Taking The Big Guy Out

We had the big guy quit. The one featured in my video -Rhubarb Meringue Pie - an introduction and Shady Grove. The above is the reconstructed flyer without him. We found a new guitarist, who may or may not work out- who knows. I've not gotten a picture of him yet. I will include him if he sticks around. Nice guy.
I figured I can redo the video once I have a recording of me singing instead and then I'll cut me in more so you and everyone else will barely see him.

He calls me out of the blue after a year and says he's quitting. It never quite jelled for him. He doesn't have anything else going on. (sort of sounds like what you'd say when you leave your lover- there are 50 ways, after all.) I think it's because I threatened a recording studio.

New plan- to work on stage presence, joke around more- be more personalities. I'm putting Nancy on a stool. Asking Craig to stand for his harp solos. Maybe the new guy will play standing up.

Anyway, I think I'm done with the Saturday morning jam group for a while. It's not as much fun and I'm feeling like its become a rut and the big guy is there every Saturday morning playing and singing the same goddamn songs over and over. (We played well together) I even got applauded over and over for Jesse James which was the big guy's song- I'd only sing it when he wasn't there- I never mentioned I got applause. Anyway, when you lose a singer, you get to throw way all those songs you've learned to hate. And you get to sing those that you loved and haven't gotten to sing.

And you have to work out a new visual scheme. I reworked the playlist, Picked up the loose ends of the songs we're not sure of, gave out some more to everybody who is still here. It's much easier this time round .
Craig and Nancy and I have been together so long now that we can carry a performance and make it sound great just by our lonesome. AND they want to come and perform almost everywhere I book.

I was a bit dissed for awhile. Down in the dumps. Thinking- God its so much easier to do it solo- but I really love the whole interaction with others, And its so much richer.

And it's like being kids, bringing over your latest treasure to your buddy's house and feeling excited and having fun and feeling like this is the best thing in the world. Who the fuck cares about the adult world.

Sorry to see him go. I liked him. We had fun. 

Just a thought

I just recalled the 5 years that I lived in LA without a car.  It took forever to get anywhere, but on the other hand, your thoughts would unravel all across the city like the yarn you would unroll to find your way home through the woods. You never got it back, but that was ok, because our thoughts are truly children who grow up and leave the nest and only come back to pat you on the head on holidays. I suddenly miss the hours of rolling my thoughts out.

Baby Drummer

Me learning something new. You think its easy to drum- that anybody can do it?

Venice SummerFest Bands 2013- Fx3events.com

So I call them because all of this is not very clear. They want a payment of $100.00-$300.00 to sponsor the stage. I want to know what times - dates - performance time we get. I was told I have to pay them first. So I asked: I pay you $300.00 and you give me a 15 minute set?

She hung up on me.

I was considering it. $100.00 could buy some good publicity - we would be listed on their events things- may sell some CDs if we have them by then. But I ain't buying anything until I know what I'm paying for. This racket is just that. 

Hi,
Thanks for considering performing Summer Fest at Venice Beach, California. This event helps our non profit groups. This is a very costly event which gets over 50,000 people who come out to see our event every year. To cover some stage cost our band sponsor the stage which also help non profit "Save me a penny." They feed the homeless year round in Venice Beach.
Sorry for the delay but we have gotten every large response and we can't us every group that want to play this summer. If we are contacting you , we want you to take part some how.
Go to site print out contract and check off PERFORMER.
 Fill out an application mail in with your stage sponsorship to play: SOLECT & CHECK OFF BELOW __$100 PSA/table sell at event__$200 PSA/table sell at event & web or __$300 Banner on stage/PSA/table sell at event & web and ads head liners. GOLD stage sponsors
Can you please email us only three to four Picture of the performer/group-band for marketing that will be used in advertisement. This is done at random in many different media. Just paste it (pic) if possible. also we need a PSA with it. (If it to longer we will have to edit it.) 50 to 100 words or less. You will also get a call from accounting and from the stage manager which should be Chris.
 Free stuff or product to be sold at event will be disbursed for two days so we need you to mail us with and invoice for reimbursement on any items sold.
 Any Banners or flyers etc for the Performers store both needs to be mail in to our office too as well. You may also bring more stuff the day of the event, but you must have and invoice with it before it's deliver to the store. We use banners on stage on intro/info and performers booth or booths. Before you mail in your info, call us first.
Please call our office when you get this any time after 9 am.
Thanks, Julian
 Fx3events.com
 562-277-7174

Blowing Bubbles

This is a song that Anette Ax and I wrote the last time she was in Los Angeles. She went back to Sweden, and rewrote it and sent it to me. I told her it was alright and to use it anyway she liked. Then I rewrote it again. This version is much more my song.

It's mostly about Sandy showing up to see me where I was working as a soda jerk in a restaurant in Indiana.

I filmed myself at the Canoga Park Farmer's Market yesterday