted to his wife and 2 kids. Again, this is something I knew. However, it was very disturbing to watch Mick's family cringe in horror as he took upwards of 12 chair shots to the head at the 1999 Royal Rumble. It was worse still to watch Mick later view their reactions on film, and hear him say, "For the first time, I feel like I'm not a good dad." In hindsight, it was shortly after this that Mick began openly speaking about retirement, and I understand why. If you're a wrestling fan, you must see this movie. If you're not, you might still enjoy how the film portrays these people as just that: people. The injuries they suffer and the toll their career takes on their bodies is very real, and it was really great to see someone treat wrestlers with dignity. On a more deeply personal note, I got on a scale on Sunday and was truly disgusted with my weight for the first time in my life. No, I'm not going tell you how bad the news is. Suffice it to say that I've already taken steps to change my lifestyle; specifically, my eating habits. My goal right now is to get down to 260, and believe me - it will take some doing. Considering it took me 30 years to get to where I am now, that's no surprise. I've never been thin in my life, but I'll be goddamned if I'm going to keep getting fatter, or stay where I am now. Musically speaking, new material has stagnated a bit, though I feel a burst coming on...or at least I think I do. It's hard to tell sometimes. I'm also going to start hustling a bit, in terms of getting booked at new places. I spent most of Saturday visiting family. It wound up being a single day, as opposed to the weekend, but it was still nice spending time with granddad. I also got to see my uncle for the first time in quite awhile, and that was good too. Mom was running the party we attended, so I didn't get much time with her...but this was more about granddad anyway. Guess that's about it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3/12/00 Well, Friday's gig at Borders in Mesa was kind of a mixed bag. I thought my voice sounded particularly good, but I've gotten much better response there before. They weren't as busy as they usually are. But, I did sell two CDs, one of each to the same gentleman, so I made a really good impression on at least one person. He also took the time to chat with me for awhile after I was finished playing. Thanks, Kyle. I hope to see you at future gigs. I had hoped to play at least one new song, but decided against it. I really wasn't sure whether or not I was going to give it a shot right up until I reached the point where it had been pencilled in on my set list. I suppose that in and of itself is reason enough to hold off on debuting something. If you're aren't certain it's ready, it probably isn't. Next time. Hopefully, I'll have at least three new songs to play at my next gig on 3/24/00 at Borders in Chandler. Info is, as usual, on my gigs page. Things between my new girlfriend and I are progressing both quickly and wonderfully. It's been a long time since I felt this happy with someone. She has her own song in the works, and it's one of the ones I hope to play on the 24th. It's pretty much done in terms of writing; it just needs to be rehearsed to the point where I feel comfortable playing it for people. Granddad's birthday is coming up on 3/17, and mom's was on 3/7. I will see them both this coming weekend, though I'll only back home for a single night. Guess that's about it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3/7/00 Well, I guess I'll start with some big news. I now have my first official CD review, and it was actually not a bad one. Some might even call it pretty good. Judge for yourself. Here's a link: http://www.mnblues.com/cdreview/fatcat-ma.html Y'all let me know what you think. Speaking of CDs, things are looking pretty good for me and new material. It will probably be at least 2 months before I actually have anything posted, or available on CD. Some new songs, some older songs that were never recorded, and whatever else rolls around. I have a gig at Borders in Mesa on Friday. Info is posted on my gigs page. The new Bruce Willis film, The Whole Nine Yards, is pretty damn funny. I guess that's about it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2/27/00 By my clock, it is 8:46pm. Today is Sunday, February 27, 2000. I sit here with tears running freely down my face, because I feel as though I have just lost a best friend. Yet I'm actually quite relieved. Mick Foley has just lost a match where his career was on the line. He lost cleanly. There is no chance that it all will be put right tomorrow night on Raw. Even in the topsy-turvy world of professional wrestling, it appears that my favorite wrestler, and a truly good man, will no longer lace up his wrestling boots every week. Good. Yes, I said good. Why? Because I don't need to see him put his body through any more torture in the name of entertaining me or anyone else. Because he has done enough. Because he sometimes has trouble remembering numbers and finding his way home from the airport because of multiple concussions. Because I never, EVER, want to see him take another chair shot to the head. Mick Foley has a beautiful wife and two lovely children at home. Because of the risks he has taken with his body over the years, he has achieved a level of success and wealth that 99% of those who wrestle professionally can only dream of. So, at only age 34, Mick Foley is able to retire from his profession of choice, and can do so saying he lived out his dreams, save one. He never wrestled the Main Event at a WrestleMania. Yes, there is a huge part of me that wanted to see that. But underneath that, there is the lingering fear of what he would do to go out in style in the biggest match of the industry's biggest event. As it is, he again tonight plunged from the top of the Hell in the Cell twice. Once from the side through a ringside table, and once through the top to the ring below. Just like he did at King of the Ring in 1998. Last time, that second fall was what caused his most serious injuries. The difference tonight was that the ring appeared to be rigged somehow in order to soften the blow. I suppose we can all be grateful for that. Mick appeared to walk away without any serious injury. Of course, tomorrow I could find out differently. Right now, it's enough to know that I won't ever have to sit through a match like that again. When he went through the top of the cage, I screamed "N O ! ! !" at the top of my lungs before his body hit the ring. When I saw that it had collapsed around him, I was actually relieved. I interpreted it to mean that WWF management had actually prepared for Mick's daredevil actions. Wait a second. They prepared for a man to fall some 15 feet from the top of a cage. Doesn't that seem wrong somehow? Yes and no. There are those who would tell you (myself included) that Mick would have found a way to perform a stunt he promised as part of the buildup to the event. So, with that in mind, at least someone had the foresight to make such an insane bump easier on his body. But, should they have allowed him to do it at all? This is new age in professional wrestling, folks. The thrills of punches that don't make contact and a mere body slam or two have long since vanished. Because of people like Mick Foley, fans expect to be entertained by people going through multiple tables, rings encircled by barbed wire or fire, people going through plate glass windows, and wrestlers risking their lives performing insane acts like flying off the tops of cages. The WWF is a business, and they have learned to give fans what they want. Wrestlers like Mick have both created and supplied the demand. Leading up to this PPV, I and many other fans were worried what Mick would do as a last hurrah. I suppose we got off easy. I had a very real fear that he would be carried out on a stretcher with multiple injuries, or yes, even dead. It doesn't take much. One bad bump can cause a broken neck, as we've seen before. What if Foley had sailed off the top of the cage and somehow landed worse than he anticipated? I don't like thinking about that, and thank God that I didn't have to find out. Should the WWF have let him do this? I don't think they had much of a choice, short of not letting him wrestle tonight, and that wasn't an option. My tears have now dried, and the replay has started. I will probably watch the whole thing again, and a few more times in the days to come on videotape. A man whom I've had the pleasure of meeting, and who is truly a gentleman and a genuinely nice guy, has hung up his boots. I will miss him horribly, but I am truly happy for Mick. He went out with a sold out crowd chanting his name, and he can spend the rest of his days in comfort. Goodbye, Mick Foley. I love you, my friend. Be well. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2/21/00 Still not a whole lot to talk about this week. Sometime soon I need to get off my FatCat ass and get myself some more bookings. But, when one finds balance in life, one tends to explore it at every available opportunity. In other words, I'm taking just about every opportunity to spend time with my new girlfriend. New songs are coming along slowly but surely. The way my playing and songwriting has progressed from only a couple of years ago is rather amazing to me. Still, I feel I've somewhat stagnated in terms of what I play during a solo. Of course, playing solos without any accompaniment doesn't leave tons of room to stretch out. But, that's what I do, and what I enjoy the most. I watched the WCW PPV last night (SuperBrawl 2000), and it was pretty bad...though I did enjoy the main event. It was a 3-way dance featuring Sid Vicious, Scott Hall, and Jeff Jarrett. Sid retained his title. I'm actually a Sid fan, though sometimes his lack of desire to sell other wrestler's moves gets on my nerves. There are also times when I question his ability to put together an intelligent sentence. However, he remains somewhat of a guilty pleasure. Tank Abbot, however, is truly disgusting. Not only did he actually injure his opponent by accidentally dropping him to the floor from the top rope, he put a knife to the man's throat and threatened to kill him after the match. I suppose that's not too bad considering we once heard a gun go off on Raw, but my real problem is the fact that Abbot's match sucked. Keep crappy wrestling off my TV. Speaking of crappy wrestling, Hulk Hogan, AKA The Orange Goblin, has returned to wrestling. His match with Luger last night was bad, but at least he wasn't getting that big of a crowd response. However, tonight on Monday Nitro, he was getting HUGE pops from the fans in attendance. I guess god hates me. Hogan...STAY OFF MY TV!! Yeah, I know, I don't have to watch, and for a long time, I didn't. Now that I'm once again sampling the product WCW is offering, Hogan returns, with no on air mention of the classless thing he did the last time he was on PPV, before last night. I didn't go to Blues Blast 2000 for a couple of reasons, and I may let my Blues Society membership expire. I'm still considering. Guess that's it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2/13/00 Not much to report this week, aside from something of particular importance. I had a damn fine gig at Borders in Mesa on Friday night, and accompanying me was the new lady in my life. Things between us have only just begun, but I have a sneaking suspicion that this is going to last quite awhile, perhaps even go the distance. Stay tuned. I did not debut any new songs on Friday because I have been...otherwise occupied...during the time I normally set aside for practice and/or writing. Perhaps next month at the next gig...3/11, once again at Borders in Mesa. Blues Blast is a week from today. I'm fairly certain I will not be going, for personal/travel reasons. Seems like a great lineup has been booked; check the Blues Society's web site for more info. Link on my links page. Guess that's about it for now. Hopefully I'll have more to discuss next week. Oh, my site was down for most of Saturday thanks to my ISP. Back up in an hour my ass. Til next week, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2/6/00 I don't have a whole lot to discuss this week; just an item or two. I will be debuting two new songs at Borders in Mesa on Friday. Details on the gig are available, oddly enough, on my gigs page. Four wrestlers moved from WCW to the WWF - Perry Saturn, Dean Malenko, Eddie Guerrero, and Chris Benoit. They all showed up on Raw last Monday, which made for an entertaining show. Guerrero dislocated his elbow on Smackdown, and that was EXTREMELY painful for me to watch. I had the same injury back when I was in the 7th grade, and the only thing I've ever experienced that was more painful was my back injury. But, while it will keep him out of the ring, he will still appear on TV to further story lines. Get well soon, Eddie. I got some new music recently; the most unique of which is Ritchie Blackmore's latest venture. It's called Blackmore's Night, and they have two albums. It is self-described as medieval music, and that's pretty accurate. Blackmore is most famous for being the guitarist for Deep Purple, and then Rainbow, both of which were hard rock bands. This is a total departure. I've always been fond of his playing myself, and hearing him work on mostly acoustic guitars is pretty cool. The woman who sings lead vocal is also his latest squeeze, and I have to admit, I'm not overly fond of her voice. I've gotten used to it, but the first few listens, it got on my nerves. But, the CDs are great for a changeup of my listening habits. I also added to my John Lee Hooker and Buddy Guy collections, and have recently rediscovered my love of Gary Moore. If you don't know who he is, find out. He does have a few blues albums out, but is a fantastic guitarist in any style. Check out his web site here: http://www.gary-moore.com Guess that's about it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/30/00 Well, it's finally happened. The Rams have won a Super Bowl. However, I still have plenty to bitch about. Even when this team is the best, they have the unique distinction of being the worst at something. Their first 5 drives all went inside their opponent's 20 yard line, and they didn't get a touchdown on any one of them. That has never happened before in Super Bowl history. I was really into the game in the first half, but was still getting that same old sinking feeling. It only got worse in the 2nd half as Tennessee got their act together. Eddie George ran all over the field, as did QB Steve McNair. The Ram offense sputtered until their final drive, where they scored the winning TD. But even when they win, they damn near break my heart! They were up 16 - 0 (and should have been up by at least 28 - 0), only to let the Titans tie the game, and come a yard away from doing it again on the final play. Yeah, I know, The Bottom Line is they won. Check the scoreboard. But it's a fluke. Tennessee will be a good team again next year, and may well win it all. I suspect my Rams will be lucky to even make the playoffs. Maybe I am being a bit hard on them, and should just enjoy the moment. But after a decade without a single winning season, I've learned to be pessimistic when it comes to them. Besides, I f'ing hate the owner. Still, I'm a loyal enough fan that I consider them my favorite team, with San Diego running a very close second. Or maybe I'm just freakin' nuts. On a more positive note, I had a damn good gig at Borders in Chandler on Saturday night. I made more in tips than I normally do, the manager made it a point to tell me people were coming up to her all night talking about how good I was, and most of the employees echoed the sentiment. I knew I was on too, especially where my voice was concerned. That was something else the manager mentioned; she said normally, people who are instrumentalists go over better than those who sing. Not so with me. Not bad for a guy who at one point couldn't care a tune if it had handles. But what should I expect? When it's only you and a guitar, your voice had better be good, or you're in for a rather tough evening...and believe me, I've paid my dues where those are concerned. It's much more fun to have the girl working the cash register gush over how much she enjoyed me. Stroke my ego a little more, darlin'. It's taken enough beatings over the years. But I'm STILL not bitter. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net Oh, one more thing. All women are...well, you know. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/23/00 Those of you who couldn't care less about pro wrestling may want to skip ahead a few paragraphs. I have just been witness to one of the most brutal things I have ever seen on American PPV television. Cactus Jack and Triple H just spent upwards of 40 mins beating each other bloody. We all expected Mick Foley to go the extra mile for this match, as he pretty much called his shot. But what about Helmsley's performance? We've watched this guy go from a three-move jobber to one of the hardest workers in this business. He took everything Foley had to give, and still came out on top after applying two Pedigrees, one on thousands of thumbtacks. As I write this, the match has just ended. HHH is bloody all over, including a hideous puncture wound in his leg. I somehow feel a torch has been passed. I will forever be one of Foley's biggest fans, but in my heart of hearts, I don't want to see him take crazy bumps anymore. I would rather know he's at home, happy and healthy, raising his two kids and loving his ex-model of a wife. Write a few more books, get into TV or movies...whatever you want to do, Mick. I know you love wrestling, and I don't think there is anyone in the world with fans who are more loyal than yours. But from the bottom of my heart, I don't need to see you take another chair shot to the head. When Helmsley won his first WWF title, a lot of fans (myself included) didn't believe he was ready for it. Maybe he was, maybe he wasn't. But after the last few months, is there a doubt left in the mind of anyone that not only has he paid his dues, but is now excelling at his role? I've dug him for awhile, but I have newfound respect for him after tonight. Last month, he worked a hell of a brawl after wrenching his knee the same night, and now he's gone the hardcore distance with a man who defined that style of match. Get ready for WrestleMania, people. It's going to be a hell of a buildup and show. The Rams beat the Tampa Bay Bucs to advance to the Super Bowl today, and looked terrible doing it. I really don't think they deserved to win, and if they play with equal skill and enthusiasm a week from today, they are going to get their collective ass handed to them. Tennessee, on the other hand, looked damn good beating Jacksonville, especially in the 2nd half. The Rams and Titans met during the regular season, with St Louis losing 23 - 20. I still expect them to come crashing back down to earth, and they almost managed that today. Musically speaking, I had a couple of good sets over the weekend, especially on Friday at Borders in Mesa. The last time I played there, I didn't think I went over very well. This time was quite the different story. Next weekend is Borders in Chandler. Come out and see me if I can. Sat at One World Bakery was all right, and I came home with chocolate cheesecake. Oh, man. Just a little sinful taste of heaven. Guess that's it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/16/00 Sometimes, even when you're as angry, bitter, and jaded as I am, some small act of kindness makes you feel pretty good. This past Friday I played at The Sport Rock CafÈ in Tempe, and because of a scheduling conflict, there was no soundman there until about 7:45p or so. I was supposed to start at 6:30p. This is a problem, considering one normally uses the house PA when playing there. Well, Jimmy Peyton's Midnite Blues (see my links page) was on after me, and he happened to have is small sound system with him, and was nice enough to set it up and let me use it. So, while things may have gotten started a bit late, at least all the schedule acts got to play. Thanks, Jimmy. I appreciated it. He also told me he enjoyed my set, which sounds damn good coming from someone who's been gigging consistently for about 25 years. Hans Olson (again, see my links page) was on last; he was also there for my set, and made it a point to tell me how much he enjoyed it. So, all in all, it was a pretty damn good night, even if it started out badly. The Rams beat the Vikings today, and will take on Tampa Bay in the NFC Championship next week. Talk about history repeating itself...the last time they went to the Super Bowl (1979 season), the Rams played the Bucs in a downpour. The Rams won that one 9 - 0, and went on to lose to Pittsburgh. I think it's a pretty safe bet that St Louis will score more than 9 points this time...though they were the LA Rams last time around. It was the first time I actually got to see my favorite team play this year, and it was just really surreal. They have been so bad for so long, that it seemed just wrong for them to be this good. I'm still waiting for them to come crashing down to reality; here's hoping it doesn't happen. Brief wrestling quip...Mick Foley is back to using the Cactus Jack character, which means he's kicking the holy crap out of people. Go Mick! Just don't take any insane bumps that will threaten a healthy retirement, ok? I miss my freakin' cat. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/10/00 Next gig is on Friday at The Sport Rock; more info available on my gigs page. Should be a fun night. Myself, Hans Olson, and Midnite Blues all on the same bill. If you dig blues, this is the place to be on Friday. Sometime this week I'll be firing off a few promo packs, and possibly some CDs for review. I'm a bit torn about submitting my current stuff to be critiqued. I'm on the brink of completing enough songs for another CD, at least in terms of having them properly written and arranged. That makes me want to wait until the new stuff is done, because I'm always convinced my new material is better...at least for awhile. However, considering how long it takes me to record (including rehearsing to the point where I feel comfortable laying something down on tape), and then to have CDs reproduced (artwork, design, etc.), we're probably talking about a minimum of three months before I can actually hold a finished product in my hot little hands. Hell, it'll probably be more like six. I have two perfectly good CDs available now. Why not toss them out to the critics? Don't answer that. ;-) I'll keep you posted. Women... Lately I've felt my voice has gotten much better. Go figure...playing out and practicing consistently will do that. If you've heard me, or know me personally, you know how strong (read loud) of a voice I have. I think I've learned to tone it down a bit. Part of my problem is the first time I took any sort of singing lessons, I was instructed to sing balls out all the time. I think it had something to do with the belief that in terms of singing properly, it's done the same way your body works when you shout...at least that's the vague memory I have regarding the instructor's logic. At any rate, it's not like I had trouble with my voice carrying or breathing right. That didn't stop him from encouraging me to use this method. The next person I had also worked on technique, incorporating warm-up exercises, and to a VERY small degree, singing the right note. To this day, I feel like a jackass for ever paying either of them a dime. My main problem with singing back then was that I desperately wanted to be Geddy Lee (bassist and lead singer for Rush). Well, here's a news flash. I don't have a high, squeaky voice. Never have; never will. Once I made this earth-shattering discovery and began trying to find the keys in which I could actually sing, as well as my range, I actually started sounding pretty good. People paid me unsolicited compliments based on my voice alone. Imagine that. To this day, if people seek my advice about where to take voice lessons, I ALWAYS tell them to make sure whomever they choose concentrates on finding their range and the best keys for them. Shit, man. I once had an instructor tell me that I could sing anything I heard in my head. What a crock! I can hear Robert Plant wail all day on my mental CD player; that doesn't mean I can hit the falsetto notes he does/did. But I'm not bitter or anything. ...evil?... Where was I going before that became a rant? Oh, yeah. My still improving voice. In a process that started years ago, I'm still getting more and more comfortable with it. I suppose if I'm ever completely satisfied with it, my playing, or my songwriting, I'll just explode for lack of anything better to do. Have I mentioned lately that I'm my own worst critic? ...you bet. A friend of mine wrote a song entitled "All Women Are Evil" a few years ago. I'm thinking of adopting it, and giving him proper credit of course. It'll take some tweaking. It was done originally as a loud, obnoxious, and beautifully distorted piece of rage, but I'll have to see if I can't pull it off. Hey, Steve...you still read these pages? Feel free to actually write me an email sometime, you fat white Mexican (no racial slurs intended; that was a private, long running joke)! Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1-2-00 I hope y'all had a great New Year's Eve. I stayed home and drank, though I did have some company. I had no desire to be out amidst the potential madness, and that had nothing to do with the dreaded (and obviously overhyped) Y2K. I generally prefer to stay in my own nest on that particular holiday because people can be dangerous idiots when combining booze and the mob mentality. Next gig is an acoustic evening at the Sport Rock in Tempe on Tuesday. Ladies are free, dinners are half priced, and the room will be lit by candlelight. Sounds intimate to me. I debuted four new songs at Monday Night Melodies in Peoria last week, and they all got a good response. They will become part of my set. Today was the last week of the NFL regular season. The Cowboys finally clinched a playoff spot (groan...I hate that team) by beating the Giants, and the Raiders punked the Chiefs out of a spot. The Packers won, but because Dallas won, are done for the year. Man, my buddy Harold said they wouldn't even make the playoffs this year, and I thought he was nuts...and told him so. You da man, Harold. Not much else to talk about right now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12-26-99 I hope you all had a good Christmas. Mine was fairly pleasant, aside from eating at Carrows for dinner. Normally, my grandfather would have cooked, but he is under the weather with whatever flu bug is making the rounds back home. It actually seems to be the same thing I had both last year and the year before, though I certainly hope he doesn't get it as badly. He even got sick, felt better for a few days, and got it back, just like I did. Everyone enjoyed their gifts, including the rhubarb pie I got mom from One World Bakery. The lemon roulade I kept for myself was exquisite. Y'all should treat yourself to something from that place. If I lived closer, I'd be the Grotesquely Obese Cat. I have two more bookings; check the gigs page for info. Looking forward to New Year's Eve? I plan on getting rather hammered. I was practicing a few new songs, and one of them got to me so much on an emotional level, I literally had to stop playing. I couldn't do anymore. This sucker is deep..."woeful" would probably be the best one word description. Anyone else have their cheap bone become more prominent once they were 30 years of age? I find myself planning on being practical with my Xmas money, as opposed to blowing at least some of it on something fun and/or pointless. Hell, even semi-practical didn't seem right. Course, that might have something to do with the fact that my car insurance is due at the end of January. That's it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net Oh, and yes, women are STILL evil. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12/19/99 Well, Friday's gig wasn't what I'd call a rousing success, but it was OK. I played well, and those that were there were enthusiastic. I'll be headed home for the Holiday. I may have not made it home for Thanksgiving, but missing Christmas would be out of the question. Actually, I'll be driving most of day; down to Calexico and back. I'll be heading to mom's which is near Blythe (a little further than halfway home), and we'll be headed to see granddad. Should be a good day. It's been awhile since I had a long drive, and sometimes it clears my head...and gets rid of those voices...all those damn voices... ;-) My next gig is the Monday after Christmas in Peoria; info is on my page. Just in case I haven't mentioned this in awhile, all women are evil. Rams won today, Chargers lost. What's up with Tampa Bay getting their collective hind end handed to them (45 - 0) by the Raiders? The Bucs are supposed to have a strong defense. And some are just plain mean. I will be taking home fresh baked goods from One World Bakery as a surprise, including my mom's favorite pie, rhubarb. Yes, I know it's not in season, but I managed to convince Jean to use frozen fruit just this one time. Rest assured, that is NOT the norm for them...they're just doing me a favor. Think about having em bake something for you, but do it quick! They close at 5p on Christmas Eve, and won't open again til after the New Year. Go check out their site, give them a call, or just stop by. One World Bakery 820 W. Warner Rd, #119 480-786-6548 Chandler, AZ This will probably be my last entry before the 25th, so y'all have a great Holiday. And remember, even on Xmas, the FatCat has the blues... Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12/13/99 There times when I wonder why I do what I do. Why do I bother with music? It's not as though it's proving to be the best thing for me, career wise. What about the emotional satisfaction attained from playing live? Sure; I love being background music that is largely ignored. I've always wanted to be a jukebox. It's been awhile since I had what I consider to be a really good gig; the kind of night where not only am I on, but the audience is really into it as well. It's frustrating. I don't expect every night to be outstanding - that would be ridiculously unrealistic. But when you are your own harshest critic, and refuse to ignore whatever cold, hard reality is reflected back at you when looking in a mirror, doubts begin to set in...again. I've tried to give up music before, only to wind up more miserable without it. If nothing else, I will always play and sing when I need the release it gives me. There have been times when I've gotten so wrapped up and affected by what I do that tears begin to flow, and my insides feel as though they've been tied up in knots. There have also been times when I've questioned the necessity of playing for an audience. But when it comes right down to it, as much as I'm really playing for myself, I love to entertain, and more so than that, move people to the point where they feel a small part of what I do. Even on those nights where I feel ashamed to take the money I was promised for a gig because of poor attendance (that does happen once in awhile, and it hurts me to admit that), I usually get at least one person who takes the time to approach me and say how much he or she enjoyed what I did. Sure, I'd love to play to an arena full of cheering fans. But, as is the case with most things in life, you take what little pleasure and joy you can get when it comes your way. Why do I bother with music? I really don't have much choice. When all the pieces fall in the right place, i.e., when I'm at my best, the audience is feeling it, and everyone knows it, nothing in life gives me greater satisfaction. I mean NOTHING. Love, sex, money, power...nothing. Sure, I have a day job. I'd drop it in less than a second if I had chance to earn the same money with music. Hell, I'd probably drop it for 3/4 of what I make, or even less. I've been asked if I regret not graduating from college with some sort of degree to better prepare myself for an occupation, should music not provide me with a decent living. Well, yes and no. I'd love to make more money. But at what price? The experiences I've had in my lifetime are what make me who I am, and things wouldn't be the same if I was pulling $50 K a year (or more) as an executive or some other professional type. I probably wouldn't have the time to play as much as I'd like, and certainly not for the level of commitment I need. I suppose there is something to be said for suffering for your art, regardless what said art might be. I've tried pursuing education for something besides music, only to come up feeling dead inside, and lacking any motivation whatsoever. I am who I am, and I do what I do, by choice, for better or worse. Besides, even if I gave up music and learned to accept feeling like a soulless automaton (and I'm not saying those who live in the professional world do), the worst part would be "what if." What if I had tried a little harder? What if I had practiced a little more? What if I had explored my soul a little more deeply? And finally, the worst question of all...What if I hadn't given up? I acknowledge the fact that I may simply not be good enough to be able to do this for a living. Believe me, that festers at the back of my mind like an open wound that never heals. However, if I truly believed that, I would find something else to fill the void. Or not. Anyway, this has been a FatCat attempt at therapy via the written word. On a lighter note, the WWF PPV yesterday rocked, complete with bare breasts, and the Rams and Chargers both won. A friend and co-worker of mine met Mick Foley in an airport in Atlanta and was kind enough to get me his autograph. That sucker is getting framed and hung right next to my copy of Mick's book. Thanks, KC. Much appreciated. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12/6/99 Man, sometimes you make a guess on something and couldn't be more wrong. I had a gig at The Willow House on Saturday. Anyone who has seen me there knows I play outside. Now, about 10 months out of the year in Phoenix, that's a good idea, and no problem at all. However, in December, it's a mistake. Before I left my apt, I thought about playing inside instead. I did that once during the rainy season, and didn't like it much at all. There really isn't enough room for me, the 3 guitars I use, my PA equipment, tip jar, and CDs. Plus it feels like I'm competing with the boom box the girls working in the deli have going. Anyway, when I left home It didn't seem all that chilly, so I took a chance and set up outside. Very bad idea. I think that if I play there again within the next month or two, I'll just play inside without a PA and see how it goes. I know one thing; I'm not playing outside again until it warms up. The same can be said for the Duck & Decanter. They have entertainment there from 5p - 8p on Fridays, and 1p - 4p on Saturdays. I do believe I'd choose the Sat afternoon slot until late February or early March. This Friday should prove to be interesting. I have my first Phoenix bar gig. I'll be at the Mill Ave Sport Rock CafÈ (check my gigs page for more info) from 9p - 9:50p, and I'm looking forward to it. They have a great sound system, and I'm really curious to see how well I go over in a bar. You can bet I'll be pumped up, and will sing & play my ass off. This could be a very important step for me. Hell, I'm getting psyched out right now just thinking about it. Some new original songs are coming along nicely. On the non-musical front, the Rams clinched their division on Sunday, and the 49ers lost to the team most believe is the worst in the league, the Cincinnati Bengals. Now then, I absolutely hate the 49er franchise (after all, they've beaten the Rams every game in the 90s until this year), but there was still a part of me that was saddened at how low they have sunk. It seemed absolutely surreal to see highlights where Cincy was just kicking the hell out of them, and don't think for a second that this is a one year slump for San Francisco. This is a team that will have to rebuild from almost nothing, and do it without the front office personnel that took them to 5 Super Bowl wins during the 80s and 90s. As far as players go, Steve Young & Jerry Rice should both retire, and Garrison Hearst may never play ball again because of injuries. Their offensive line has played poorly at best, and their defensive secondary has started something like 7 different DBs this year. Man, when the mighty fall, they fall hard. Guess that's about it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net 11/27/99 Though I'm writing this on Saturday, it probably won't get posted til Monday. I still don't have a phone. A belated happy Thanksgiving to you all. For the first time in perhaps my life, I didn't spend the holiday with family. I had just moved, I had gigs both the Friday and Saturday afterwards, and my mom and I both agreed that my car didn't need the extra wear and tear. So, I spent most of the day with Frogg, who is probably my closest friend, and his woman, and oh yeah...my ex was there for awhile. Not exactly awkward, but not the most comfortable I've ever felt either. All in all, it was an ok day. I even came home with leftovers, and considering my present situation, that's a very good thing. I'm pretty well settled in my new place, though living alone is a bit of an adjustment. I'm actually quite a bit more productive in terms of my music, but I haven't lived without a roommate and/or a woman since I was 19. It has pros and cons. The biggest plus is not dealing with anyone else's BS. The biggest minus is not dealing with anyone. But, I will adjust. Aside from a VERY small circle of close friends and whoever was my significant other, I have always been a loner. This is something to be taken in stride, and turned into an absolute positive. After all, I ain't a bluesman for nothing. Oh, I got lightly screwed on the rent & deposit I left on the first place I thought I was going to live in. She kept $100 more than I thought she was entitled to, but what am I going to do? Take her to small claims court? Forget it. What goes around comes around; I have no doubt someone who does business that way will eventually paint themselves into one hell of a corner. In short, karma can be a bitch. Two new gigs on 12/10 & 12/17...more info to come shortly. Check my gigs page within the next day or two. Finally, remember one thing...be careful what you wish for; you may get it. And on a more personal note, don't be surprised if it gets pissed when you toss it out. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11/15/99 I am not moved yet. Long story short: I found a place that is better suited for me. I'm rather fond of actually having a carpeted floor, as well as a bathroom into which I actually fit. Now the trick is this: I put down a 1/2 month's rent and a $100 security deposit on the place I chose initially...any guesses as to how much of that I actually get back? Stay tuned. I'll let you know if I think I get screwed over. The gig at The Willow House went all right Saturday night. I broke out some new material, including a new instrumental I like quite a bit. There were also a couple of other tunes (covers) I wasn't happy with; that's why I practice. But, when you play from 8pm - midnight, sometimes you try playing newer material that may not quite be ready, if for no other reason than to keep from playing the same songs at the same venue. When I play two hours at One World Bakery, it's easy for me to rotate stuff. Hell, I have over an hour's worth of original material, with more to come before my next date there (11/27/99). Not much else to say right now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11/7/99 Well, this was a big weekend for me. I'll end the suspense. I did not make the finals of the Blues Showdown. I won't lie; I'm not happy about it. I'm not exactly a poor sport, but I HATE losing. I'm not about to do any whining; the bottom line is there were eight acts in my bracket, and three were chosen for the final round a week from today. I wasn't one of them. If anything, I suspect this will serve as more motivation for me. I know how good I am, and I know how good I can be. I know where I want my music to go, and I know how to get there. This is just one more step on a long road I started a decade and a half ago. I've tried to walk different paths, and each time has proven to be an exercise in misery. I'm a bluesman. If I'm not playing music I'm just some jackass who doesn't even have the balls to try and be successful at what he loves to do. I'm not an optimist, nor a pessimist. I'm a realist with a twist. You know the old question about whether a glass is half empty or half full? My answer is this: It depends on how thirsty I am. Right now, I'm pretty damn dry. I will move on, and be the better for my experience. Best of luck to those who made the finals (6 total, 3 from each round), and best wishes to whomever wins this thing and moves on to the Nationals in Memphis. I have a place to live. It's not the studio I discussed in my last entry, but something better in some ways, and not as good in others. It has everything I need, though it may be a touch too small. I'll deal with it. Nice little area too. Mick Foley's autobiography debuted at #3 on the NY Times Best Seller list, and will move up to #2. Not bad for a wrestler. Mick Foley is god. Rams lost last week for the first time, and again this week. I believe they've only played two games against teams with winning records, and lost both. At least they were close games. Last week, a last second field goal that should have sent the game into overtime went wide right, and today was also lost in the final minute...though in a far more ridiculous fashion. Talk about giving it away. Still, I'll take losses like this than the ones I've been used to during the last 10 years. For us Rams fans, being competitive is much more satisfying than getting killed every week. Besides, they're still 5 - 2. Finally, one of the best ever to play in the NFL passed away this week. Mere words cannot give this man a fitting tribute, but I will still type out a few. Walter Payton gained more rushing yards than anyone in history, and was truly one of the classiest human beings on the face of the planet. I have never heard anyone say a bad word about him, and we all know how vindictive the press can be. In a time when spoiled rich athletes rule the NBA, seven time cokeheads play pro baseball, felons who happen to be gifted physically play in the NFL, and a convicted murderer runs amuck in the world of boxing while one of his clients bites off ears, Walter Payton was truly a role model. He is a member of the NFL Hall of Fame, and there is no one more deserving of that honor. What began as a rare liver disease which required a transplant to survive became cancer, and Sweetness moved on to the next world. The pains of human existence will trouble him no more, as he has moved on to a better place. But those of us who are still here will miss him. I'm just one of his many fans; I can't possibly begin to imagine how much his friends and family are hurting right now. Rest In Peace, Walter Payton. I'll see you on the other side some day. That's it for now. I may not get an entry in next week, as I will be moving. I have a gig this Wed, and one on Sat. Check my gigs page for the info. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10/31/99 Happy Halloween. I'm the cranky SOB who won't give out candy, and yes, it's cause I eat it all my damn self! ;-) The big news today is that The FatCat is in the Arizona Blues Society's 9th Annual Blues Showdown. In fact, I'm so damn good, I get to kick the whole thing off! It will be held at The Rhythm Room (1019 E. Indian School Road in Phoenix). The first two rounds are on Sunday 11/7/99, and the finals are on Sunday 11/14/99. Here's the tentative schedule: Round 1 1:30 p.m The FatCat - Todd Lorenz 2:00 p.m. The Root Doctor 2:30 p.m. Crimson Blues Band 3:00 p.m. Lynwood Flyers 3:30 p.m. Shri 4:00 p.m. Pat Jackson Blues Band 4:30 p.m. Top Cats 5:00 p.m. to be announced Round 2 7:00 p.m. Keith Skirvin 7:30 p.m. Nina Curri 8:00 p.m. Gus "Honeyboy" Harless 8:30 p.m. Rhythm Oil 9:00 p.m. Common Ground Blues Band 9:30 p.m. Cold Shott and the Hurricane Horns 10:00 p.m. Soul Rays 10:30 p.m. to be announced Obviously, I'd like as many people as possible there to support me, but you should go just because there are some great people playing. Past winners of this thing include Lisa Otey, Sistah Blue, Big Nick & The Gila Monsters, and The Carvin Jones Band. To be completely honest, it's difficult for a solo acoustic act to compete with full-blown bands, so I don't really expect to win. I am, however, hopeful about making the finals. We shall see. Might this be a stepping stone to future greatness? Could be. On a more personal level, I seem to have found a place to live. It's a converted guesthouse very close to where I am now. I went hunting for apartments yesterday, and came to a very quick conclusion. I don't want to live in a big apartment complex. Initially, I had figured on finding a small utilities-paid place, but I haven't been able to find anything I actually liked. Until today. I will have to pay for utilities myself, but it's in a decent neighborhood, and it's affordable. Actually, thinking about it now, it may be a little to small...but I'll make it work. It's private, so my music and I won't disturb anyone. Guess that's it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10/26/99 Man, I was sitting around being a bum the other day (not a word from you, Harold!), and it occurred to me that I actually have about seven new songs in the works. Two are songs that weren't ready during my last recording sessions, two new instrumentals, one needs lyrics, one is in its beginning stages of development, and the last has been kind of floating around for perhaps 2 years. That last one needs to be reworked in terms of some kind of melody for the chorus, and maybe another finishing touch or two. It's got a catchy groove though. Gee...it's amazing how creative one becomes when there is actually something resembling a reason for it. Writing and recording for its own sake is fine, but I've done that long enough. Now that I'm playing out and getting good feedback, I find myself wanting to really cut back on the number of cover songs I do. Only way to do that is to write more stuff. Besides, even back when I was just a little kitten (hah!) starting out on bass, writing original material was priority #1. Hell, that was really the only reason I started playing guitar. I was going to look at apartments again on Saturday, but that didn't happen. I was able to buy Mick Foley's auto biography on Friday night, and for almost the next 24 hours, I did little else besides read that book. He wrote it himself (by hand - he can't type), and the man obviously has a gift for prose. Yes, it's a look at the life of a pro wrestler, but even more than that it's a look at the life of a man who is successful doing something he loves, and the long road it took to get to the top of his profession. It is often funny; I laughed out loud more times than I could count. It is touching; I teared up more than once. But most of all, it is a fascinating tale told by a man who obviously took joy in its writing. For wrestling fans, this is an absolute must read. For those of you who think wrestlers are a bunch of tanned, steroid using, spandex clad freaks, this will change your mind about at least one of them. Oh, and by the way, calling wrestling "fake" is actually incorrect. The outcomes are predetermined. The pain and injuries those performers endure are both very real. If you have any doubt of that, let me whack you in the head with a steel folding chair, and we'll see how your outlook changes. Besides, when was the last time you watched a boxing match on PPV and didn't feel as though Don King had something to do with the outcome? Tell me boxing isn't fixed. Better yet, tell Lennox Lewis. Anyway, I will be looking, and hopefully finding, an apartment this weekend. Wish me luck. Rams won again. Very cool. They play Tennessee this weekend; we shall see what happens. They got past Frisco, and that was the game that really scared me. Chargers got stomped by the Packers, with a total of six (yes, 6) interceptions being a major reason. That's just horrible. I got some new music over the weekend; Dave Hole's new album (Under The Spell) is great... Corey Harris' new one (Greens From the Garden) doesn't do a thing for me, which is really disappointing. Days of the New's second album (self-titled) seems great, but the damn thing keeps skipping on me! I'll have to exchange it...nothing is more annoying that really getting into a CD, only to have it skip like damn records used to do. Granted, it doesn't happen often. Guess that's it for now...til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10/19/99 This will probably be a fairly quick update; I don't have a whole lot to talk about. The Rams are 5-0, and I'm starting to really get into it. Somebody at work had the nerve to call ME a bandwagon fan. Me. Bandwagon fan. I'm the only person I know who would admit publicly to being a Ram fan. I remember the Super Bowl loss to the Steelers with painful clarity, and Jack Youngblood playing on a broken leg. I remember Joe Namath and Dan Pastorini wearing Rams uniforms. I remember Pat Haden throwing a 47 yard TD pass on his first NFL play from scrimmage. I remember Vince Ferragamo running to Canada for a year or two. I remember Dieter (cough) Brock. I was one of the few people around who actually liked Jim Everett, even after the phantom sack. I may not go as far back as some, but I am 30 years old, and the Rams have been my team for as long as I've watched football, some 23 years. The only favorite player I had as a kid that wasn't a Ram was Earl Campbell, and that's just cause he was simply amazing, and a nice guy to boot. Yes, the 90s have been cruel to me, but for right now, the Rams are the only undefeated team in the NFL. Oh, hell yeah. My next gig isn't until 11/10; I'm hoping to have some new original material in the set by then. My last gig at Borders in Mesa didn't go all that well, especially when you consider I came out to a flat tire after I was finished playing. Thank god for fix a flat in a can, and friends who will go get it for you because you were too stupid to replace the last one you used. My buddy Harold back home got the job he was gunning for, and it's perfect for him. You go, fatboy! Mick Foley is still god, and his autobiography comes on Wed. You better believe I will have it as soon as I possibly can. The Hardys (the wrestlers) rock. No Hogan on my TV on Monday night. That is a good thing. Apparently, he may be on his way out of WCW...though no one is really sure as to whether or not it's all a big work. I know what I'd prefer. Jake Roberts drunk at a PPV...it hurt me to watch that. I'm thinking about playing in bars again...any feedback on the idea is welcome. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10/11/99 30 years old, and mate-less once again. We have broken up for the third and final time. I will not air my dirty laundry in public (well, at least not this particular batch), but The FatCat is once again on the prowl, so to speak. Sympathy is neither expected nor required; life is what it is, and broken relationships are a part of it. We probably progressed to quickly, but I don't take backwards steps in order to move ahead. She will keep the cat, Jr. She adopted him; he is hers. Therefore, he will no longer have space within my pages. He will remain on the cover of my second CD, FatCat Too, simply because it's a cool cover and I don't wanna change it. My next gig is at The Willow House on Wednesday. Check my gigs page for more info. The Rams STOMPED the 49ers, and it felt damn good. Now I start to believe, and now football begins to matter a little more. Of course, I couldn't watch the game because my area's morning game was Dallas at Philadelphia. Yuck! To make matters worse, just about every time the Rams scored, they broke away from the game for an update and showed the TD. Yeah, right, fine...it was ok seeing the scores before the highlights on NFL Prime Time, but I was pretty pissed at having to watch a crappy game while my Rams were breaking a losing streak that has been around for the entire decade. And, the Rams are the only undefeated team left in the NFL. Here's hoping they at least make the playoffs. Two new instrumentals in the works, and two songs with vocals...one of which has needed words for almost two years. Good groove though. Guess that's about it for now; til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10/2/99 Man, it feels like things are starting to happen for me. I've made it my goal to sell at least one CD per gig, and that has happened everywhere except for The Willow House. Interesting crowd gathers at that place. Everything from teenage slackers & punkers to gray haired bikers. In fairness to myself, I didn't really try and sell a CD there last night. I only have one of each left, and I really was torn between trying to sell them and holding on to them on principal. I ordered some more, and hoped to have them on Friday via next day air, but it didn't happen. So, I did casually mention the fact that I have CDs for sale...once, and let it go. Man, sometimes knowing what's right and following your gut instinct do NOT go hand in hand. It's kind of like this: if I never got my shipment of CDs, and for some inexplicable reason could never order more, I still have one each of the CDs I've recorded and sold. That means nothing to anyone but me, but it is rather cool to hold up a disc with your music on it for which people have actually laid down their hard-earned money. Yeah, I have an ego...I'm an entertainer; go figure. Not only am I selling CDs at gigs; it's happening over at MP3.com. It's not like anyone in Billboard's top 200 has anything to fear from me, but people I've never met living in states I've never been to have purchased my music. People who have no idea who I am are being impressed enough by what they hear in my music to lay out cash for it. That's just cool, and extremely gratifying. As I write this, I also have two #1 songs. FatCat Howl is #1 in MP3.com's Acoustic Blues genre, and Kentucky Woman is #1 in the Country Blues genre. Also in Acoustic Blues, I Need A Woman is #2 and Life Ain't Easy is #6. I Carry On is #11 in Acoustic Rock It has been in the top 10, and looks to be moving in that direction once again. That means people are downloading those songs a whole lot. Granted, I'm not seeing any cash from free downloads, but right now I'm just trying to get noticed in about any way I can. My hope, at least in terms of selling CDs online, is that people will enjoy the music enough that they will want to buy them. It's working so far. On a non-related musical front, the St Louis Rams are 3-0, and are just kicking the hell out of their opponents. Something is horribly, horribly wrong in the universe. I must admit, I am torn about the success of what was my favorite football team for many years. First off, they are probably not my favorite team anymore. Well...at the very least, they share that spot with the San Diego Chargers. Second, this is happening at a time in my life where I just don't enjoy football the way I did only 2 years ago. Hell, I'm writing this at 1:15pm. I have a game on, but I'm not paying that much attention to it. Other things in my life have acquired more importance. My relationship, my music, and I simply don't enjoy watching it as much as I used to. Why not? I'm really not sure. I still get fired up watching a good game, and will go out of my way to watch highlights Sunday night, but gone are the days of setting my alarm to make sure I woke up for the pre-game show on ESPN, and then just not moving until the night game was over at about 8:15pm. I suppose that's really a good thing. I could go on with my ramblings about the Rams, but the bottom line is this: a decade of losing is AWFULLY F*ING HARD to get over. They may be setting the world on fire right now, but is was only 3 or 4 years ago that they started out 4-0, and still wound up with more losses than wins. If they make the playoffs, I may break out my Rams shirts and banners. We'll see. I guess that's it for now. I'm starting to get the itch for new music, but it will be awhile before I have enough material for a 3rd CD. Right now most of my time, musically speaking, is spent woodshedding the songs I play live. Last night that meant having 4 (four!!!!) hours of material. I only fell about 10 minutes short. And I was one tired FatCat! Oh, I almost forgot...I got Big Nasty back from the shop, and it is sounding MUCH better. For all your guitar repair needs, go see: Billy O'Reilly B& D Guitar Repair at M.E.E. Music 2434 E Thomas Rd Phoenix, AZ 85016 602-955-3750 Tell him the FatCat sent you. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9/27/99 Well, the two gigs at Duck & Decanter and One World Bakery went pretty well. I sold a CD each night, and had people come to say how much they enjoyed me. And when 3 teenagers who seemingly have no real interest in blues spend 10 minutes extolling your virtues (and saying you rock), you know you're doing something right. It's always appreciated when people take the time to let me know they like what they hear, and even more so if they lay down their hard-earned money and buy some FatCat music. Very cool. Both One World Bakery and Duck & Decanter re-booked me. Check my gigs page for more info. Remember when I mentioned Rolling Stone had something like MP3.com going on their website? Well, I'm now set up in their space. You can take a look at: http://www.rollingstone.com Go to the MP3 area, and do a search for The FatCat. Oh, I suppose you could check out some of the other music offered...but why? ;-) I'm having one of my guitars, Big Nasty (a Silvertone hollow body) worked on by the same guy who did the setup on my new resonator guitar. I really think he's a great guy, and if I like the work he does on the second guitar I gave him as much as I did the first, he will become the only person I trust with my guitars. Stay tuned. Oh, and the Rams STOMPED the Falcons. Something is very wrong with the world. Both of last year's Super Bowl teams are 0-3, and my Rams are 2-0. I'm waiting for the sky to split and fire to rain down. Guess that's about it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 09/20/99 My gig at the Willow House last Wednesday went all right; it could have been better, but it certainly could have been much worse. When artists play there, they have the option of playing inside or out. I was planning on the latter, but the storm clouds on that particular night looked rather ominous, and I wasn't taking any risks when it came to my new guitar and PA system. I prefer my electronic (and acoustic) equipment dry, thank you very much. I made the right decision. When I left, it was pretty wet outside, and still raining on and off. I have three new bookings; check out my gigs page for more info. Another wild weekend in the NFL, though not as nuts as week one. The goal of former commissioner Pete Rozelle was to have parity throughout the league. I'd say he's got his wish. There really is no dominant team right now. There are a handful at the top, and a few at the bottom, but the bulk of the league is right in the middle. Sure, that's the definition of average, but take a look at NFL history. More often than not, dynasties have been the order of things. No matter what you may read in terms of predictions, no one really can tell you with any degree of certainty who will be in the Super Bowl this year. Last year, Denver was a pretty good lock, but the Falcons? Now both of those teams have started the year 0 - 2, and the Barry Sanders-less Detroit Lions are 2 - 0 . Go figure. Oh, and my Rams didn't lose. Course, just like my Chargers last week, they didn't play. Watch out for the Colts this year. Peyton Manning is for real. Rolling Stone's website seems to have a thing very much like MP3.com going. I've uploaded quite a bit of stuff, and I'll let y'all know when it's ready to go. Thanks to my fellow fat guy Harold for the info. My lady is going out of town Wed and will be back Sun. She's visiting family in Massachusetts. Well, at least I have two gigs to keep me occupied. Come out and see me; I will probably need cheering up. Then again, when don't I? ;-) Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9/12/99 Well, it's official. I had my first paying gig here in Phoenix on Friday night, and it went pretty well. I was personally a little disappointed with my playing, at least during my first set. I thought I was better for the second one. I also sold a CD, and seemed to go over rather well. At least one person made his intention of coming to see me at the Willow House on Wed clear; we'll see if he shows up. If I were a betting man, I'd make a small wager that he'll show. It was kind of a unique experience playing at Borders. I've been background music before, but never in a bookstore/cafÈ. Interesting. I could be heard pretty much all over the store, and people would wander over and listen for awhile before leaving. Some of the employees were impressed enough to encourage me to see about selling CDs on consignment there. We'll see. The person who booked me wasn't there (she went on vacation the day before), and she's the one who makes the decisions about that sort of thing. It would definitely be cool. Opening day for the NFL and there was no shortage of exciting games. I won't go into a long rehash here, but my poor pathetic Rams actually won, as did the Cardinals (who did so in dramatic fashion). I wasn't glued to the TV all day, but I did enjoy it when I watched. WCW began the post Bischoff era on PPV today. Eric Bischoff was removed from his position of Executive Vice President late this week, and if you ask me, it has already had an effect on the matches. I think the wrestlers were working harder than normal, and I thought it was a good, solid show. I don't know how the planned finishes of the matches were changed after the departure of easy E, but every member of the so-called Revolution lost cleanly. I wouldn't have guessed that, regardless of who was booking the matches. The most interesting part of the night came at the end when perennial fan favorite Sting performed an apparent heel turn. He beat Hulk Hogan (STAY OFF MY TV YOU ORANGE SKINNED FREAK!) by knocking him out with a baseball bat. I loved it. To the best of my knowledge, Sting has never been a heel during his tenure with WCW, and anytime Hogan (STOP MAKING REALLY BAD MOVIES!) gets his clock cleaned I'm a happy guy. For the record, I don't hate the Hulkster (AND YOUR LEGDROP OF DOOM STILL STINKS); I just believe he is way past his prime, and really needs to retire. Remember the guitar I had worked on a few entries ago? I'm thrilled with the work that was done. The gentleman's name is Richard Beck, and you can visit his web site at: http://www.richbeckguitars.com He gets a very solid FatCat recommendation. Finally, I have a new guitar. I'll try to tell the story as briefly as I can. I recently bought a PA system, though one of the speakers had to be ordered, and was not yet in the day of my first gig. So the store (M.E.E. Music, 24th & Thomas in Phoenix) loaned me a couple of speakers. During one of my 3 or 4 trips to the store to price and buy the PA, I saw a dobro type guitar (resonator) that kind of caught my eye. I didn't really need a guitar, and it was priced at $399, so I didn't really give it much thought. More out of curiosity than anything else, I picked it up and played it on Friday. It had a pretty sweet sound, but I didn't have a slide with me. I was kept from experiencing that for which the instrument was designed. On Saturday I returned the borrowed speakers, and the store was having a clearance sale. I already knew about it, and had scanned the list of merchandise. I noticed nothing I had to have, so I felt safe going in. I had told my lady about the guitar I liked, and just wanted to show it to her. Mistake. Unbeknownst to me, it was part of the sale...and was marked down to $269. Lynne told me I had to try it, and if it played well, passing it up at that price was not an option. I obviously didn't have the money; I had just bought a PA. She said she'd cover it for now. I borrowed a slide from behind the counter, tuned the guitar to an open G, and started to play. Right after I made the first chord change, I heard my lady say: "I'm writing a check." That pretty much settled it for all intents and purposes, but I kept playing for a bit to confirm the sound and the fact that the guitar was not just talking, but SCREAMING at me. I played for probably less than a minute, but that was all it took. When I stopped playing and looked around, I noticed that a small crowd had gathered. There were two other guitar players trying out instruments, and they had both stopped what they were doing. Three different people came up to me and told me they enjoyed my playing. I suppose there was no way I was leaving the store without the guitar. The final part of this little story is that as Lynne was writing the check, she stopped to announce to me (and the store) that this would be both a belated birthday and an early anniversary present for me. Yes, I was moved and touched. Oh, I also got a new slide and a few picks. Thank you so much, honey. I love you more than you could possibly know. Til next time, keep on howlin. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9/6/99 I hope you all had a good Labor Day weekend. I went back to CA and visited friends & family. It was a pretty long drive, but worth it. My first paying gig in Phoenix is this Friday at Border's in Chandler. Check my gigs page for more info. The ball is starting to roll now. I'm booked on 9/10, 9/15, 9/24, 9/25, and 10/13. Considering a couple of months ago I didn't have a single paying gig, that's not bad. Obviously, playing out enough to quit my day job would be ideal, but that's not even a consideration yet. Someday. I've turned my practice routine up a couple of notches, and it will stay that way for awhile. I need a minimum of 3 solid hours of material. I really have more than that, but the core of it certainly needs some woodshedding before I really feel comfortable with it. Of course, I'm rarely satisfied, so it could be that I'd be saying the same thing after a few months of solid rehearsal. We shall see. It was kind of weird not having NFL football on Labor Day weekend. I'm not anywhere near as jacked as I used to be for week 1 of NFL action, but I still felt myself jones-ing a bit for it. Old habits die hard. Independent contractors who don't keep their word suck. Calling on Monday to reschedule a Friday appt also sucks. Man, I thought I was bitter about having to pay about $1.40 per gallon for premium gas here in Phoenix. Back in my hometown of Calexico CA, it currently costs $1.65 for regular unleaded. Premium is $1.85 per gallon back there. Almost two bucks per gallon. Damn, man. I'm only 30 years old, and I remember before the $1.00 barrier was broken, and what a stink it caused when it finally happened. Frigging oil companies...I suppose there's no collusion going on, right? No suppression of technology to make fossil fuels obsolete either. I want my efficient solar powered vehicle, and I want it now. Ok, that may be the last time the FatCat goes environmental upside your head. Now then, where did I leave my aerosol cans, fur coats, and garbage bag full of aluminum and paper products that I have no intention of recycling? And by the way, The Blair Witch Project STILL sucked. Brilliant promotional campaign. Crappy movie. On a final note, apparently Barry Sanders is bent about the Detroit Lions wanting back some of the signing bonus he accepted last year. Ummm...Barry...you quit...errrr...RETIRED...after a single year on a multi year deal. Of course they want some of it back. In my opinion, you may as well have stolen the money. Don't get me wrong; Sanders is one of the greatest players of all time, and is generally a class guy. However, he is wrong on this one. Give back the money, or come out of your RETIREMENT. Until next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8/26/99 Kind of a quick update because I have a few things, one of which is pretty important, to say. I got my guitar back from the repair shop today, and I'm pretty pleased with the results. I'm going to give it a few days, and if I find no problems, I'll let you know who did the work. My lady & I went to see The Sixth Sense last night. I can't say much without spoiling it, but suffice it to say the ending is COMPLETELY unexpected, yet absolutely works. Great film, and Bruce Willis gives a great performance. The kid who is the co-star is just as good, but I don't know his name off hand, and I don't feel like searching for it. :-P And finally, the time is here, and the time is now. There are two FatCat CDs available for purchase from the fine folks at MP3.com. Even My Shoes Got The Blues... FatCat Too... Now, the only way to buy these things online is through the use of a credit card. The cost is $6.99 per CD, plus shipping and handling. Or, you can buy them from me at gigs for $10.00 each (I have to cover the cost of shipping and handing). Either way, you get great CDs that when played on your PC also give you a multimedia presentation including a picture of yours truly, a bio, and lyrics to each and every song. Of course, they also work on any normal CD player. So, be the first person you know to own the first CDs released by the FatCat! You can also browse around MP3.com; there's lots of stuff to look at. Very cool site. Without a word on my own web site, I've gotten into the top 5 songs in the Acoustic Blues genre. Not bad for a fat white boy, eh? So, what are you waiting for? Go get yourself some great music! Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8/22/99 I have another gig. It will be on 9/25/99 at one world bakery in Chandler from 8p - 10p. I visited the place last weekend, and absolutely loved it. The food, atmosphere, owners...everything is fantastic. However, they generally book people who come down to their open mic nights. If you ask me, that has pros and cons, but whatever works for you. I went down last Friday, and upon completing my mini set, was booked into the first open slot available. My gigs page has been updated, as has my links page. If you are anywhere near Chandler AZ, or plan on visiting the greater Phoenix area in the future, you should absolutely make it a priority to visit this place. You'll wish there was one in your town. Hell, I wished I lived closer. Course...if I did...I'd graduate from being the FatCat to the Obese Pastry Eating Feline. The time of FatCat -- The CD is drawing near. Actually, it will be not one album...but two. The tracks have been selected and the artwork done. This is being done through a web site, so I'm waiting to receive my copies of the CDs in the mail to make sure everything is perfect. Once I do, y'all will be the first to know. Hopefully, it will be in next week's entry. Stay tuned. I'm having some work done on one of my guitars. It will hopefully be done by this time next week, and I'm sure you'll either hear me sing the praises of this guy or rake him over the coals. Pray for the former. Sheesh...big weekend coming up I guess. The CDs, guitar work, and I'll be buying a little PA system for my gigs. Once again, stay tuned. And finally, SummerSlam 99 was on pay per view tonight, and I really enjoyed the show. Good effort by the WWF, and Mick Foley is once again the Champion. 3rd time for him, and it got quite loud in my home when he pinned Stone Cold Steve Austin. Foley rules! Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8/15/99 Well, it appears that the MP3 thing may finally come to fruition, with many thanks to my best friend Frogg. Basically, he found a simple way to make the files out of the original wavs, and burned them onto a CD for me. Having good friends with cool equipment rocks. I'm in the process of uploading files as I write this. If all goes well, I will have a CD available for online order in the near future. Technology is great when it's not making your life a living hell. I went and checked out a place called One World Bakery in Chandler, and I'm here to tell you the pastries/deserts are absolutely the best I've ever had. Their cookies are right up there with my grandmother's (there is no higher compliment), and the overall atmosphere is wonderful. They also serve sandwiches, various gourmet coffees, italian sodas, and many other things. They have live music, and I'm going to amble down on Friday for their open mic night. I expect that yours truly will be booked in the near future. Two more gigs added, both at the Willow House. Check my gigs page. Football season is upon us (preseason anyway), and I'm just not as excited as I used to be. As recently as two years ago, there were few things I had more fun doing than parking my rather large ass in front of my TV starting at about 9am Sunday morning, and not moving until the last game was over, which would usually be about 9pm. Food and bathroom breaks would be the only exception. I just can't see myself doing that anymore. I guess I just have bigger priorities in my life right now. Hey, I still love the NFL, but it's hard to get jazzed up when you're a lifelong Rams and Chargers fan. Both teams pretty much suck right about now, and the Rams haven't had a decent season since...oh...1989. I never, EVER, need to see Hulkamania running wild on my TV again. And lastly, I have a brand new pair of blue suede shoes. Dig this: Lynne had a credit at Just For Feet, so we've been going in periodically to see if they have either A) new shades of blue Chucks (Converse Chuck Taylor tennis shoes), or B) existing blues I don't have in my size. For the record, there are now at least 3 colors of Chucks I simply cannot find in a size 13 (low or high top)...Lilac Blue, Zig Zag, and a new one, Huckleberry Blue. Yes, I'm a blue shoe whore...so what? We also hit up the local Converse factory outlet store on a regular basis for the same purpose. Hell, most of the employees know me by name. Anyway, I digress. We go to Just For Feet with Lynne's credit slip. We spy 2 colors I don't have, Lilac & Huckleberry, and flag someone down for help. Lynne then spots something new: Navy Blue Suede high tops. Pretty cool looking, though she likes them more than I do. We add those to the list for the shoe guy to find in my size. The guy comes out with three boxes, and I freak! No way! All of them in my size?? Turns out the only thirteens were the Navy Blue Suedes, and he brought out the others in size 12 just it case. That don't work. I figure Converse cuts off at size 12 in the bright, and therefore feminine, colors. Don't ask me why. I'd have at least 7 pairs right now, and probably more like 10 if I could get them in my size. So, I have yet another pair of blue shoes, and apparently feel some need to discuss it here. Hey, it's cheaper than therapy. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8/8/99 Tomorrow, I will be 30 years old. Aging doesn't bother me much. It's how little I have really accomplished that will get to me if I let it. Hell, when I was in high school, I figured I'd be rich and famous by now. Then again, who didn't? Don't get me wrong...I realize how good I have it compared to the less fortunate in the world, and I probably have quite a bit of time left on this earth to get to where I should be. I'm not much of one to look back and wonder how things would be now had I made different choices in the past. The way I see it, I am the sum of my experiences, and I generally like myself quite a bit. Therefore, why change a thing? Well, I could have done without that year in West Virginia, but that's a rather long story. No offense to those of you who live in that state, but this desert cat NEVER intends to live where it snows consistently again. Y'all can keep that stuff. Maybe I'm being insensitive, and maybe I just don't get it, but would someone please explain to me how people die in their own homes during a heat wave? I'm not talking about those who for whatever reason are bedridden and/or can't move. But please people...if it's that frigging hot outside, and you don't have an air conditioner, go where there IS one. Malls, movies, friends/and or relatives' homes, whatever. Take a few cold showers. Mix in some ice water or something. Not much else to say right now. I have made a few revisions; Jr has more pictures up on his , and I have a pictures page of my own up now. Check em out. Oh, I do have one last thought. I am having SEVERE problems trying to create MP3 files from my CD. I just bought AudioCatalyst 2.0 Workshop, and it has done little besides piss me off. At some point I'm going to try it on Frogg's (my best friend) computer, and if that don't work, I will make some noise at the company itself via whatever support they provide on their website. After that, if I meet with as little success with this whole process as I have so far, I will scrap the whole idea. I'll keep y'all posted. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8/4/99 Ok...I spent last weekend taking pictures, getting them developed in an hour, scanning them (new scanner), upgrading the RAM on our computer, and matching pictures to different songs for that MP3 site I've talked about before. That's where I intend to sell CDs. I figured once I actually had a CD to make the MP3s off of, that process would be a snap. W R O N G . I can't find any damn free, downloadable software that will make MP3s in the format the site requires. So, I guess I'm going to have to drag my rather ample hindquarters down to a store this weekend and actually pay (cough cough, hack) for some software. Damn capitalism. Anyway, you should notice new pictures on almost every one of my pages, and I may wind up devoting a page entirely to pictures taken of me, and pictures taken by me. Lynne and I took this latest batch out at Papago Park here in Phoenix, I think we may have just developed a new hobby. We really got some cool pictures, not all of which are up yet. There is some really beautiful scenery out here, and it only gets better when yours truly is photographed with it. ;-) I also snapped a couple of pics without me, and one of them turned out looking like a postcard. Great stuff. The gig at Glendale library on Wed went pretty well. I was fabulous as usual (stop laughing), and the intimately sized crowd (that means less than 20 people) really seemed to enjoy me. We have finally started making an effort at getting into some paying gigs out here, starting with some of the coffee houses in the area. I expect to have more bookings in the coming weeks. I need to get something off my chest, and it may become something of a personal vendetta. My best friend's woman who just moved out here from San Diego recently got a job working at the Castle Boutique corporate office. Castle Boutique is an upscale adult toy store chain, with locations in several states. They are rather pricey, but are also the cleanest ones I've ever been in. The job paid well, so my friend was pretty happy. That is, she was until she actually started work. The man who owns the whole thing is roughly 60 years old, and is gay. I have no problems with that. The FatCat doesn't discriminate on the basis of age, sexual orientation, or any other damn thing. But, the guy also happens to be one of the biggest f***ing a-holes on the face of the planet. What else do you say about someone who has a new employee in tears after the first day's work? He berated her, and really made her feel worthless. But, she's a strong woman, and decided to tough it out for at least a few weeks while she continued to look for something else. Remember, she just moved. She also decided, however, that wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of breaking her down again. So, after little more than a week, he fired her. Now, I really don't have a problem with that. Technically, he didn't even need a reason to let her go, and he really didn't have much of one. She is a fine woman, intelligent and hard working. But even if she was complete joke of an employee, there was no call for what happened. First off, he actually let her go himself. No big surprise, or really much of an issue. However, while she was cleaning out her desk, he happened to come out from under his rock (out of his office), and said, "What the f**k are you still doing here?" She answered that she was gathering her personal belongings. He cussed her out again, and told her to get out. He then physically forced her out of a chair, and damn near literally knocked her to the ground. She reached for a phone to dial 911. She was honestly quite scared, as you can imagine. He knocked her hand away. I don't know any more about what happened; I was, and still am, too pissed off to listen. From what I understand, he didn't physically hurt her. You can NOT treat people like that. She has filed charges with the local PD. Granted, it will be his word against hers, and he has numerous lawyers on retainer. He apparently conducts business by never paying bills, so he needs them. But that doesn't make it right. I'm the first one who will say that life itself isn't fair, but what she went through with this jerk off is just WRONG. So, I will obviously never shop at a Castle Boutique again, and I encourage anyone reading this to do the same. I may also start some sort of Internet grass roots movement against this putz. Finally, on a lighter note, a Happy B-day to one of my best friends...Harold Carter. May you have many more, you tubby piece of crap! ;-) Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net 7/25/99 I missed doing an entry last week because of a distinct lack of anything to talk about, but this week is a different story. I have quite a bit to say. My longtime roommate and best friend from San Diego recently moved to Phoenix with his woman. They just bought a brand new Gateway computer with a CD burner. How many guesses would it take you to figure out what I spend Saturday doing? That's right, friends and neighbors. I made myself a CD. I was actually in the process of making a cassette to sell at gigs (like the one tomorrow, Monday June 26th at the Peoria Library; check my gigs page), so it actually didn't take very long...all things considered. I just mixed down from my four-track recorder to the computer instead of a tape deck. It'll be a little while before I actually have CDs to sell, but as I write this, I'm making tapes. The cover is really cool; I'll put a pic up, possibly later tonight. I may even include some of the pics I didn't use. My cat is SUCH a ham. The name of the album is Even My Shoes Got The Blues, after my song of the same name. There are a total of 18 songs, including some that have never appeared within these pages. Some things are better left with a bit of mystery. You know, I actually don't care too much for the whole recording and mixing process. It is a sizeable pain in my sizeable ass, and I'm generally quite the perfectionist when it comes to that type of thing. In the past, I've been known to spend six hours on a single guitar solo. I'm not quite that anal anymore, but it's still pretty bad. Of course, many (including myself) would argue that quality is necessary to any artist. That's fine; it doesn't mean I have to enjoy it! Don't get me wrong; I'm really not complaining. I've actually gotten pretty good at the whole operation over the years, and many times, it leads to things I would never have thought of if I didn't do it all myself. But all of it is done in order to perform in front of an enthusiastic audience. Nothing is better. Course, few things are worse than playing for a dead crowd, but that never happens to me . ;-) Random thought: what does one do when one is made aware that a coworker in a position of authority has expressed a desire to say...smack you in the nose? Man, Kinko's ROCKS! I wound up there today to print out and make copies of my cassette insert, and it was a completely pleasurable experience. We're having some problems with our printer, and a color laser printer is obviously better than an ink jet, so off we went. We also used (at Lynne's suggestion) card stock paper, at least I think that's what it's called. It's thicker than normal paper, folds easier, and just generally looks better. We also used their paper cutter, and not one of those chopping arm pieces of crap, either. This one had a blade that moved across a bar, and cut in an absolute perfectly straight line. The people working there were also quite pleasant and helpful. Consider this a FatCat recommendation for Kinko's. The WWF had a pay per view tonight, and I must say, the PPV put on by ECW last week was better. Considering that ECW recently got a TV contract with TNN to air their show weekly on Friday nights, if I was the WCW or WWF I would be more than a little worried. ECW has some of the best wrestlers in the business, and they actually have wrestling during their broadcasts. Both of the bigger companies have taken to being nothing but brawling and/or mic work for most of their main events (and at times much of the rest of the show), and it's starting to wear thin on me. I'd really like to see more than punches, kicks, the use of a weight lifting belt as a weapon, and middle fingers from a company's champ. Granted, ECW does some REALLY crazy things (like power bombs through flaming tables), but in my mind, they have more of the technical wrestling than either of the Big Two. Rob Van Dam and Taz may be the best two guys in the biz, aside from Mick Foley of course. Still, when Paul Heyman is the guy in charge, that is a definite minus. I'm really curious to see how this plays out over the next year or so. Back in 1997, I said WCW would fall way behind the WWF. I think my exact comment was, "Eric Bischoff will be flipping burgers in two years." That was a bit of an exaggeration, but not by much. I'm not prepared to make the same statement about ECW taking over, but this may be the start of something big. Oh, one last thing. I do believe I'm going to take down my reviews page, simply because I expect to not have the time for it in the coming months. I may also change the journal to a Thoughts page, simply because I like that title better. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7/11/99 Ok, so I was a bit premature about this CD thing. It will be longer than I expected. Here's the deal: There's a web site called MP3.com that gives artists web space for free, as well as producing, marketing, and selling their CDs. All the site wants is half of the selling price of each CD. For example, if you price your CD at $8.00, they get $4.00 and you get $4.00. That's actually a greater percentage than record companies pay their artists. Anyway, I've run into a problem. The songs have to be in the MP3 format. No problem, right? Well, it is for me. From what I can tell, MP3s are largely used to record from CDs to your hard drive, and vice versa. It is my understanding that you can fit MUCH more music on a CD with this relatively new format. My point is this: I don't have a CD burner. So, I figure I can download some software that will record MP3s from the Line In on my soundcard. I planned to go directly from my 4 track into the computer, and make me the files I need. No problem. Sadly, things never seem to work out as flawlessly as anyone plans. I did manage to find some software that is supposed to do what I needed. However, when I click on the record button, said software locks up and ceases to function. After a bit of hair pulling, I found a way around this quirk. This program also converts wav files to MP3s. Great. I'll record my songs with the standard Windows wav recorder, and then convert them. Success! Wrong. For some unfathomable reason, my wav recorder insists on working only in 5 - 30 second segments. My songs range from 3 - 6 minutes long. After some more hair pulling, I gave up. So, I've decided that I will get my own CD burner, and be done with this problem. Course, that requires some cash. I've decided I do NOT want a CD Rom drive that records; I want a stand alone one that works like a tape deck. Why, you may ask? Simple. I don't want to have to cart my recording equipment (4 track, effects unit, etc) to my PC when it comes time to mix stuff. I'd rather have a component piece I can drag wherever I like, and then just pop the disc in the drive I have now. This is MY logic; you don't have to agree. ;-) But, I want a PA system first ($400 - $600), and the recorder I want will cost me between $400 - $600. Fun fun fun. To make a long story short, it will be awhile before I have a CD. On the bright side, I do (or will today) have three new complete songs up on my samples page. Give 'em a listen, and give me some feedback. I also expect to post a review of South Park: Bigger, Longer, & Uncut later this evening. Guess that's it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7/6/99 Happy belated Independence Day and all that fanfare. 223 years of repress ... errrr.... independence. If happiness only comes in small doses, does that mean having an orgasm is as happy as we're ever going to be? And if so, would you rather be a pig (30-minute orgasms) or a lion (up to 50 orgasms a day)? THERE'S food for thought. And no, you can't have 50 30-minute orgasms a day. That makes 25 hours, and we all know how many hours there are in a single day. At least I hope we do. I picked up a copy of Buddy Guy's latest album, Heavy Love. Great album. I expect to put up a review soon. I don't listen to as much music now that I don't get to wear headphones all day at work. Granted, I could have a boom box or something in my office, but that's an unnecessary expense right now. And lastly, within the next few weeks (a minimum of two, no more than six) I will have a CD for sale online, and a cassette available at gigs. No details right now, but stay tuned. I will say I have at least 3, and as many as 5, new songs that will be available. There will be samples up within these pages, but they will only serve to wet your appetite. Oh, one more thing...I saw South Park over the weekend. This will definitely get a review up this weekend. For now, suffice it to say that it ain't for everyone. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6/27/99 Perhaps just some random observations today... I heard Great White's new track on the radio yesterday, and while I enjoyed it, it seemed somewhat lacking in passion. Shame. They've been one of my favorite bands for years. Jack Russell can sing his ass off, and Mark Kendall is one of my favorite rock players. Congo Square has some of the best soloing and use of a wah-wah pedal that I've ever heard. The studio version is on the Hooked album, and there's a live version out as well. My lady starts a new job tomorrow. Wish her luck. Man, there are some days when I wonder why the hell I bother with anything. The joys in life seem few and far between, while misery and hardship somehow work their way into the everyday routine. Don't mind me; I'm just bluesman living day to day. So sayeth The FatCat. I think I'm going to furnish my apartment with custom built beanbag furniture. I'm only slightly kidding. I visited a place on Saturday that does it. If I'd sat in the demo jumbo size chair for another 5 minutes, I'm sure I would have fallen asleep. Man, it was comfortable. Hey, I'm a FatCat. What do you expect? Is there such a thing as post PPV depression? Maybe that's my problem right now. Life ain't easy, and livin' is the hardest part. So singeth The FatCat. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net P.S. - Do you think I could possibly work The FatCat into that last journal entry any more? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6/20/99 Happy Father's Day to those of you who are male and have produced offspring. Well, I had my first official "gig" last Wednesday, 6/16. There was next to no one there, which rather sucked, but I had a damn good set. As a performer, there are occasions when you know you're on, and it feels as though you have the audience in the palm of your hand. Granted, there were only about 12 people there, but for a 1/2 hour, they belonged to me. Pretty good rush. I even debuted a new song, Life Ain't Easy, and heard at least 2 people singing the chorus with me the last time around. Very cool. My next appearance will be in Peoria at the library for Monday Night Melodies. Check my gigs page for more info. Somebody remind me to refrain from blowing up The Guardian. I saw The Phantom Menace again last night, this time with my lady. She enjoyed it quite a bit. As for me, I must say it was better the 2nd time around. I was less inclined to judge and/or compare it, and instead wound up just sitting back and letting it entertain me. I was also more aware of the music, and found it even more magnificent. I'd say it's the best of the series. Still wasn't better than the soundtrack for Braveheart, but that may be just me. Those of you who are not into wrestling may want to skip this paragraph. Rena Mero (also/previously known as Sable) is, in my opinion, a woman with no personality and little talent who gets by on nothing but her looks. The creative team at the WWF developed her image and character totally and completely, and she is NOT entitled to the use of the name Sable, nor any royalties produced now that she has quit. Granted, her work environment may (and I mean MAY) have been unsafe, and she probably was subjected to harassment by other WWF wrestlers and workers. That's what happens when you become a bitch in that environment. If she can prove some of the allegations in her suit, she deserves some compensation, but not the $110 million she is seeking, and certainly not any rights to a character she simply played out in arenas around the country. That would be like Michael Keaton getting a paycheck for the 3rd Batman movie (which featured Val Kilmer). My CD player has become fickle about which CDs it actually will play at any given time. Somebody remind me to refrain from blowing it up. Guess that's about it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6/13/99 I've been a bit of a bum the last two weekends. Last week, we had friends in town, so I didn't go play disc golf. This weekend I just didn't get up early enough. I ain't gonna play in heat that is 90 degrees or higher, which means I need to be out of the house before 9am at the latest if I intend to play without dying. It didn't happen this weekend. I was afraid of breaking my streak last weekend, and losing the desire to play in general. Might be happening. I'll just have to (shudder) set my alarm early one day next weekend, or play near sundown some time this week. My first official gig in Phoenix is this Wednesday at the clubhouse in Encanto Park. Check out my gigs page for more info. Make sure you say hi when you go. WCW's Great American Bash is today at 5pm; that's only a 1/2-hour away as I write this. I expect it to be boring, and may not even watch the whole thing. That's really a crime, considering their talent roster. Not much else to say right now. I may update this again later on today if I get a bur in my saddle. Later. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6/6/99 If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all. - Albert King Man, truer words were never spoken. My lady was fired this week, and she was screwed over by an incompetent manager covering her ass. Yes, I realize that sounds bitter and one-sided, but this is MY page. I'll be bitter and one-sided if I like. Mary at The Guardian in Phoenix, AZ I have two words for you -- and they ain't happy motoring. But, on the plus side, Lynne has fantastic job skills, and won't be unemployed for long. Personally, I think this will end up being for the best. She deserves a job where she is appreciated. While I'm venting a little, I'll hand down some of my philosophy in life. I believe we're on this earth to suffer and possibly grow as spiritual beings. I'm not going to get massively deep or anything, but the following is a line from one of my newest songs: When I have nothing but one last breath I'll find my joy when I meet my death... Life ain't easy And living is the hardest part Nuff said. Take that as you will. On a lighter side, I saw The Mummy during the past week, and I don't think it was worth going to the trouble of writing a review. It didn't suck horribly, but I was disappointed. I really like Brandon Fraser, and I think this film was beneath him. I'd give it 2 cats, and that's being generous. My new job is working out pretty well. I may be there awhile. Stability can be a good thing. WCW STILL sucks, at least their creative direction seems seriously lacking as usual. I bought an older Chris Thomas King album last week, as well as the latest from Cephas & Wiggins. Expect reviews of both within the next 2 weeks. Guess that's it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5/23/99 Not a whole lot to report in my life right now. I am once again employed, and it is a permanent full time position. I'll actually have benefits again for the first time since about 1993 or so. Not that I make a habit of seeking medical attention. In fact, I pretty much have to be dying, and even then it's questionable. The job is order entry/data processing, and I really think I'm going to fit in. The people I work with seem pretty great, which of course is important, and especially so with a loud-mouthed opinionated genius such as myself. ;-) Musically, I've gotten back into a practice routine again. It pretty much went away when I was job hunting, and the temporary break up with my lady didn't help either. I actually tend to not play much when there is turmoil in my life. Once the disturbance has worked itself out in once way or another, I use music as a form of dealing with it and therapy, but while things are chaotic I kind of just shut down. It's a defense mechanism. And lastly, I was watching tonight's WWF pay per view, Over The Edge, and the unthinkable happened. Owen Hart was apparently preparing for a super hero-esque ring entrance, involving being lowered via a harness from the rafters of the Kemper arena to the ring. Something went horribly wrong, and Owen Hart fell to his death. What exactly caused the accident is unclear as of this writing. No one watching at home (like me) actually saw it; a promotional video was being shown at the time. Only those in attendance at the facility itself witnessed a tragedy unlike any other seen in the world of pro wrestling. Jim Ross (the main WWF announcer), in an effort to keep from breaking into tears and yet somehow fill time in front of a live audience of millions, guessed about the harness breaking or giving way. Right now, that is only speculation. Owen Hart was tended to by emergency medical technicians, and presumably taken to a hospital. His passing was later announced during the event. He was the youngest of 12 children, and is survived by his wife and kids. Rest In Peace, Owen Hart. Wrestling fans worldwide are saddened on this day, and will miss you horribly. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5/18/99 Just a quick update to say that my lady and I are back together. No details, and no promises. We'll just see how things go. Oh, and I am once again unemployed. The temp job on Monday was a horrid fit. I was expected to be able to move boxes of stuff on a consistent basis in an enclosed area. Two problems with that. One, I have back troubles and can't consistently move anything. Two, I'm a fat guy (or cat). About the last thing I want to do is move stuff around in area with hardly enough space for me to get from point A to point B. So, I'm off on the job hunt again. Keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5/15/99 Interesting trade off happened within the last few days. Thursday I was offered, and took, a position paying me pretty decent money. In other words, I now have a job. But today (Saturday), my lady and I broke things off. For every bit of pleasure comes an equal amount of pain, I guess. I'm not about to go off on a blame-laying tirade with a forum as public as this, but I just can't seem to catch a break with the opposite sex. I can honestly say I've done the best I could with each of my three serious relationships, and because I'm older (and theoretically wiser), even more so with this last one. But, as usual, it wasn't enough. Well, shit. I suppose I wouldn't be much of a bluesman if I don't have something to bitch about, but damn! Because I am not exactly a rich man (ok, ok, I'm pretty much flat broke), I won't be moving until the end of June. Why am I the one moving, you ask? Simple. I moved into her place. She ain't going anywhere. So, this should be an interesting month and a half. If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all. I believe that's an Albert King line from Born Under A Bad Sign, though I'm not sure he wrote it. I certainly understand it though. On a lighter note, I recently started playing disc golf again, and played a full 18 holes at Conocido Park on Friday morning. Aside from getting a pretty decent sunburn, I had a good time. I'll never be a thin man, but I would like to shed about 40 pounds. I'd probably be a much happier FatCat, mainly because it would make buying clothes off the rack a much easier proposition. Anyway, disc golf is something I enjoy, and it's actual physical activity, which I normally avoid like the plague. Oh, disc golf is golf played with flying discs, or Frisbees. Players prefer not to call it Frisbee golf, because Frisbee is a brand name, like Jell-O or Coca-Cola. Instead of holes, you shoot for a basket on a pole with chains around it. The idea is to hit the chains, and the disc will drop into the basket. Just like regular golf has numerous clubs for different shots, disc golf has different discs. Putters, drivers, approach discs, etc. The big difference between the two is that disc golf is free to play, once you own the discs. Yes, free. Disc golf courses are almost always set up in public parks. And, there is no rule that you have to have a whole bunch of discs to play. You could play with a regular Frisbee if you like, though with some experience, you'd find that spending a few bucks on discs is a good idea. They run anywhere from $7 - $10 a pop; not exactly a major investment. I don't have much to report on the musical front, aside from three new songs that really seem to be coming together. But, don't expect samples up anytime soon. I don't expect to be spending a whole lot of time at home for awhile. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- UPDATE: 5/11/99 Well, sometimes there is justice in the world. The official word on my release from American Express is that the temp assignment ended due to lack of work, and I will be getting my bonus. It turns out that there are people in the business world who will go out of their way to do the right thing. There just aren't enough of them. 5/9/99 Happy Mother's Day to all who qualify. In other words, congratulations if you've given birth. If you didn't call and/or write to your mom today, assuming she's with us, shame on you. I sent my mom a lovely wind chime as a gift (she collects them), and I of course called her this morning. We have a great relationship. Well, I am officially seeking employment once again. My temp assignment at American Express ended prematurely, and depending on whom you believe, the reasons range from improper budgeting to poor performance. I prefer not to air my dirty laundry in public on this particular matter. Suffice it to say that nepotism is alive and well, and large promised job bonuses in the temporary employment market sometimes vanish inexplicably. On a more positive front, there is no shortage of jobs in the greater Phoenix area. I must spent over an hour just sifting through all the classified ads in Sunday's paper, and I haven't yet begun to look online. I faxed out a bunch of resumes, and I'll be calling more reputable temp companies sometime tomorrow. I don't expect to be unemployed long. For the record, I'd prefer something in the Data Entry and/or customer service field. Obviously, I'd like to make my living with music, but I ain't there yet. Speaking of music, it will take somewhat of a back seat until I get a steady source of income again. But, I still see myself spending at least part of my new time off hitting up local coffeehouses and the like. Music can be an evil bitch of a mistress. I rented and saw a few films this weekend; I expect I'll be posting at least one review. That's about it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 05/02/99 Mother's Day is a week away; have you taken care of your mother's gift? The FatCat has. I jammed a bit with Steven Fasano from the local band The Top Cats today. He's been playing music for about 35 years, and we get along pretty well. He also plays for Les Izmore (yes, that is a pun). Who knows? Down the road, he and I might get something together, and I know I will have him at the very least sit in with me. He's a good guy. That actually brings me to another topic. Considering I don't own a PA system right now (soon), I'm not in the position to start lobbying for other players. But, within the next few months, I believe I will be putting together a band. It will be all acoustic, though we will use amps PA gear to be heard. The blues will be the base of the music, but as I have discussed, I want to take it in something of a more modern direction. I will always have "traditional blues" songs as part of my repertoire, but if I were playing it bars, I'd also like to whip out with acoustic versions of some classic rock. Old AC/DC is a personal fave. Think of folkish rock steeped firmly in a blues base, and you might get an idea of what I mean. The band would be a base of three pieces; me on vocals and guitar, a bassist, and percussionist. I'd like the bass player to be able to double on rhythm guitar and harmonica, and the drummer needs to be the type of guy who groove with a phone book and a pair of brushes. The drums themselves would be a basic set of bass drum, snare, high hat, ride and crash symbols, and I'd really love some latin type stuff in there; congas or whatever. Think of a lineup like that cranking out Whole Lotta Rosie. Cool, ain't it? Oh, I now have an official gigs page. Check it out. Lastly, I feel the need to say that the tragedy in Colorado was a horrible thing, but gun control is not the answer. In Switzerland, every household has a gun in it as part of their armed citizenry, and every male is expected to serve a term in the military. You don't hear of that type thing happening there. I personally believe that those who are hell bent on destruction will always find a way, regardless of laws or regulations. These kids took the lives of others, and guns were their tools. But, if the weaponry was not available to them...well, how many bombs were found around the school when the search was finally over? Upwards of 30? Teaching them how to deal with aggressive feelings and conflict from the time they were toddlers may have been the only way to prevent what happened, and I think even that is questionable at best. Some people just ain't right. It is, always has been, and always will be like that. Some are just born with something missing, or a chemical imbalance, or whatever. One of the kids had been in therapy, and had done well, or so it seemed. I really don't know if there is answer to this type of problem, but these short-term solutions of gun control, cracking down on video games, and/or policing the Internet aren't going to work. I think it has to start with educating people on solving differences without violence as early as pre-school, and even then, it may not happen. The human race is violent. The one thing we have demonstrated throughout our history is the ability to kill each other. I truly feel for the families who lost their loved ones, and I wish them nothing but the best with the rest of their lives. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4/25/1999 As I write this, it's pretty late, and I'm pretty tired. This may therefore be a fairly brief entry. The big news of the weekend is that Jr got himself a new toy. There is a picture on Jr's Page that looks like he's performing a karate sidekick or something. That was taken while he was in the act of chasing what was his favorite toy. Said toy was a plastic mouse covered in fur, tied to a string, which was in turn tied to a stick. He absolutely loved playing with it, so it was slowly destroyed. It was finally reduced to a mere scrap of fur tied to the string. Hell, he even broke the stick in half. As his fave plaything was gradually being taken apart, my lady bought him a couple of new toys; both were catnip (kitty cocaine, sort of) treated, and both were thoroughly ignored. We both wondered what we would do once his fave inevitably wore down to nothing. Thankfully, while shopping this weekend, the same toy, in the same color, by the same people was found. I was actually fairly skeptical about it. I figured Jr had developed some strange fixation to his old toy, and would not go for a new one. Happily, I was wrong. As I unwrapped and shook it (it makes kind of a rattling noise), I immediately received his undivided attention, and he was leaping for it before I dangled it out there for him. Out of curiosity, I tried the old mousey after a couple of hours of exposure to the new one. It was promptly sniffed, scoffed, and disregarded. So, for now, all is right in Jr's world. All hail the New Mousey, savior of the household's sanity. New songs are starting to flow again, though it will be some time before new material is posted within these pages. The recording process is a bitch. Back pain sucks. That's it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4/19/99 Well, it has finally happened. I have my first booking in Phoenix. I call it a booking, not a gig, simply because I ain't getting paid. It will be on Wednesday, 8/4/99, at the Glendale Public Library. Kinda weird, eh? Apparently, they do acoustic music there on a fairly regular basis, including open mic nights and featured artists the first and third Wednesdays of every month. I'll put more up on them as I find out. I get a 1/2 hour set between 7p - 9p; I'm not sure when I'm on. Obviously, I'm looking forward to it. Think I have enough time to prepare? Not much else going on with me personally. It was a big music weekend here in Phoenix. The New Times had their annual local music showcase, featuring all styles of music. I didn't go; we kind of bummed around the house and got things done. Cleaning, rearranging furniture, things like that. The office area looks much better now. I've talked about this before, but it's actually starting to happen now. Most of the new material I'm writing doesn't quite fit the mold of standard blues, but is definitely under that umbrella. Yes, I will always do the normal 12 bar blues, but I feel the need to become more introspective with my music. Think about trying to combine slide guitar with a folkish type of sound, and you'll get an idea of where I may be going. I don't talk about wrestling much within these pages, but friends know what a huge fan I am. I prefer WWF to WCW, and always have, and currently, so do most wrestling fans. This is reflected in the ratings for their respective Monday night shows. WWF's Raw is War pulls around a 6.0 on a regular basis, while WCW's Monday Nitro is closer to a 4.3. But, I feel the trend starting to change. About 2 years ago, the roles were reversed. WCW was trashing the WWF, and I told a few friends then that it would change. I could just feel it. Same thing now, though I don't feel quite as strongly about it. Still, if you're a wrestling fan, look for the gap between the ratings for the Monday night programs to start closing up. In the end though, Vince McMahon (WWF boss) should still stay on top. Guess that's about it for now. Oh, look for something of a makeover or new feature here in the next 2 or so weeks. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4-11-99 I don't have a whole lot to say this week, so this will probably be a fairly brief entry. First off, because of file size consideration, old journal entries are now in the Joural Archives page. I suppose I'll move journal entries over to that page about every three months or so. So, if you are new to my pages, you may want to follow that link to past entries, if so inclined. It was my lady's birthday on Tuesday. I gave her an exercise cycle, which she picked out (she asked for it; it's not like I decided she needed one) and a warm, comfy robe. She really likes both gifts, and getting her out of the robe is something of a chore. ;-) There will be a Blues Society meeting this Wednesday night, and I believe it will be held at the Rhythm Room. Say hello if you go. If you aren't a member and live in the Phoenix area, and enjoy blues, you should join. There's a link on my links page. I'm not much of a basketball fan, but I think this shortened season is really lame. We went and saw Twin Dragons, Jackie Chan's latest American release on Sat, and it was pretty good. No blooper reel at the end, and at least 1/3 of the audience was really annoyed by that. One last little note; every Wednesday night there is acoustic music in the clubhouse in Encanto Park off of 15th avenue. I've gone two nights in a row, and it's pretty fun. The night starts at 7p with a jam session. Starting about 7:45p are featured artists -- 3 every Wednesday, with each one given a half hour set. The night ends with a kind of open mic session. Make the time, and come on down. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4/4/99 First off, Happy Easter to you all. Second, a few people have asked my opinion on what's going on in Europe. Well, before American troops were taken, I was to somewhat apathetic about the situation. I really wasn't sure we had any business getting involved, largely because I'm not sure what to believe when it comes to reports about the dictator in question and his activities. But, as this thing unfolded and the refugees came pouring out, I did start to care. As reports of the numerous and sickening atrocities became more frequent, I did start to care. At this point, I consider myself fairly well versed in what has been going on. I listen to NPR (National Public Radio) all day at work, and there has been lots of discussion about the various topics surrounding the whole situation. But, the kicker for me came when 3 of our troops were taken hostage. I must preface this by saying that I haven't paid any attention to the news since Friday (I write this on Sunday). The last I knew, those three men were scheduled to be tried in a military court (which, by the way, is illegal according to The Geneva Convention and its policies regarding the treatment of prisoners of war). I've basically ignored the news all weekend, because I had old friends in town, and was busy enjoying their company. However, my first and current reaction was/is something along the lines of, "Ok a-hole, now you've asked for it. We're coming to kick your ass." A day or two after they were abducted, Clinton gave a speech at a military base in Virginia. I must tell you, I don't think he sounded angry or passionate enough about the whole situation. I really wanted to hear something like this about midway through the speech: "...(pause...crumpling of papers in the background)...I really wasn't supposed to say this, but this speech I'm reading just doesn't quite express what I feel I need to say. I'm talking to you, Milosovich (spelling?). You let our men go now, or so help me God, I'll throw everything I have at you. I'll bomb you back to the stone age, and send in more ground troops than you ever thought you'd see in your lifetime. We'll squash you like the piss-ant you are, and put our flag up in your front yard. And if you hurt so much a hair on their head, the next time you wake up it will be in hell!" Ok, so that may be a bit extreme, but you get the idea. Then again, I'm not sure a draft dodger is capable of such feelings over the lives of 3 soldiers. Next topic. I took my lady to see Tap Dogs last Tuesday. It was a gift for our six month anniversary, which was 3/14/99. I gave her the tickets just before that date. Some have called the show Australia's answer to Stomp (HBO aired a special featuring that show, and it's toured the country), but I'm not sure that's accurate. I saw most of it on TV, and it seemed to me to be about creating rhythmic music through the use of everyday items -- brooms, basketballs, tools, etc. Tap Dogs is similar, but about the best label I can put on it is something along the lines of tap dancing meets rock and roll with incredible set design and construction, and lots of great humor tossed in. The show really defies description. Suffice to say that if you get the opportunity to go, do so!!! Here's a lnk to their web site: http://www.tapdogs.com That's about it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3/29/99 This is my first journal entry in a couple of weeks. I don't normally go this long between entries, but sometimes I just don't have the time to devote to it, or I just don't have a whole lot to say. I do now, however, have quite a bit to say. Prepare yourself. First off, I went to Fiddler's Dream last Thursday for their open mic night. They are an all-acoustic, non-profit venue here in Phoenix. The place is very homey, and run strictly by volunteers. I like it. I played two songs (as did all those who ventured onstage) -- FatCat Blues and Check Your Attitude at the Door -- and I went over pretty well. FatCat Blues got a much better response, and there are a few reasons for that. I've been playing FatCat Blues for quite a bit longer than Attitude, and as a result, I do a much better job with it. This was actually the first time I played Attitude in front of an audience, and I knew I didn't do as good a job on it. I should have played something I was absolutely sure I'd kill on. I also think that maybe a slow blues wasn't the best idea, and certainly not that particular one at a venue that caters almost exclusively to the folk music crowd. I actually issued a pre-song apology to the women in the audience before I played it. On some level, I suppose I knew playing something else might have been better, but damn it, I really like that song! Still, it is more of a bar tune. All in all, I seemed to give a fairly impressive showing. More than a few people took the time to tell me they really enjoyed what I did. This place really does have a cool atmosphere. Everyone is very attentive -- people are there to listen, not chatter away with music in the background. I truly appreciate that. I will be going back for more open mic nights (there is a regular crowd), and I'll be checking out people who perform there, depending on what they play. You'll hear more in future entries. What else would I like to discuss? The most recent issue of Rolling Stone magazine apparently has a feature on what they call "Guitar Gods," with Hendrix on the cover. There were other names listed, like Clapton, The Edge, and a few others. I can't really remember because one name in particular leaped out and smacked me in the face: Jonny Lang. First off, I need to say that I did not read the article or buy the mag. I'm not a big fan of Rolling Stone. And, I actually like Jonny Lang and own both his albums. I think he has a great voice, and is a pretty damn tasty guitar player (he doesn't overplay, which really appeals to me). However, I find it somewhat offensive that an 18 year old kid is put on the same list as people who have proven themselves with careers spanning decades! I guess it's somewhat of the latest trend among record labels. There's Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Derek Trucks, and a new one I heard on the radio whose name escapes me (maybe Jason Andrews?). While I think it's great that a younger generation appears to be catching on to the blues and blues-rock, it really bothered me that a significant music magazine seemed to put this teenager in the same class as performers with years of dues and seasoning. Again, I didn't read the article; they may be calling him a god in waiting or something. But, in any case, it did get me to thinking some about these young guns that seem to be coming out of the woodwork. Looking back to when I was that age, I can honestly say I didn't know anyone who could sing as well as Jonny Lang. But, I can think of at least three friends I had who could play with equal levels of skill and enthusiasm. Why didn't they get record deals? Hell, they didn't have the right connections. Now it seems to be imperative for record labels to have at least one teenage hotshot on their roster. In all honesty, it's not very difficult to find guitar players of that caliber. If you live in a big city, I'm sure you can find at least one player who is a mainstay on the local scene and is every bit as good as anyone with a label. You may be more likely to find several. No, they may not be teenagers, but spend some time scoping out garage bands in your neighborhood. You should be able to find at least one who can play every lick on his favorite album. My point? While Lang and his peers are talented, they really aren't all that unique in my mind. The difference is someone decided to throw some money, a decent backing band, good songs, and good production at them. They all received necessary support, and probably at every step along the way, including from their parents. Again, I have no beef with any of these kids. I wish them all the luck in the world. It just rather irks me when people hail them as the Second Coming. Now, Lang seems to be the one who is the most over with music fans in general; I think he sells the most albums. Why is he the most recognizable? Simple. He's a damn fine singer. None of the other young guitarists riding the current wave of interest in youth sing lead vocals. This principal holds true more often than you may realize. Take a moment and think of your favorite guitarists, or maybe just the ones who come to mind first. How many of them sing, and I don't mean back up? This seems to be especially true in the world of blues. Just an observation. There's one other issue I'd like to address. Exactly at what point did it become permissible for people to spend 1/3 of their day, five days a week, doing something they dislike intensely in order to survive? Those of us who fit the description of average working bum (or lower middle class if you prefer) spend a minimum of 40 hours a week dealing with some schmuck of a boss, jerk-off customers, and/or jack ass co-workers just so we can pay the rent and put food on the table. Yeah, fine, this is America, the land of opportunity, and I would have it much worse in just about every other country on the face of the planet. I understand that, and in truth, I'm generally a pretty happy person. But, there are more than a few days I would happily trade every modern convenience I have for a small cabin (and outhouse) on the lower half of a mountain somewhere. I'd have to take up hunting and farming, and I would HAVE to have at least one of my guitars and the means with which to replace broken strings, but sometimes that idea seems like heaven. Yes, I know I'd probably get bored with that, and yearn for bustle of everyday city life, but hey...we all need our occasional daydreams. Til next time, keep on howlin'. fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-15-99 And so it was written that on the 7th day, the Lord chose to forego his usual rest period, and provide a small audience with a night's entertainment by playing some good old blues. And so it was written that for this concert, the Lord would have not one, but two opening acts...both would be talent local to the area in which the chosen venue was located. One would be a local legend with over 20 years experience, and the other a relatively new band on the rise. And so it came to pass that Hans Olson opened the show, and in so doing paid much tribute to the Lord, quoting him as an influence often, and playing many songs in the style made famous by the Lord, the Boogie. Hans played his guitar mightily, and sang with a passion that he had perhaps not approached in some time. And, there were those who said Hans reached new levels of intensity and enthusiasm on his harmonica, thereby raising the level of expectation for performances to come in the years ahead. And so it came to pass that Sistah Blue performed next, and in so doing made many new fans in the crowd. With a fearsome drummer, decent bassist and guitarist, a fabulous harmonica player and a lead singer reminiscent of a young Koko Taylor, the all female blues band showed those in attendance why they are past winners of the annual Blues Showdown. And so it came to pass that the Lord's backing band, The West Coast Blues Band, performed 3 songs to heighten the sense of anticipation. There were those in the crowd who noted one of the guitarists distinct lack of enthusiasm, as well as the rather annoying quality of the female lead singer's voice (not to be confused with the excellent singer for Sistah Blue). Still, all in all, most of the audience were seen enjoying what others perceived as an assault on the sense of hearing. And then...the moment for which every person in attendance had been waiting...the Lord took the stage. He was greeted with an immediate standing ovation, which came from the sheer joy and respect of those there to revel in His sermon. The band member who seemed to be operating on automatic pilot did so no longer, and played like a man possessed for the rest of the evening. The Lord seated Himself in a simple chair, took His beautiful guitar, played a few notes, and sang in a voice that only He Himself has. He did so for the rest of the night, lamenting bad luck and lost love, taking a bit of joy in the occasional sexual innuendo, and still managing to pluck out a few notes here and there with His ancient hands. He played songs of days long gone, including Boom Boom and It Serves You Right to Suffer, before ending the night with a Boogie to bring the crowd once again to their feet, dancing and grooving with much reckless abandon and enjoyment. Finally, when He had left the stage for good, and the last note had been sung, the audience slowly dispersed, counting themselves among the truly lucky to be present for one the Lord's rare appearances (and they come with less frequency as time goes by). It's not every day one gets the chance to both pay homage and see one hell of a show. Yes, I got to see John Lee Hooker for the first time on Sunday, March 14th, 1999, and as you can tell by now, I was damn near in ecstasy. The man had the Celebrity theater in the palm of his hand from the moment he set foot on the stage until the second he left it. The tickets were an anniversary gift from my lady; we've been seeing each other now for six months. I love you baby! Thanks again! The funny thing is I made a trip to Dillard's the previous Wednesday and got her tickets for opening night of Tap Dogs (3/30) for the same occasion. I made a conscious decision to get her gift instead of tickets I wanted, figuring that if we decided to go see John Lee, we'd probably just head on down and get tickets together. Sort of Gift of the Magi-ish, don't you think? Anyway, for the record, I wasn't trying to be blasphemous or anything. I don't believe John Lee Hooker is God, though I'd happily crown him King. I just thought that little bit of writing would make for an interesting journal entry. Y'all be good! Til next time, keep on howlin'. Drop me a line? fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 03/07/099 Today is my mother's birthday. Yes, I sent her a card, and yes I called her. I even gave her a little gift; a cute cat magnet. She has a thing for cats (go figure). Well, this was something resembling a productive weekend. I woke up with some congestion and a sore throat on Thursday, and though it never did get very bad, I stayed home from work Friday. I basically slept all day, and did little else that evening. I did get most of the recording and mixing done, and my samples page reflects that. Make sure you give it a look. My lady spent the weekend in Los Angeles with her best friend. She was originally going to visit her friend at her home in Las Vegas, but said friend wound up auditioning for a game show, so they both went to LA. Basically, her weekend was as mess. Her friend's flight was delayed a full day, their rental car broke down, there was a problem with her credit card...just an experiencing worth forgetting. Anyway, this is just a brief entry. I may make a more complete one during the week. Enjoy the new samples. Til next time, keep on howlin... Email the FatCat -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 02/28/99 Well, 'tis that time again. I've decided Sundays will be the regular day for my journal entries. I may make the occasional entry during the week, but there definitely be one on most Sundays. I actually had quite the productive weekend. I got four songs recorded on Saturday, and anyone that has dealt with me recording before will tell you that is nothing sort of phenomenal for me. I'm really somewhat of a perfectionist when it comes to laying down my music on tape. One slight error will cause me to redo the take, and sometimes it winds up taking me 3 or 4 times longer than I anticipated. Hell, I once spent 6 hours on a single guitar solo. So, while there are no new samples up yet (as I thought there would be), there is a reason for that. My lady is going out of town this upcoming weekend, and it will be the perfect opportunity for me to finish up all the recording and mixing down, posting samples to the web page, and getting together a master tape for my demo. She's leaving Thursday evening, and will be back Sun afternoon. That gives me Friday night, all day Saturday, and part of Sunday to wrap up this whole thing. I intend to make the most of it. Hell, I may not step foot out of our condo from the time I get home from work Friday 'til Sunday when I leave to pick her up. We artists are a quirky bunch. Today (Sunday) was pleasant time spent with my better half. We got up relatively early and went to breakfast, then headed for Arizona Mills (local mall) for a movie and a day of shopping. We saw Nicholas Cage's new film, 8 Millimeter. Pretty intense flick, and definitely not for the squeamish. If you enjoy a well-paced suspense film, go on out and see it. As for the shopping, she got some new clothes, and I actually came away with a really cool pair of blue (yes, blue) casual shoes that were at the Vans outlet. They were marked down from $30 to $10, and I would have happily paid full price...though I'm fairly certain I may be the only one on the face of the planet who would. When I start playing around Phoenix, they will be one of the pairs of shoes I wear on a consistent basis. When you see them, you will understand. I also bought Roy Gaines' album, Bluesman For Life. As you may or may not recall, Roy Gaines was one of my two favorite performers from last weekend's Blues Blast. I'm actually listening to his album as I type this, and it is definitely worth the cash. Good grooves, great voice, great guitar player, and a tight backing band. Great album, and he was a true gentleman when I met him. Go Roy! Guess that's about it for now...once again, this coming weekend I will be locked in with my recording equipment. Whether or not I'm finished, I will be posting new samples before 11pm Sunday night. I will also have a special offer for my Faithful 7; they know who they are. 'Til next time, keep on howlin'. Drop me a line! fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2/21/99 Well, today was Blues Blast, and it was exactly that (a blast). The show started out with Hans Olson (you can view his page via my links page), Chico Chism (legendary drummer and vocalist), and Lisa Otey (winner of this year's Blues contest) jamming together for a set. I really like Hans, and have seen him a few times, but this was the first time I actually heard him play down and dirty blues. They started out with a John Lee Hooker tune (Let That Boy Boogie), and I was pretty much in heaven. Lisa lost her keyboard to technical difficulties sometime during the first or second song, and didn't get it back til just about the end, but Hans and Chico pulled it off anyway. These two obviously enjoy playing together, and it really shows. Local faves Big Nick & The Gila Monsters -- backed up by the Groove Merchants' horn section -- were up next. I'd never seen them before, and they put on a damn fine show. They seemed to be a bit more swing than blues to me, but still lots of fun. Tight rhythm section, a lead guitarist who plays nothing but tasteful licks, and Big Nick himself has one of the smoothest voices around; perfectly suited for the type of music they play. Next was Roy Gaines, whom I saw for the first time the night before at the Pre-Blues Blast Saturday Night Dance Party. I actually got to meet him backstage, and he was very pleasant and cordial; a true gentleman. Roy is originally from Texas, but is now based in Los Angeles. This guy is a great combination of vocalist, guitarist, and showman. I thought he was fantastic both Sat night at the party and Sun afternoon at Blues Blast. I fully intend to go out and buy his album, Bluesman For Life, very soon. If the recording captures a mere 1/3 of the energy and enthusiasm this man puts out live, it will be money well spent. Next were a husband and wife act, Carol Fran & Clarence Holliman, backed up by Guitar Shorty's (the next performer) band. Carol could really sing, and Clarence is a wonderful guitar player. I enjoyed them quite a bit. The next performer seemed to get the best response of the day. Guitar Shorty has everything it takes to make it in the blues business...a great backing band, strong vocals, great guitar work, and good songs. It's no wonder he's a longtime favorite of the Phoenix Blues Society. He actually spent part of his set wandering through the crowd while wailing away on his guitar, thanks to his wireless transmitter. He also did a somersault during this little jaunt! He and Roy Gaines seem to be about the same age, and are both from Texas. Personally, I liked Roy just a bit more. Second to last were Bob Margolin (longtime guitarist for Muddy Waters) and Johnny Dyer, with Chico Chism again making an appearance on drums. I was lucky enough to meet Mr. Dyer at the same time I met Roy Gaines, and he was just also a class act. Johnny is a harp player/vocalist, and he can make that harmonica sing like few others. It was positively haunting! Very distinct. Bob Margolin played some slide guitar, which I of course loved. The final act was Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets featuring Sam Myers, and I'm sad to say my lady and I bailed out before they went on. We were just plum tuckered out! We'd been up since before 8am (which is positively unheard of for us on a Sunday), and spent roughly six hours sitting in the sun. Anyway, it was a wonderful afternoon. My faves were Hans Olson (big shocker there) and Roy Gaines. I'll be putting together a Blues Blast 99 page within the next 3 or 4 days, complete with pictures (I need to get them developed!). In the meantime, here's one of yours truly with Jimmy Petyon , whose band Midnight Blues tore it up at the Saturday Night Dance Party. He and his wife Jenny had a digital camera which they had borrowed from a friend, and were kind enough to email me this pic. Of course, you can get to his web page from my links page. That's it for now. Oh, I will have new samples up by this time next week (Sunday night). Til then, keep on howlin'. Drop me a line! fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2/14/99 Well, happy Valentine's Day to you all. Ours was nice, though perhaps uneventful. We actually exchanged gifts early, some things as early as last week. As anyone who knows me can tell you, I'm somewhat obsessed with the color blue. Once while wondering around Arizona Mills mall, we walked into the Converse outlet store. I love old school, original Converse tennis shoes, or Chucks, as they are called. Anyway, they had different colors of Chucks, including a few shades of blue. Part of my Valentine's Day bootie was a pair of Navy Blue Chucks. I love em. I also have this habit of wearing screaming yellow socks when I wear brown shoes. My lady doesn't particularly care for this, and in an effort to get me to stop, has been hunting around for blue socks. She actually found a couple of pairs - also part of my gift basket. Finally, she gave me this stuffed cat (or bear; we can't decide what it is) dressed like a rock star with big hair. He holds a guitar, and when you set him down, he plays a song and grooves mightily to it. The song is "Be My Valentine," and seeing this thing is an absolute scream. I love it! What did I get her, you may ask? A heart shaped key chain with her name, today's date, and the words "Five Months" which is how long we've been seeing each other. I also got her some candy, a couple of candles (she loves candles), and flowers. Oh, the candy was a bag of the new crispy M&M's for which she has developed a new addiction. We also watched today's WWF pay per view, St. Valentine's Day massacre. It was pretty cool; definitely entertaining. I'll spare those of you who are not wrestling fans the details. But, suffice it to say Vince took an insane bump, and Paul Wight made his WWF debut. Raw should be a fantastic show tomorrow night, as the buildup for WrestleMania officially shifts into high gear. Last Wednesday, we attended the monthly meeting of the Phoenix Blues Society, and became members. It seemed like a great group of people. We also bought our tickets for Blues Blast 99, along with a couple of T-shirts. The shirts look great. Again, if you haven't already made plans and/or bought your tickets, do so! It will be a fabulous show! That's about it for now...keep your eyes peeled on my samples page - I should have more songs up by the end of next weekend, as well as new versions of one or two of the ones already available for your listening pleasure. Til next time, keep on howlin'. Send me an email! fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2/8/99 You know you're having a bad morning when you drop part of your breakfast on the floor, accidentally buy a diet Pepsi, and in lieu of actually having something to do at work, you wind up putting together mail packages. {sigh} Luckily, my day did get better. The weekend definitely had its low points. Our computer crashed, and I was forced to reformat the hard drive using the setup disk provided by the manufacturer. In short, our computer was reduced to the state in which it was initially purchased. All the hardware that was installed after that had to be reinstalled, and in many cases, downloaded. I believe I was up until 4am Sunday trying to get it back to the way it was. I got pretty close. My lady and I went to the movies this weekend and saw Payback - the new Mel Gibson flick. It's rather different than what you might be expecting from the ads, but still a cool film. Definitely worth catching, but don't take your young kinds to see it. Mid to late teens, maybe. Oh, and be prepared. There is at least one scene that is a real wincer. The Phoenix Blues Society meeting is this Wednesday. My lady and I will be attending, and joining. If you happen to be reading this and intend to go yourself, make sure you find me and say hi! Speaking of the Phoenix Blues Society, Blues Blast 99 is only a couple of weeks away. It's on 2/21/99 (Sunday), and is being held at the Mesa amphitheater. There's a solid card of talent, and tickets are only $12 in advance -- $15 the day of the show - for 7 hours worth of entertainment. The show runs from 11am to 6pm. You can bet I'll be there, and I'll definitely let y'all know what I thought of it right here within these pages. Feel free to let me know what you thought of the show (I hope anyone reading this in the greater Phoenix area will be going!). Oh, my weekend had some high points. Friday night was "date night" for me and my significant other. We had dinner at a great Italian place, La Fontenella near Indian School and 40th (maybe 44th). First off, let me tell you that anyplace that asks whether or not you have reservations when you walk in the door is normally not the FatCat's kind of place. Add to that the fact that nothing on the menu was under $10 (yeah, I can be a cheap S.O. B.), and I thought I was going to really hate the place. I was wrong. The service was fantastic, and the food was better. I had the canoli, and my lady had the ravioli. For desert, we had some kind of rum cheesecake and gelato (I think that's what it's called; Italian ice cream) with a white chocolate crust. I was absolutely in heaven. We will be going back to this place fairly often. Yeah, it's a bit pricey (especially for us starving musician types), but this place definitely falls under the category of you get what you pay for. Worth every cent. After dinner, we went to see Jimmy Peyton's Midnite Blues at Back Stage in Scottsdale. Great swing/blues band. If you enjoy dancing up a storm, they are a great band to see. Jimmy has a web site of his own, and you can find a link to it on my links page. Definitely go check it out, and go see his band. That's it for now. Til next time, keep on howlin'. Care to say hello? fatcatblues@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/31/99 Well, it's not as complete as I intend to make it, but it's up and running and I think it looks pretty good. Hi there. My name is the FatCat -- Todd Lorenz, and welcome to my journal. I will be updating it at least once a week, and I'll discuss pretty much whatever I like within these pages. I currently only have one item up on my Samples page, but I will be adding to that quickly. I expect to have at least 3 more by this time next week and 3 more the week after. I will also have my links page up tonight, though it will be rather bare to start. I intend to try and get permission from people before I put links to their pages on mine. Just somehow seems the polite thing to do. On to other things... The Super Bowl is at the beginning of the 4th quarter as I write this, and Denver is up on Atlanta 24 - 6. I don't particularly care for either team, but I would have preferred that the Falcons win. I think Dan Reeves is a hell of a coach, and I would've liked to see him get a win, much the same as people wanted John Elway to get a ring last year. Speaking of Elway, the speculation can now officially begin. Will he come back and try and do what no other team has done in the history of the NFL? That would be winning three Super Bowls in a row. Howie Long said during the pre-game show that he thought Elway would only retire if he lost. Howie figured the allure of doing something previously unaccomplished would be too much for John to resist. We'll see next year. I'm more than a little annoyed with the USA network. We were supposed to get WWF Halftime Heat during halftime of the Super Bowl, but it was nowhere to be found. Yes, I'm a wrestling fan, and Mick Foley is my favorite guy. He was one of the combatants tonight, and thanks to the Internet, I already know he was going to win the Championship for a second time. I suppose we'll find out what the problem was at some point tomorrow. Denver just scored again. Great. Well, I suppose that's it for now. I'll talk to y'all again soon. Drop me an email and say hello, and let me know what you think of my site! Oh, and if you find anything wrong (broken links or whatever), please let me know. I'm designing this all by my lonesome, and will happily accept any creative suggestions. fatcatblues@earthlink.net Remember to BookMark my Home Page, and/or add it to your Favorite Places! UPDATE: 1/31/99, 10:12 pm Well, I suppose for whatever reason, we didn't get the WWF Halftime Heat show at halftime in this time zone. They showed the match during Sunday Night Heat, and it was really great, and actually pretty funny. When Mick Foley wins the gold by pinning his opponent with a forklift, well, that's just too cool for words. Later!