Happy Halloween

I'm really an idiot sometimes. I forget, well, everything. Life is really grand. I have friends, family, health, sanity and serenity. Consider this an early count of my blessings. Have a Happy Halloween y'all!

The best guitarist EVA!

Today's post comes from an overheard comment at the gig on Friday night. I overheard someone saying to his friend (unaware I was listening) "Dude! This guy is the best guitarist I've ever heard!" Now, this brings up all sorts of things. Firstly, what the hell? That's a great feeling. It's nice to be appreciated by strangers. That's why I do what I do! Secondly, good lord man! Where the hell have you BEEN?! Hello? Jimi Hendrix? Stevie Ray Vaughn? Jeff Beck? Jimmy Page? Steve Vai? Eddie Van Halen? Joe Satriani? Just google "greatest guitarist" for a list way too long to print here of who people think are the "greatest guitarist". I presume he meant "the best he'd ever seen in person" and even then, has the man never gone to any shows? Even the notion of "best" or "greatest" guitarist is patently ridiculous desp[ite passionate arguments about this topic in high school. Everyone has a different style, and offers the listener something different. These guys happen to be blues/rock gods. How about classical or jazz? Nevertheless it was a great unsolicited compliment from a stranger that didn't even know I was listening. That's something! MY response? I got on the phone last night and called up a guy I met some months ago who blew me away and scheduled guitar lessons. How's THAT for humility? For anyone keeping score today is my 15th day. Peace all. Thank god no one reads me Monday.

Da Count Friday - Tattoos and Candy Bars

Today's count is for my serenity LOL I'm grateful to have a job, a gym, a band and plan for a new tattoo, a support group to help me not drink and all the things that are making my life an even more beautiful place than it was before. I'm even grateful for the adversity because it makes me stronger. Peace out all. Come see the band tomorrow night it you can at The Grandstand in Croton-On-Hudson NY. See previous post for details. Thanks!

HNT Austin / NY Styley!

Well, the pic was taken at the last Gearjammers gig in NY but the hat is ALL Austin Texas baby!
Thanks again to the wonderful and beautiful Spitfire for showing me around and making me watch The Alamo. Great movie! BTW please check out www.thegearjammersband.com
and leave your comments on the blog/forum. Does it look OK? Anyone with Firefox or other browsers have problems? Does the audio load and sound OK? Any weirdness I should know about? I mean, other than the obvious weirdness of us? We got hired to back up a singer named Curtis Willis, a handsome and talented fellow for a benefit in NYC. Today is 11 days if anyone is counting. BTW the pic is more half naked than it looks. It's like a football shirt so it's mesh. :-) Another thing! The lack of beer had another side effect! I lost 5 pounds! Down to 180! Woot! 5 more pounds to my goal weight! Much love to you all my bloggy peeps. HHNT!

dananananananana CATGIRLS!

This is the image from the poster for the Halloween gig. Short post today. Very busy at work. I hope y'all are having a great day and I hope some of you can make the gig.
Sat. Oct 28th @ The Grandstand
197 Grand St. Croton On Hudson,
NY 10520(914) 271-8033

It's been 9 days since I looked at me.
Cocked my head to the side and said I'm angry.
9 days since I decided I needed a grip and got one.
Mazel Tov.

The Golden Smog

Attention Mr. and Mrs. America, and all the ships at sea! Flash! Today is the 8th day and man it's been a bit rough. But I managed to go to a concert, GIVE two concerts, go to several parties, see my ex and STILL not drink. I'm making progress so thanks for the support. Yes, that IS my big mouth up there, thankyouverymuch.
Now hear this! An ANNOUNCEMENT:
The Gearjammers Band are performing for an early Halloween party!
This coming Saturday Oct 28th @ The Grandstand!!!
197 Grand St. Croton On Hudson, NY 10520 - (914) 271-8033
Please attend. Costumes recommended but not required. No cover.

Bad Blogger, Good Andy

I've been woefully absent from the blog scene lately and completely remiss in visiting and commenting on all you bloggy peeps. A thousand pardons my friends. My head's been all up in my azzle fo' shazzle. The Maharishi said the secret to happiness is to feed people and to serve people. This is something to which I aspire. My faded dreams of fame and fortune have lost their luster. Success can be defined as doing what you HAVE to do. This I have done. I have done my job, played my gigs, made my meetings, moved my boat, cleaned my house, done my laundry, rehearsed the band, spent time talking with friends and family... all in all a very productive week. And yet I ache to my soul for for the company of a woman I love so much, yet cannot be with.
It makes me want to destroy myself. "She doesn't love me enough to stay with me so I must be inherently worthless. Poor me, poor me; pour me another one." How very unattractive! My thinking is broken. Right thinking followed by right action shall be the goal. God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Amen.

Da Savage Chickens Count

Today I'm thankful for many things. Not least http://www.savagechickens.com/blog/
I find this guy so consistently hilarious that I must share. I promise that if you go to his site and browse the archives for 5 minutes you'll be laughing your ass off. Laughter is the best medicine. I'm also thankful because I quit drinking Sunday with the help of a friend of Bill W. So I'm going to meetings and (shock!) not drinking! Not that I ever drank SO so much, but I found myself doing it more and more after The Love Of My Life left me. Feeling down? Beer. Feeling OK? Beer. Feeling great (for a change?) Beer. The cause of and solution to all of life's problems. I hope it will last because frankly I'm saving money, feeling better, I'm immune from DWI charges so I can drive how I want, where and when I want. I've yet to find a downside. I've noticed some odd things though, like I no longer speak drunkenese. When drunk people talk to me I can't understand them. At. All. That was never an issue after 4 or 5 beers. Also, my adverse relationship with food seems to have improved. If I ate one meal a day that was a lot. Now I'm getting 3 squars and STILL losing weight! I'm still not sleeping much (about 5 hours a night) but I find my sleep is much better and I wake up faster and feel more alert. So thanks Bill (and eimaj). Because of you I have no FOAD or FUF today. Alleluiah! Finally, PLEASE, anyone in the area, come to the show tonight (see previous post). That is all.

UPCOMING GIGS

The Gearjammers Upcoming Gigs:

Fri Oct 13th and Sat Oct 28th @ The Grandstand @
197 Grand St. Croton On Hudson, NY 10520
(914) 271-8033

Fri Oct 20th and Sat Nov 11th
@ The Sunset House @ 137 N. Water St
Peekskill, NY 10566
(914) 734-4192

PS for those of you who were rightfully worried about me; I'm alive and getting better. Thanks.
-The Management

Blog interrupted

All this talk of getting old
It's getting me down my love
Like a cat in a bag waiting to drown
This time I'm comin' down
And I know you're thinking of me
As you lay down on your side
Now the drugs don't work
They just make you worse
But I know I'll see your face again
But I know I'm on a losing streak
'Cause I passed down by your old street
And if you wanna show, just let me know
And I'll sing in your ear again
Now the drugs don't work
They just make you worse
But I know I'll see your face again
So baby, Ooo
If heaven calls, I'm coming too
Just like you said
If you leave my life, I'm better off dead
-Ben Harper

Da Count and FOAD Friday

Dual styling today.
Da Count: A good friend came over last night and made me eat something and drank some of my beer. That was a big help. I'm battling some pretty severe depression right now and it's hard to function on any basic level at all. Things like eating seem unimportant. All I can do is play Ursula (my strat) and drink myself unconcious over lost love and love too far away. So, today's count is to be thanksful for good friends who listen and love me through my self destructive bullshit. Notable bloggers in this category are GnightGirl and Lime. Spitfire gets props too but for a different reason. If you can't beat 'em join 'em!

Now for FOAD Friday: I don't usually start shit or inject (or even acknowledge) negativity on here but a certain scumbag who doesn't deserve a link is fucking with one of my friends so this one's for you, you chickenshit drama queen wanna-be cocksucking piece of living human excrement. Die in a Fire. If I could get my hands on you? You'd look awful funny trying to eat corn on the cob with no fuckin teeth, you fuck. Matter of fact, I got some shotgun shells for you right here. That is all. Tonight? Tonight WE PLAY!

HNT - OS Shirt in Austin Style

Here I am in st the jacuzzi at the top of the Omni Hotel overlooking beautiful downtown Austin wearing the famous Os Shirt and feeling like the king of all I survey! The Marriott hotel down below was clearly all back of the bus and shit. I'm gonna cry when the bill comes due but all in all the mighty Spitfire showed me a helluva good time. Awesome bands left, right and center, 5 star hotel, Tequila and Tecate flowing freely, old friends and new....all wonderful and SO worthwhile. Time to sober up and get with the program now. There's work to be done! The band's website needs a complete overhaul and there's mailing lists to edit and send out, more gigs to hunt down...just another shitty day in the life of a wanna-be rock star. It may be lonely at the top but it could be worse. Oh yeah, Randy Newman rocked that stride piano something fearsome. I sang in Carnegie hall! OK the whole crowd sang but still... Rock on! HHNT y'all!

Randy Newman Tonight

Going to Carnegie Hall tonight to see Randy Newman. I play Leave Your Hat On a lot. Rehearsal last night went well. We're really getting into it and the dynamic control we were exhibiting gave me wood right away. Playing fast as fuck and vewy vewy quiet is no mean feat. It made me go all Bud Light. "I love you guys!" We had a big discussion about style and image afterwards that went nowhere. RL was complaining that my redneck vision of us as beer drinking, hell raising, skirt chasing, fudge packing motherfuckers might alienate women. That made me laugh. In my experience my bad boy persona more often than not is an attraction rather than a detriment. At any rate he didn't have a better idea and the bass player was like "Who cares?" so until I hear something better it's all "Guns and Guitars, Bikinis and Fast Cars. Get behind the wheel and GO!" Gimme a glazed donut and a bottle of anything to go. Can I get a amen? Halleluiah!

Quick post from Texas

Still in Texas. Coming back tomorrow AM. Had a great visit, saw all kinds of great bands and such. Pictures when I get back. Too much Tecate and Tequila. Oy! Still a grand time was had by all and it was great to see friends old and new in a strange and interesting place. Texas=BIG! No foolin'. Check out www.alan-haynes.de
I have never seen a blues guitarist this good in person EVER. He's fucking amazing. Check it out. peace.

Early HNT and whatnot

Picture removed

Man, that is some kind of bliss right there. Wild guesss what was going on for the hour prior to that. Maybe I ain't the hottest ticket in town but I breathe through my ears.
H to the fucking HNT.

GET UP! GET ON UP!

Having stayed up way too late last night getting up this morning was a chore in the extreme.
My sister is in town so hopefully we'll get to visit a bit before I split. So we started doing some James Brown in the band. James used to have a white bass player and when some folks at the Apollo theatre in Harmlem gave him shit about it he said "That ain't no white bass player! That's MY motherfuckin' bass player!" James will always be the man no matter how many times he gets arrested. Can you imagine being James Brown in the joint? It would be like being Elvis. Anyway I want to get up and do my thing. Can I count it off? James has got me in the mood to wear bright colors on stage. Yellow! Red! Green! Silk! Satin! Woot!

Monday dullness

I will not blog about my breakfast. OK, I didn't eat breakfast this AM but for heaven's sake people if you don't have anything interesting to say STFU and GBTW!
Anyway I'm feeling dull and boring today. I have a bunch of long assed "all about me and my stupid answers to even dumber questions" style memes none of which I want to post. Who cares? Pfft! Weekend recap for fuure reference: Saturday night I played a big assed party in the city and it was a very good time. One of my friends said "Dude, THIS is your LIFE? Jamming for hordes of apprciative fans and hot girls? Hello?!?! You should be PSYCHED!" OK, so I'm a whiner. Sue me. I also got a bunch of really cool clothes at a jumble sale. $4 a bag full! Woot! I was supposed to play two other gigs that night but missed them both. Fuck it. I wasn't being paid for any of them and I'm getting more picky about being paid to play. For the big party I wanted to be at it was worth it for the free food and beer. The others not so much. Sunday I was low key and rehearsed quietly and bonded some with my bass player while the drummer is out in Nashville. 72 hours hence I'll be in a plane to Texas! WOOT! WOOT!