Wait a minute, something’s wrong

Ever wake up from a dream so bad,  it alters your mood for the rest of the day?  I had one of those last night… or this morning, rather.  To be honest, I didn’t wake up until 11am, so I guess that would be considered the afternoon for most.  Either way, I was not only in a haze the rest of the day, but I wasn’t so “chipper”, either.  Now that I look back on the dream, it wasn’t really so bad.  I dreamt that I was getting ready for a show, but I couldn’t seem to get everything set up in time.  It was like every step forward, was a step in the other direction.  It’s a scenario that could be compared to an actor’s nightmare about missing a cue or a line.   The dream was nothing but anxiety and explosive fits of frustration.  I awoke, feeling happy it was just a dream, but I didn’t feel right for the rest of the day.  Whatever infestation my brain was trying to overcome was obviously living deep within my psyche and I wasn’t ready to shake it.

As many times as I’ve performed in my life, there’s never one show that is alike.  Sometimes, it feels as though we’re moving through all the same motions and habits we’ve picked up along the way, but it’s never really the same show.  Our band is one to strive for perfection show after show.  Perhaps it’s all of those perfect pieces that we’ve managed to hold lately that snapped when I entered my deeper state of consciousness.  I am absolutely a control freak, perfectionist, and overachiever.  When I see those words typed out in front of my eyes, I read “uptight, insecure, and pig-headed”.  Ok, maybe I am too hard on myself.  At least I’m secure enough to admit there are always possibilities.

Simply stated, I think it’s my constant attachment to where I am now and where I’m going that caused the earthquake of a nightmare.  Some days, I am the wind-up toy.

The New Wave

Ever find yourself at a dead stop in the middle of the phrase “the way things used to be…”?  It’s okay.  We don’t have to be in our 60′s to bring that one out.  The years go by too damn fast to not let those words slide out from the lips from time to time.  Now that I’m no longer 18 (and several years beyond it), I catch myself looking back and thinking, “man those were the days.”  Yikes!  Never thought that would happen.

I’m at a place where I loved where I was, but I respect and cherish where I am now.  Holding on to things that we identify ourselves with is not a bad thing at all.  Afterall, it makes us who we are.  A personal goal of mine is not get caught up in an addiction to the past.  And yes, lady with the bleach blond 80′s hairdo – you KNOW what I’m talking about.  As a musician, there’s a daily appreciation for what once was and what is now.   The bridges still stand, but perhaps we can’t remember all of the cars and trucks that crossed over them.  Either way, they were all headed somewhere and passed eachother along the way.

I have identified this way of thinking in myself.  I vow to keep a sacred, objective opinion, but hear with my eyes, feel with my ears, see with my breath, taste with my hands, and smell with my lips.

Two Birds, One Stoned Robot

This excerpt was taken from Spinner.com.  The statements were made by The Who’s Roger Daltrey.

“I think you have to go out and experience it. I don’t think music works particularly well on TV, especially rock music. Most of the festival stuff makes me want to puke. It’s wall-to-wall stuff and they (the artists) get very little money from it. Most of the mystique is taken away.”

Daltrey also took time to take aim at TV talent shows, knocking their knack for picking homogenized singers who suffer from lack of character.

He added, “They do pick very good singers but I don’t think they really understand what a great singer is. My criticism of those shows is that they generally pick good singers, but they are all backing singers and you would not know one from the other.”

In just a few paragraphs, I think Roger hit close to home for me.  Once upon a time, the road was the only way to share the music.  Yes, there were radio and records, but those often came second.  There’s much to be said for the way things used to be.

It is a digital age and though I too embrace that, it changes the musical scene entirely.  There are 10 times the bands, singers, and performers than there may ever have been.  The difference between professionals and amateurs is really moot at this point.  It would seem that fame is much easier to come by, but I agree with Robert that the quality of the present “fame”, as Roger put it, is lacking ‘character’.  Agree to disagree on whether that is a good or bad thing, but for someone like myself, I’m bored.

As for the live shows, I must admit that I am a fan of Paladia and the live shows they broadcast in HD.  I actually get to see some bands I might otherwise have never seen or heard of.  However, I am also aware that the number of people who would go to the local rock club on a chance they might see a great live band is dwindling.  Is this because of the internet?  Maybe.  Why spend $10 on a band you’ve never heard of when you can quickly rule them out within the click of a mouse?  If it’s a band you already know and like, is it worth the gas money and ticket price to experience it live?  Will bands one day go completely digital and only broadcast shows over the internet?  If it’s perfect singers and auto-tuned dance grooves we want the most, why not get rid of the artist entirely and let the robots do the walking and talking.

Tanning for Weight Loss

It has been an extra special weekend for me and the band.  We spent the entire day Saturday at some very visually stimulating locations in Baltimore, shooting some new photos.  We started in an old Mill factory, then on to an abandoned street car, and finally back to our house for some experimental images, involving a 50′s movie projector and our naked flesh.  We hydrated in the 90+ degree summer heat with healthy servings of a vodka/orange juice mix in a coffee thermos, along with the energy-saving 5-dollar footlong supremes.  We are now left with 2,000 raw images and empty bottles of vodka.  We’re sifting through them daily to bring you the cream of the crop for your viewing pleasure (the images, that is).

I should mention that our photographer for the weekend was Philadelphian Justin Durner.  Once upon a time, he was the guy in my English class in High School.  We’ve known each other for quite some time and thanks to Facebook, we’ve become reacquainted.  I discovered his passion and talent for photography and it made perfect sense to ask him hang with us for the weekend to create.  And create, we did!

In celebration of the holiday, we performed at the National Freedom Fest in DC on Sunday, July 3rd.  Unbeknownst to me, July 3rd would also be the hottest day this planet has ever witnessed.  In fact, I think the Sun actually had a third row ticket to our show.  Somehow, I managed to sidestep a hangover from the night before and survive the show with only minor heat rash on my arms.   Vitamin Water also saved us that day.

No Freedom Fest is complete without an isolated tropical storm.  The minute we closed the trailer doors after loading up our equipment, it started pouring rain and gusting winds strong enough to destroy the festival tents.  Though more bands were scheduled to take the stage well into the night, that festival was pretty much over within 5 minutes of that storm hitting.  Boy were we lucky!