Best Concert

I no longer have time to put the care I used to put into these blog posts. I wish I did, seriously. That being written, I didn’t proofread this post, nor did I always use complete sentences. …something about adapting and overcoming…I don’t know…

Was last night’s Primus show at Mesa Amphitheatre. Last show of tour. Aside from 2 songs off Tales From the Punchbowl (1995), all songs were no newer than 1991. It was truly a Primus fans’ ideal concert.

Mesa Amphitheatre is outdoors with a tiered lawn up a hill. Great views. Full, boisterous crowd. Saw the show with Hoss, who knows the words like me. We danced and were merry. At point he exclaimed, ‘I feel like I’m in f@#%ing elementary school!’ We were as happy as kids.

Primus was heavy.

The show ended before 10 pm!

They played great.

Weather was perfect.

Opening band, Gogol Bordello warmed the crowd up just right. At one point in the show, Les Claypool mentioned that Gogol was the best opening band he’s ever toured with. Gogol does wacked-out gypsy music. Super high energy.

The set, as best I can remember, was:

To Defy The Laws of Tradition
You Can’t Kill Michael Malloy
The Toys Go Winding Down
Frizzle Fry
Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers
Sailing In the Seas of Cheese
De Anza Jig
Drum Solo/whamola jam into
Eleven
Is It Luck? With a Master of Puppets interlude that fired the crowd up so damn much.
My Name is Mud – HEAVY!
Jerry Was a Racecar Driver – ALSO HEAVY!
Encore: Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver – which was the first time I’ve seen that song performed.



Much like my 36 hour trip from Seattle to Philly and back (also to see Primus), I was in Phoenix for 34 hours. I stayed at Adam and Maya’s awesome house with their kickass 3 dogs! The hospitality was A+. Maya is sweet and Hoss is generous. I was happy for all 34 hours! Derby, a Great Dane – German Sheppard mix, sits on chairs/couches/laps as though he’s 20 pounds. Likable animal!

Countless times, I’d find myself nearly soiling the grundies from laughing at typical Hoss humor. Honestly, I miss the days of driving around in his POS Colt drinking Stewart’s Citrus Pop with Zac, singing Primus and cake….and driving nowhere, FAST!

We were able to meet up with my longtime speed skating friend, Ian, who’s in the middle of law school at ASU. The three of us got a quick airport breakfast and somehow, were able to solve 50% of the world’s problems….

2 fallen Coasties: RIP

I knew Jessica fairly well when I was on the HEALY. She was so vibrant and very much a pleasure to be around.

All my best to both families.

http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,110624,00.html tells the tragedy.

Coincidentally...

I just checked in to Airstation Clearwater.



...the coincidence will be illustrated upon clickage of the linkage...

Whoa:

Rahsaan Roland Kirk

Gnarls Barkley

Gnarls played last night on Leno. It pounded. They dressed like graduates. So good. Here's them at the MTV Movie Awards. The pilot singers with the big helmets are great.

Pacific Amphitheatre Show

Gnarls Barkley and Peeping Tom at one show. Do people even know how great that is?!

Typical

 

of where I live that Chuckleheads like this would park so terribly....so far from the curb. Good riddance! 

My friend, Moose:

 


'Running just as fast as you can' dun do dun do dun do... 'Holding on to one another's hand...' 

Conversation with my father from the bottom up...of course:

Okay, I now know more than I ever thought possible about Buckethead. He left GNR in 2004. GNR are touring throughout 2006. They JUST (May 12th) announced that the new lead guitarist for the tour is "Bumblefoot," (Ron Thal from NYC) who, among other things, plays electric guitar versions of very fast Chopin etudes. I trust you have Les Claypool's "Big Eyeball in the Sky" with Buckethead? Also, GNR's drummer is "Brain." One big family. At Ozzfest, Ozzy tried to get Buckethead to be his guitarist, but couldn't deal with the bucket! Too funny. He says Zakk will be with him later this year.

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Do you know who’s playing guitar for GNR, Buckethead?




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The delayed start of the Stones' European Tour is expected to be July 10. The announced opening act for that and the next show - both in Germany - is Guns N' Roses.

Trying to go:

Bonnaroo | Music & Arts Festival | 2006

Really bugged me...

  

Wedding gig:

  

At wedding gig:

  

What I had to do...

 

...to tape and watch the last 3 killer weeks of SNL. Small TV, big room. 

Humorously Accurate:

The 50 Worst Things Ever to Happen to Music

Such a fun weekend, it passed in a blur:

  

What comes before Part B.?

 


Part Aing with the nuclear family. 

One of the world's newest M.D.'s!

 

Congrats. 

Music Style Vs. Location:

In Seattle, I played in metal, hard rock, and alternative bands. I played a lot of bass.

In Pensacola, I’ve been playing in a concert band, a jazz group, and jazz combos.

Seattle, that goes without saying, but down here, it’s a bunch of old musicians from all over, or wherever good jazz musicians are raised. They need to be down south for their joints…or something like that.

What’s interesting to me is how, when auditioning for the rock groups in Seattle, I’d show up on time, speak intelligently, and play what I know. I’d ask for chords and such, and the rockers were thunderstruck at how I had my act together.

These jazz musicians, however, are so damn picky. Last week, one guy was telling me that my reed was too stiff. I can’t even tell that!

Regardless, I’m happy. I love to rock heavy and love to solo improve on the horn. Either way, at least I’m playing.




Last weekend was fab: T-storms cancelled my flight on Friday. I ‘bolted’ down in time (but late) for a wedding.
Saturday was a Chick Fillet gig. Never in my life would I predict my playing a gig at a fast food joint.
Sunday was super fly. I sat between some serious great sax players. The tenor player, C.J. Landry, played bari for Commodores in the ‘70’s! He could wail! It was truly an honor to play with these gents.

Can you stop using that quote now?:

‘Can you hear me now?’ Apparently that quote is used on some commercial. Apparently that quote/commercial is humorous. Granted, I’ve never seen the commercial, so I’m a poor judge, but isn’t it way overused now and annoying?!

Bad reception no matter what the device we’re talking listening through: ‘…can you hear me now? (snicker snicker)’

Ugh…

My First Concert - saw favorite band:

Click link, 'Boots' at bottom, 'Saratoga Springs' gig link:

PRIMUS - in Saratoga Springs. I met my musical inspiration, Les, here. Check out 'Pudding Time' when the crowd nearly crushes security with the barricade. Primus stops. Les talks. And it was good.

Uh:

  

Been Waiting for This My Whole Life:

--++== ElEcTriC ApRiCoT ==++-- - the Les Claypool movie!

Roadtrip Nov, 2004: Seattle to madsfpoiawernad, FL

 

In Colorado. 

Interesting.

  

Get your ears on:

Hugh Masekela singing 'Bring Him Back Home.' It's on the Paul Simon 'Graceland: The African Concert' DVD. He plays great trumpet and his chorus growling, 'Tomaaaaarrro!' makes the song.

I'm celebrating this right now.

01:02:03 04/05/06.

Kind of Stuck:

In the ‘90’s. The Alternative TV cable station played ‘Black Holed Sun’ and for all I knew, MTV was on. Superunknown came out in 1994!

Back when we did our June, 2003 MAXIM roadtrip contest.

 

4-square 'cross America. 

Winds like that - got to keep them off the nose.

  

New Music Likes!:

Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Ch- ch- check it out.

A gift for you pianists:

Free Piano Music! Kind of unbelievable.

Gold Teeth:

The flight physical is strict. The physical to get into flight school is ridiculously thorough. Too thorough, if you know what I mean. Fitz, a previously-mentioned friend on CGC HEALY suggested I get gold teeth. Get some gold teeth and roll into Dental, plop down on the dentist chair and exclaim, ‘WHAZZUP!’ - ll the while grinning. I’d just relish the ‘what the f- is up with this guy?’ reactions.

This is how close I diligently park...

  

...but this is how close my roomie parks:

  

So this is my childish solution:

 


Trap his ass in! 

Good new music:

METURA4 (6:24:35 PM): i was working out in the living room and heard this breakdown in the song, stopped working out, and ran to the tv to see what this song's deal was! it rocks.

This was wrt 'Beating Heart Baby' by Head Automatica. What I had heard, though, was the (Mr. Mig Remix), apparently. Enjoy.

Birthday Card:

 


My mother graciously and creatively creates cards through the technique of stamping. She makes me these rad custom cards. I had to share this one. The pictures don’t capture the 3D coolness factor (which I rate as high) and the time and effort she puts into these. 

...and this is the best one yet!

  

To get an idea of the 3 dimensions.

  

Great tape:

 

I was trying to find this video tape that had Rollins Band's SNL performance of some song that sounds like '..._____ I burn. Burn!...' I guess it's off of 'Come In and Burn.' Anyway, I couldn't find it but I did find this tape! 

I hate this style

 


I took this on a flight specifically so I could blog how much I've always hated that style. Those shoes with no socks and either jeans or shorts - it sucks. Who thinks this looks good?! 

POODLE POWER!

  

Sax Lesson:

I've been trying to hit altissimo notes for years. This author uses, remarkably, the exact same sax setup that I use. I have no excuse.

Speed skiing

This is interesting to look into. Speed skiers' helmets, extra body suit padding for aerodynamics, not safety, their top speeds...out of this world.


  

Jamming with impressive dude:

In a feeble attempt at moving on with my life post-Olympics, I’ll change the subject, finally.

During the first Wednesday of the Games, I played a gig in Destin with the big band I’ve been performing with. It was a great gig and I got some nice solos. What’s noteworthy, however, is who plays bass with the group on Wednesdays. Steve Gillmore played on many of the Jamey Aebersold jazz CD-books that taught me jazz. I used to get these CD-books from my sax teacher all the time. I can’t believe that the bassist that my teacher used to reference, ‘if you get lost in the changes, just listen to the bass,’ is the guy I’m now jamming with!

Apparently that’s not even the biggest deal. I was told that Steve Gillmore performed with Phil Woods for many years. Phil Woods is a monster-big jazz name who’s played with everyone worth the mention in jazz.

Proof - he even jammed with Tom Waits! Whhaaaaattt?!

Bye.