Busy Weekend.

I guess I'm supposed to be "tweeting" stuff like this. LRC says that I'm supposed to use that for "I'm taking a dump" type posts. I can do that here--why would I want to subscribe to something else for people who aren't savvy enough to use feeds and aggregators and whatnot? Oprah is doing it, so perhaps I will. Maybe someday.

Friday night was my amazing tacos and vodka. I've actually been a light-weight since my ancient Chinese secret. It's a lot cheaper to catch a buzz since my Lenten booze fast.

Saturday, I awoke to no snow aqui (where was the 4 feet, dude). I cruised down to LRC's pad--it was 'nother story there--big car-sized snow boulders in the road and shit. Lame.

I wanted to see a movie to get out of the rain. We missed Fast and Furious, and I actually wanted to see He's Just Not That Into You, because Jennifer Aniston and Drew Barrymore are in it (hot chicks to me).

During the movie, I got a call back from dude who's bass I was interested in. I arranged to meet him later, after the kids were in bed.

We picked up the minivan of doom. The dumb asses broke a bolt off in the timing cover and replaced it for twice the price. I bit my tongue, because my Mexicans would've done it cheaper (free+parts) but it probably would've involved Bondo, a sledgehammer, JB Weld, or a die grinder (likely all four). The coolant that I smelled a couple of weeks ago was indeed a fucked up water pump--I called it but didn't press the issue at the time. Whoot to me for my nose diagnostic (when driving trucks, you have to use all your senses).

<bass nonsense>

I went to Aurora to investigate the bass. Indeed it was clean, with the modifications that are required to make a 1951 design usable with modern strings and amplifiers. I'm still lukewarm about the schoolbus bass (the color needs to grow on me still):



Dig that goofy strap con los conchos, hombres. That'll go away. It only requires Grover strap locks, and some of those white felt washers (I have a bunch of 'em 'round here somewhere). It has a modern bridge, a fret job, a decent case (with keys, of all things), a setup for heavy-gauge roundwounds (I'll have to fix that), an extra set of new strings, the original bridge (in the case), a Lindy Fralin ham-backer (I'm a believer in the Lindy's hand-wound creations)--the original single-coil pickup is also in the case. I was looking for a twangier toned bass, and this one delivers--I haven't fingered it out enough to use it for BLC yet, but it's tempting. We're doing just fine with the ultra-dark JZ tone on the orange one (with over-wound Lindys).

It was cool to get an instrument that I've had on my list, and meet another local player. None of my friends actually know much about bass guitars (everyone I know plays guitar, it seems). Certainly, my pals appreciate good bass tone, but how to obtain it is sort of mysterious to them. Along those lines, I love the title of this post, even if I think that it's lame to not do your own electronics.

</bass nonsense>

After picking up the bass, I went to Tito's show. I saw Spoke Shaver (Josh Cool's new band, not what I expected, but I need to tap his luthier skills for this damn Rick) as well as Lonesome Tommy and His Lovely Lushes (looking forward to a full-band at the Meadowlark). LRC got zapped by an energy vampire and wasn't coherent enough for any more, which was a bummer because the harmonium rock afterwards looked very very very interesting to me.

Today, I cleaned house and took it easy. Then, I went to rehearsal. We ran through the set for Saturday, and basically rocked. We haven't played together as a band in a non-writing or recording session in several months, and there was only one significant stumble (which we played through--Greg was distracting me--I fucked up a chorus on one of the "hits"). It's nice to be playing with a solid group that doesn't really get cobwebs. I think that the key is that we're focusing evenly on new material as well as old material for the show. The new, old, new, old format is great for the set. I'm so excited to play a 'real' show since our last three were "events." Indeed, this one is an event, too, it appears, but it's at our "home" venue. It's going to be fun.

<recording angst>

Apparently, my Hammond parts from Friday are going to be kept, even though I 'bout had a nervous breakdown recording 'em ('how the fuck am I going to get there from here'--it was totally slow-motion playing). It almost sounds like I had lessons, so that paid off for mom (truly a funny story), but it's so damn legato and liturgical that it's not exciting by any means. I'm holding down eight finger chords and paralyzed with terror while I await the next measure--it wasn't relaxed at all. I don't even know the names of the chords--minor sevenths with suspended fourths or something--I nailed the last chord, which is what matters for the song (is he going to beat her?). Tension and release and then, maximum tension (Gm + Gmaj, interpolated and arpreggiated, and lots of tremolo/vibrato on both).

</recording angst>

These Are For LRC.

YouTube is awesome for a la carte entertainment. I heart YouTube. Here you go....

Overwhelmed? These wisenheimers (what my grandparents call me all the time) should put you in a better mood:



The Kubrick movie is better, but I think that you've seen this one, actually. I think that I've seen all of the Vietnam movies. My favorites are Apocalypse Now and Full Metal Jacket. But Johnny Depp is in this one (so hawt):



I've been listening to this record a lot lately. LARD is my favorite Ministry side project. Pailhead is cool, but I can't get over the whole straightedge thing. Jello Biafra is a weird dude to hang out with, but I dig the exuberant vocals:

Maximum R&B (epic narrative of my weekend)

Since Wednesday, it's been non-stop, my droogs. I'm fucking burnt out, seriously.

Wednesday was the OC photos. I'm not so into getting photographed, but Laurie seems to be pretty cool. I think that I screwed up my neck posing.

Thursday night was Bad Luck City's big bad tour to Fort Collins, where we played with Badman (who are awesome). The 'tape' of the show sounds amazing as far as the band goes. The vocals sounded shitty, though. I had fun.

Friday was a fucking painful day at work. I'm glad that I don't do that shit every day. It was a special occasion.

Friday night was the baddest show in town: Reverend Deadeye (who's learnt hisself some tricks on the road), The Omens, Badman (killer set), and us. The Larimer Lounge has two blown monitors at the moment: stage right and the drum monitor. Uncool.

Saturday was picking up Mesa number two at the shop. Next, I killed some time with LRC (I wanted to buy her lunch but she had other plans). Then, it was off to the BLS band rehearsal. We're going to pull this shit off. Live music needs a little danger to be exciting to play (I think that Steve Harris said something like that once). I went home and got myself drunk (finally).

Sunday was agonizing over rehearsal tapes and then delivering 'em to BLS. Then I went to LRC's where French toast was waiting for me (with a couple pounds of bacon). Killer. We screwed around and went to the rock-stick-mega-haus because I needed another rack case for numero dos. We ate chinese food and watched Clue (I hadn't seen it through--just bits). I passed out and got a nice little nap before going to rehearsal again. We rocked.

I'm fucking tired.

After All Three....

Perhaps the greatest rock moment of my life was when that funny-talker (this isn't a politically-correct blog) asked me to cease using my "Fog Pedal." This was VERY confusing to me, since I don't have such a thing (I will re-paint and re-label the LBP-1 now, though--I require pedal-painting tips ASAP, friends). Apparently, Osama took it upon himself to call the fire department in order to shut down our fog machine. They brought a real fire truck to do this, but gave up.

The set was nearly flawless, even if Osama's antics overshadowed it. Overcasters made an impression, either way.

The Bad Luck City's set was flawed from the get-go. Kelly's bow got beer-infested at a prior gig, and now it requires a re-hair. She requires a medal for five shows in a weekend. Kelly O'Dea is amazing. Perry had some amp issues, but, eventually, we worked, 'em out. That set wasn't horrible, but was rather pale compared to the night before. I fucked up for a two or three count which is completely unacceptable. I am the worst player ever. I had fun, though.

After a sweaty sweaty day, LRC and I played naked foosball, took showers, drank screwdrivers, ate cold pizza, and watched Pee Wee's Playhouse on DVD. It was the perfect end to a (nearly) perfect Saturday.

Remember This?

I think that the Nitwit requires a pink dye job to go with her new ugly haircut. Since Nitwit is an Adams County cat, the man shouldn't have jurisdiction, right? Where's the LRC when I have questions like this?!?

Pink Poodle Case May Be Dismissed
Woman Must Agree To Not Dye Dogs, Fine Will Be Dropped

BOULDER, Colo. -- A salon owner who made national headlines when the Boulder Humane Society ticketed her for dyeing her dog pink has reached a deal with attorneys that would dismiss the citation.

According to the Daily Camera, the citation against Joy Douglas will be dismissed in six months if she doesn't dye another dog before then.

Douglas told the Camera that the case has been dropped, but she needed to talk with her attorney before making any comments.

The case isn't over, said officials with the city's municipal court, and if Douglas is accused of dyeing animals again before October, she could face penalties for the original charge.

Douglas was issued a citation on March 1 for violating a law saying, "No person shall dye or color live fowl, rabbits or any other animals or have in possession, display, sell or give away such dyed or colored animals."

Douglas said she colored Cici pink to help raise awareness for breast cancer. The salon owner said she has used beet juice -- and occasionally Kool-Aid -- for four years now to "stain" her dog.

Assistant City Attorney Janet Michels said the law was intended to prevent dyeing rabbits and chicks around Easter.

"We recognize the ordinance hasn't been used in some time," she told the Camera. "But our position is that the ordinance is enforceable for violations of today."

Still, she said, "We are trying to find a solution that works for everyone."

Monster Cables Suck, String Cleaning Gizmo, etc.

The hinkiness of Monster Cable isn't any real news to me, but I was starting to get annoyed. Luckily, the offending cable was found out--it seemed to be cutting out when the loud drums were hitting the hollow body. This caused the jack to vibrate and short the hinkey plug.

I've never been a fan of molded plugs. Mine are usually Rapcos (or Horizons, as the case may be) with Neutrik plugs. Switchcraft (more expensive) makes a good connector, too. My cables all have the lifetime warranty, but I usually just cut 'em up once they fail (so no 'lucky' trashman attempts to use 'em). Expensive, oxygen-free wire, silver solder and shit just isn't a selling point for me. Maybe for studio wire (a la Greg), but not for a live rig.

After the cable silliness, practice was pretty okay. It'll be better next time because the momentum won't be lost.

I got called out on dead strings! I really don't think that anyone listens to my playing, much less my tone. The current set was a week old for the Meadowlark show (I usually change 'em two days before a show, but BLC is okay with dead dead strings, so it's optional). They're just a little over three weeks old, and grimy enough that intonation is fucked up. Unfortunately, playing this much means a $20 investment in strings every other week. What to do?

The internets learnt me about this. Nichols turned me onto this denatured alcohol research. Boiling strings is stupid. I used to do that when I was a teenager (poor), but it only works for about a day with Rotosounds; the silk wraps come off, too. Now that I'm using medium-gauge los cheapies (sans silk), recycling strings seems to make more sense. This weekend, in an absinthe-makes-the-heart-grow-fonder blur, LRC and I built two of "the bass string cleaning tube." She's pretty handy with heavy inhalants like PVC cement. We needed two wine corks for the project as well, so we drank ourselves silly.

I'm cleaning my spare set at the moment. I'll switch 'em out for practice on Wednesday. I need to save $20 in strings to break even with this gizmo. It seems reasonable. If it works, I'll give one away to some poor SOB (sorry ol' bassist).

Indeed, if the gizmo works, I'll probably switch back to stainless, with the relatively short (couple of days) half life. They start out brighter than nickel wounds, but when they start to die, you're done.

If She Wasn't My Girlfriend,

she'd still be one of my best friends.

Hanging out with the LRC is still full of surprises, friends. I'm trying to imagine her circa 1987, with a Corrosion of Conformity t-shirt. Seriously, where were chicks like this back in the day?!? Not in south Texas, for sure.

Seven months, friends

1400-ish marked seven months since my seduction in the ceiling at the TC on the fax. My temporal tardiness this morning meant that I couldn't tell LRC how I was feeling. In truth, I had quite an oration planned for her. Instead it was "I'm a hour late...Talk to you later."

So lame. Didn't even tell her that I love her. I'm the worst BF ever.

I'll hold off on that speech until later. Some other time-marker.

----------------
Now playing: Skinny Puppy - Morpheus Laughing

Today's Work Assignment

I was instructed to "show up when I feel like it." This is a miraculous deal, for sure. Since we went to the bob show last night, this was great. I materialized at the folks' house before mom got out of jail. It seems that she required assistance drinking all of the wine in their house:

E-dogg and Mahoney thought that we were both too drunk to go out for lunch. We sent mick to the sandwich place with a script. He said that dude was baffled by my request for a "salad sandwich with everything" (certainly I've gone veg, man).

I picked up my bass goodies. Tomorrow is e-doog meets the lrc. i hope that she wears her new "harry potter" disguise.

Monumental, really

Indeed, today marks six months since my catwalk seduction. I remember being completely dizzy and doubtful at the time. The relationship has blossomed into something truly wonderful. Linda Ruth Carter is the best thing that's happened to me.

('tis lucky for her that I don't have a bunch of photos to post here--need to sync my telephone up)

I had given up on the girls after the previous numerous failures, and then she fell into me, like a fever, courtesy of Tom "fuckin'" Murphy at the Silver Mount Zion show (doesn't get more hipster than that, does it?). As it turns out, she's so much more than some hipster girl, and I've fallen deeply deeply in love with her.

She's going to read this crap, certainly. My inarticulate, non-writting has a way of distressing her that I'm very uncomfortable with, my droogies. It is required that I address her, specifically:

I love you, babe. Really really. You have no idea, really.

Over and out.

Getting My Fix

I get terribly bummed out Tuesday through Friday because I'm having music withdrawal. With the OC on summer sabbatical, I've been despondent for too long. It's amazing that I haven't shotgunned myself in the face.

Tonight was the first time in three (!!) weeks that the OC has convened to rockpractice (tm). We actually sounded really decent (better than some bands at shows). No one had forgotten the songs. It was great to have the kaptain back up on his feet, although he looked quite wobbly at times. His voice is back and mad as hell after being all cooped up for months. I know nothing about singing, but doing so with a cramped diaphragm has to double the effort. It would be like me using a foam mute or something.

However, the drums seemed muted to me, as was K's guitar. I'm convinced that he needs more speakers for better dispersion amongst los bastardos de amplificadores. Mabe the sound is a lot better on the other side of the "stage." I think that we need to turn up the drums.

More adjustments on the menace have improved string to string balance, and I'm starting to get really comfortable with the instrument. Maybe the satin neck is easier than the black ho's gloss one? The black ho definitely has more tightness in the low end (I'll refrain from full-blown innuendo here). On the journey home I decided that I might be able to regain some of that black ass by using the elusive "bass shift" switch on the Booger.

My schedule has eased at work. Thus, I can now do twice a weeks with the OC again. Mondays are still feeling ridiculous, but Wednesday is new and improved with a second driver, even if I though it was a horrible idea. I'm fucking stoked about that. It means no more Wednesday night is "date night," though. Maybe LRC can see the OC sometime, though. I hope that she likes/understands what we're doing. This feels more like "my band" than any of my previous (or the other current) band(s). Once I'm established in the BLC (work on the 15 new songs), I'm sure that I'll feel more ownership there.

After listening to us tonight, I'm completely convinced that we need to record a 7" (at least) for release soon. I'll bet that we could get it done pro bono, or at least low fee, from our friends. If I hadn't donated the eight track to the "i have no ideas" kids, I'd totally do it, although I'd have to purchase microphones (mine have all been stolen, except for that Shure 55sw, which I'm going to fix and gift to someone soon). Even if we just did a live thing, it would be pretty fucking good. K managed to get a couple of great musicians to play with us. This band needs to get into a studio and spread our weedy vibe soon.

Put on Your Party Hat

Happy birthday to LindaRuth from all of us in the box. We hope that 27 is an awesome year for you. A birthday suit photo would be appropriate to post here, but you'd be pissed, even if you weren't drunk. We'll have none of that.

As Nasty As You Want It To Be

I totally hurt my neck mowing lindaruth's lawn this afternoon. I think that the injury occurred when her youngest startled me.

I might have to get her a robotic lawn mower. That would be awesome. What I want to know is if it's a decent feline torture device, like the Roomba.

So pretty.

Linda ruth and monkey puss:

Holiday Weekend?

Friday: The kidnapping of LindaRuth went off without a hitch. 13% of women fantasize about kidnapping, according to the radio show (33% are into spanking).

Saturday: Lunch with the 'rents was uneventful. Mahoney asked her if she was jewish. Mom was carrying on about naked dancing in the moonlight and g-spots. The potato salad was pretty awesome. A lot of gettin' to know you chit chat. LindaRuth is far more adventurous than I thought upon meeting her. Awesome. I fell asleep on the couch--too much action-packeed fun for the prince of dwarfs.

Today: this morning was riding nirvana for my "grocery racer" style. Two trips to the store. The bike is running especially awesome, although I think that I need to re-synchronize the cables. I require some goggles. Big, goofy-lookin' ones for my sans-helmet jaunts to the store. Also looking for a big police tank since the 6.35 gallon one needs paint. Hell, anything but a hinkey toaster tank.

It's happy times for yours truly, my little droogies.

The Real Heavy Metal Parking Lot

I dragged Linda Ruth to the Machine Head/Megadeth/"Black Sabbath" show on Sunday. She's definitely not a metal chick, but went along for the experience. I figured that seeing the late 1980 lineup of sabbath would be cool for her. Tony Iommi basically invented heavy metal, so it's sort of worth seeing him once. Geezer Butler is the man. Dio invented the devil horns (awesome).

The show was great, although we missed Machine Head (fuck, man). Megadeth was a Jeremy sing-a-long, and the Sabbath stage was awesome to behold. I still can't get over how nothing is lost when dude takes a guitar solo. I'm curious if I was hearing "studio magic" or what. Geezer's bass was a clone of my black one. Hilarious.

Certainly, the vast majority of metalheads are normal people. There was, however, the "Heavy Metal Parking Lot" ("Mr. Crowley" played loud during tailgating) as well as sets straight out of "This is Spinal Tap" (a la "Stonehenge"). It's all true, folks. Go to a metal show, even just for laughs.

Meanwhile....check this quicktime.

At Last....

I've found a woman who is beautiful and believes that there is beauty in the world. Another beauty-seeker (thus, a good match for me)? I love her. She doesn't like me to take photos of her, so this is a rare one. She's amazing, really.

Happy.
< / g u s h i n g >

Frou-Frou Foxes

I totally cannot figure out how to mobile post with the new phone. Cutech (tm) sucks. This Nokia is mighty, but the abundance of features puzzles me. The Luddite rides again, or something.

Anyhow, I saw a pair of foxes playing near the tracks in midtown Boulder this afternoon. I managed to snap a bad photo after getting one to look over its shoulder at me. It was a supercool (tm) moment.

Love when the chorus-ey guitars come in on this track. Liz Fraser is a great (albeit bizarre) vocalist.

The Overcasters are now loud as hell, but still seem to retain clarity. There are too many changes to really get into here, but it actually improved things dramatically. I was giggling during rockpractice (tm). K asks if I'm okay. Might have to increase the size of the array if the guitars go much louder, though (master is up to 8). John claims that I'm vibrating his nose, which is a wonderful thing. Sounds pretty mighty, and with performance looming, this is great.

I hadn't played this loudly since Heller wrecked the output transformer on the Vox. That was out of control bass; well past the edge of controllable. Now I'm completely in control of the rig, which is awesome (although the ceiling vibrating at the cocaine blues was pretty tough, as was the PA destruction at the lame lion's lair). The Mesa makes me happy, but I think that I might want to pick up its big brother (500 watts peak of the tube o' rama, 2x power, or something). Another alternative would be to clone and chain the rig. On third thought, there are a lot of things that I can do. Need to see how my ampeg is working out for Tito. I so want a sunn 2x18" cab.

A clerk commented about my wife today when I was doing obvious Valentine shopping (last minute, for sure). This didn't bother me as much as it used to. I smiled.