I’ve been traveling quite a bit lately. I’m hoping to post music I’ve been trying to produce during my time in Nashville. I spent the entire weekend launching a non-profit. They started with nothing, and after a 24-hour sprint with 30 design and marketing professionals, we gave them this: Youthturns.org along with a marketing plan, the new logo, a tagline, a brochure, business cards and letterhead and all kinds of stuff to help this organization get off the ground. I couldn’t be happier with the results both in terms of the actual, physical deliverables, but also in the way the team came together to make something magical happen. There’s something pretty powerful when people come together with a common cause.
One of my favorite quotes ever was from the Revolutionary Naval war hero John Paul Jones, whose famous taunt to the British captain, laying waste to Jones’ Bonne Homme Richard (Well, it appears to be a bit of a debate whether it was muttered to an aide or actually yelled across the brow at the British. Suffice it to say, it showed some serious brass) was burned into my consciousness at a very young age – “I have not yet begun to fight!”
I come from a long line of naval heroes (which I have unceremoniously ended), so the first American Naval hero was someone often quoted by my mom, whose father was a WWII sub commander, earned the Navy Cross and was Director of Athletics at Annapolis.
I titled this blogpost “Just getting started!” to mention that today I began recording my first full-length record. I did scratch tracks of 9 songs (a scratch track is basically me playing guitar (or piano) and singing). I’m sure that the album will take shape over the course of its production in a lot of ways. I may not end up doing all the tracks I recorded, I may write/finish a couple of songs we didn’t do today. My initial concept is to produce a cause-related CD, with every song being in support of some cause associated with the theme or inspiration of the song.
Here are the songs I scratched today:
Supernova: supporting meth rehabilitation No Ordinary Daughter: supporting depression research Say Goodbye: supporting grassroots political action on the environment Semper Fi: supporting wounded Iraq veteran organizations Let Peace On Earth: supporting interfaith and multicultural initiatives 88/21: supporting SharedVoice, a not-for-profit cause related music project Nobody said it would be easy: I have an uptempo and a slow version. Haven’t decided on the cause. Might be out.
I’m listening to the demo’s with the thought that I would post these tracks. There are a couple of tracks on the CD that were corrupted, and I want to put ’em up as a group. Once I get the other two tracks from Andy, I’ll post ’em.
I’m thinking of redoing the “Unamerican” song. The recording that’s out there is my first-ever. I think it has a bit of rustic charm, but there are also some wince-able moments. What do you think?
Been singing a lot lately, and by lately, I mean in the last few days since I’ve been away for the holidays, during which there was very little singing. Or writing of music. I’ve been writing a lot of email lately, though, and have been on the phone a lot, too, also mostly since I got back from the holidays. Wasn’t on the phone so much while I was away.
I can say I won’t be writing an American Airlines song about my crappy experience flying their airline. I did write American Airlines a thoughtful complaint about my crappy experience flying their airline. But their website wouldn’t let me submit the complaint. I kept getting this error message “See below for error”, thought there was no error indicated. Just an endless stream of denial of service, which was not unlike the experience of flying their airline.
I’m heading out on Sunday to take care of my mom, who’s just gotten out of another fckued up back surgery. Which is to say, a fckued up surgery on a fkcued up back. She’s been pregnant more times than her ten children have given her grandkids, which is to say, a lot.
Anyway, I’m tired and retiring. Thanks for reading my blog. Drop me a line or tweet me or something. Say hi. Would love to hear from you.
So last night, we had a really awesome birthday celebration for Leslie last night at the “Ordway Palace”. Speakeasy theme, loads of fun. One of the best parts of hosting a party is getting to meet a bunch of cool new people, as friends bring friends (and so on and so on…). One of the best parts of hosting a party in Nashville is getting to meet cool new people who are also incredibly talented. Rachel Pearl has this way about her that’s endearing, smoking sexy and yet totally wholesome and sweet, all at the same time. I’m excited to share her with you, so to speak.
She’s got a song “Hello, Officer” – think dolled up dame chats up a cop to let her go. Well, while on tour she had an encounter with a couple of cops and sang the song to them. I’ve not smiled so much in a long time, and certainly not about cops, that’s for sure.
Here’s a link to her latest release: http://rachelpearl.bandcamp.com/album/keepin-it-old-school
I’ve been a reddit consumer on and off for about a year, now. I “stumbled upon” it sort of randomly and have intermittent spells of almost obsessive reddit viewing or going long periods without looking at all.
Tonight I realized it’s tingling the same part of my brain that gets tingled when I look through a paper to find the comics (on Sunday’s it’s pretty easy). Clicking like a crow on reddit stories and reading comic strips seeking nuggets of pleasant stimulation. Thing is, I’ve never been much of a comic book reader, though I’ve many friends who are surprisingly passionate about their books.
Looking for a good Far Side or Dilbert was like looking for a jolt of joy. On Reddit I look for positive stories, things people find funny or interesting. Not quite “joy” but mildly entertaining, anyway.
With Reddit, there’s also a desire to see/feel what other people are feeling and thinking right now. Some of it makes me sad. And there are some that give me a little hope. It all has me feeling more connected to humanity. Though that, too, feels kind of painful as I see what we’re putting ourselves through right now. Doesn’t have to be that way. It doesn’t seem so much when I look around me. I know lots of other people have it a lot worse than I do, so I know they might have a different opinion. I do feel grateful, though, to have wonderful people like you in my life and food on my table.
I am in serious need of a sponsor for Generate Kindness. I’ve now got 119k stickers requested from around the world. How am I gonna pay for that? I know! Have people send an envelope with some postage on it along with your request! That’s so easy! Why didn’t I think of that sooner!? I should blog more often.
So bottom line on the reddit thing – now that I get it’s like hitting the comics, I’m gonna put that cracked pipe down and make some music or something.
This half minute piece of music was a bitch. Sorta like:
I want to play the guitar. guitar won’t tune correctly. Replace strings. Plug guitar in, discover that guitar jack is loose and needs to be tightened. Plug guitar in, troubleshoot why no sound is coming out. replace bad cable plug guitar in,
Like an hour of that. Here’s “Grinder” (just some random name I gave it.). But I will say this – once I got past the bajillion technical hurdles it was a blast writing this snippet. I’ve thought about vocals for it – might lengthen it to a minute and call it a 1 minute song.
I spent a rather intense week in California. – 3 days of management meetings to handle some big, transformational issues – connected with my mens circle – stayed with five friends over 8 nights – a community dance – 5 bart trips – dinner with dad – many meals with friends – passed an acupressure oral exam, completing a certification program I’d started years ago.
Got back to Nashville, and went immediately to Doak Turner’s monthly BBQ – a friendly homestyle networking event for songwriters, where I sang a bunch, came home and sang some more. Met Kyle Brooks at Doak’s and really dug his vibe, man.
Yeah, getting back to California was good, but I’m also glad to be back home. I’m really eager to get my recording projects rolling forward. Time to start bearing some fruit, y’know?
on Care2.com, I signed a petition to help end Spinal Muscular Atrophy a disease that affects children causing a severely degenerative debilitation of a human being’s ability to function. Cognitively, people are fully developed, except for the fact that they’ve been unable to move and have required 24/7 care.
Last night I watched an episode of “This American Life”, (an episode that I’ve subsequently found out won an Emmy) about this guy, Michael Phillips, a victim of SMA.
Anyway, I was deeply moved by his story and struck by how totally normal he seems in every way as a human being except physically. I’d say he’s a little dark and morbid in his writing, but he also has moments of elation and delight in beauty, which he also eloquently shares. I guess in some ways, he’s more fully self-expressed than most, a striking fact considering his inability to move. Or breathe without a machine.
I was also struck by the commitment of his mother, who’s attended him 24/7 since his childhood. I was dumbstruck by the life she has had, doing absolutely nothing other than caring for her son. I know that 30 minutes of television reveals only a knothole view into someone’s life, but the entire story, the situation – understanding the values and desires of the people involved – it was all quite dramatic, and I was fully taken.
I was also struck by how absolutely human and normal this physical anomaly was, whose life has been made possible by innovations in medical technology and the relentless vigilance of a committed parent.
There was a moment when I had my “healthcare reform” buttons pushed when I heard that “the state” basically pays for all Michael’s (and his mom’s) expenses. Of course we should pay for his care. he’s pretty incapable (or it would seem at first blush) of making a living, at least in our capitalistic-valuing-productivity-over-health culture. (I personally think he should pursue a life as a writer, something he clearly does rather well)
Anyway, I signed this petition and my “customized note” could read like I’m in favor or pulling funding from Michael or families like his. Not at all. I think that finding the cure to this disease means that in the future, children would never be afflicted with this “totally rude” disease (as one commenter to Michaels’ blog put it). And that would ALSO mean that we, the general public, would not be paying what must be astronomical medical bills. I’d rather invest 50 million now to find the cure and save hundreds of millions over the years. That’s what I was trying to say.
I may have tweeted but not blogged this or blogged but not tweeted or did I even write it? I don’t know…. Anyway, I don’t remember how we met, but late one night surfing the internet, I came across this guy’s website – Josh produces his own music out of his house, and has taken on the ambitious goal of uploading a song a week. It lit a fire under MY ass for one thing, and I was also immediately taken in by the complexity and beauty of his music. give a listen, then: JoshFuson.com (and that’s pronounced “Fyoo-sun,” for all ya’ll Francophones.)