Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Musician's Manifesto
My best advice for all you lazy young aspiring musician's, who sleep until noon, dreaming of being a rockstar one day...sleep in a little later, take it a little easier, and don't feel an ounce of bad for doing it. A time will come soon enough when life's demands have you running on empty and searching for the will power to stay the course. Long hours at work, sleepless nights with kids will happen, and you're going to need the extra rest that you won't get then. Aspiring, doctors, lawyers, etc. sacrifice countless hours of sleep, and social life to secure their future's in their chosen professions. This is not you, but when life happens, and you need to put your game face on and take the stage at less than one hundred percent, your fans won't be your fans very long if you can't find a way to get it done son. The world needs talented, hardworking, dedicated musicians. The world doesn't need musicians who can only be possessed by their egos instead of the drumbeat and thumping bass. When all those doctors, lawyers, etc. finally get a break to get out and spend their hard earned money on a cool band they heard about, playing at a local club, this is your chance rock them so hard they won't ever fucking forget it, this is how your success is measured, and maybe sell a few cd's. So rest up, dream big, then work hard and be ready...we're all counting on you!
Thursday, May 7, 2015
The Lego Solution
Managing multiples throughout the day is a true juggling act. Often the balls come crashing down and the circus tent with it. Working harder is a given, working smarter is a must.
As the twins have graduated to smaller legos, and the collection builds to insane proportions, I've found myself getting swallowed up in hours worth of building, teaching how to follow the instructions, and eventually just telling them to look at the pictures. This is the age of questions for my twins, and I mean a lot of questions. Kids, just like adults are visual learners. Out of one of my 'question induced headaches', I finally started working smarter toward a solution that will allow dad to get a break from the lego tractor beam(cuz I do love me some legos). Hopefully this can help any of you in a similar lego boat. It took all of ten minutes to make, hopefully you haven't thrown out those boxes with the cool pictures! So far it's worked, maybe one day we'll graduate to the hardcover edition!
As the twins have graduated to smaller legos, and the collection builds to insane proportions, I've found myself getting swallowed up in hours worth of building, teaching how to follow the instructions, and eventually just telling them to look at the pictures. This is the age of questions for my twins, and I mean a lot of questions. Kids, just like adults are visual learners. Out of one of my 'question induced headaches', I finally started working smarter toward a solution that will allow dad to get a break from the lego tractor beam(cuz I do love me some legos). Hopefully this can help any of you in a similar lego boat. It took all of ten minutes to make, hopefully you haven't thrown out those boxes with the cool pictures! So far it's worked, maybe one day we'll graduate to the hardcover edition!
Sunday, May 3, 2015
The Daily Californian
So April is over and you can all go back to eating red meat! Thanks for your support, I bet we shut down an In and Out for, well...okay even I cheated. I was in Minnesota, and I always eat a big greasy breakfast with corned beef hash when I go home,so that doesn't count, but I also ate some braised tri-tip I made for Tj-jr. I didn't want it to go to waste. The point being, everyone knows by now the insanity of the drought facing California and if you did any investigating, you would know how ridiculous it is. So again thanks for any support, I'm setting more realistic goals and taking the last two weeks of May off from red meat, instead of the whole month. I'll leave you with this fun fact.
20% of California's water goes to Alfalfa production. The majority of which is shipped off to...anyone? You guessed it! China!
20% of California's water goes to Alfalfa production. The majority of which is shipped off to...anyone? You guessed it! China!
Friday, April 17, 2015
Uncle John's Band
"It's the same story the crow told me, it's the only one he knows,
like the morning sun you come, like the wind you go,
ain't no time to hate, barely time to wait,
oh oh, all I want to know, where does the time go?"
- "Uncle John's Band" Grateful Dead.
It's been a fear I've dragged around for years that one day my extended family would need my help, at a time when I couldn't give it.
A few days ago my brother called and broke the news that our uncle John passed away from a heart attack at the age of forty-eight years old. A rock formed in my throat and the tears rushed up immediately. Growing up in Minnesota my uncle John was a central figure in my life and I can't imagine a kid having had a cooler guy for a playmate, sitter, big brother, etc...
Jon was into models, Star Trek, Star Wars, classic cars, you name it and he built a model of it. I used to sneak into his bedroom at Grandma and Grandpa's house when he was gone and play with Corvettes and fly the Enterprise around the room, until something broke. Then I would set it down and leave, but instead of getting in trouble when he found out, he would always just repair it and nothing else came of it. Jon was eleven years older than me and as he started growing into more grown up stuff, I marveled at how cool everything was that he was discovering. I remember after he got his first car, he purchased a siren that attached magnetically to the roof of the car. He took me along with him for a ride and before I knew it, the siren was blaring and we were scaring the shit out of kids all over South St. Paul. Then came the first fuzz buster I had ever seen, and now that I think back, everything in that car was like a new treasure to me. Not only did I hear my first Guns 'n' Roses and Beastie Boys cassettes in that car, but the very stereo systems and speakers they were played on became a new discovery. Jon was an electronics guy and he was constantly ripping out one system and replacing it with something different. The wires would be hanging out and I would hold the tape decks and examine all the parts.
When John enrolled in the military and left for Virginia, I lost my childhood hero and was pretty bummed. When he returned I was excited but things, as they always do, had changed. John had grown and found a relationship. Our lives often intermingled as I also grew and changed, and we still enjoyed each other's company. John had a big loving heart and never had anything but a smile to greet me with. When he was working as a security guard in the early nineties he brought home a big baby German Shepard one day. He was an intimidating looking guard dog except when he tried to bark all that would come out was a bunch of little squeaks. The security firm couldn't train him to play the role of mean doggie and from that day on, John and "Squeaks" were the epitome of man and his best friend.
As I grew and left home for college and eventually California, John and I saw each other only a few times, but as I think back, all I can remember was his smile and a hug before we said goodbye. Now that I no longer have you to hug uncle John, I'm left with some regret that I didn't see you more.
As I mentioned earlier, I've been dragging around a bag of fears for years that a time would come when my family would need my help, and I wouldn't be in a position to do so. That time has come. Uncle John and his big heart extended to his family, he cared for his sister, my aunt Anita. Without his support, the future is uncertain, and suddenly a fire was lit under my ass to do something about it.
For the last fifteen years I've been a struggling musician in so-cal. I'm in a band and I have a couple of albums out there in the world, but as of yet, it hasn't exactly brought home the bacon. I've written prolifically over the years and the notebooks of songs to-be-recorded have piled up in the garage, wondering if they will ever see the light. A few months ago I finally began typing up everything I thought worthy, in an attempt to create some organization in my music life. After I received the sad news, and the tears had finally subsided, I began, finally, dealing with the fear.
You have been a true angel in my life uncle John, and I'm sure it was your inspiration that sat me down at the keyboard and put my hands to work. In the last few days I've been typing, editing, and formatting, while my sons not-so-patiently for dad to pay attention to them. Seventy songs later, I'm happy and relieved to announce that I have published my first volume of songs in a book format. I need to step up and pick up where John left off and in an effort to do so, I'm donating a portion of every book sale to help care for my family. Here is the link, it is available on amazon and kindle. http://www.amazon.com/Tristan-Songs-Sad-Child-Luhrs-ebook/dp/B00WA8SGLA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429297689&sr=8-1&keywords=tristan+songs+of+the+sad
Thank you for the support. John, you've been a true angel in my life, rest always in peace, the world is a better place for having had you in it!
like the morning sun you come, like the wind you go,
ain't no time to hate, barely time to wait,
oh oh, all I want to know, where does the time go?"
- "Uncle John's Band" Grateful Dead.
It's been a fear I've dragged around for years that one day my extended family would need my help, at a time when I couldn't give it.
A few days ago my brother called and broke the news that our uncle John passed away from a heart attack at the age of forty-eight years old. A rock formed in my throat and the tears rushed up immediately. Growing up in Minnesota my uncle John was a central figure in my life and I can't imagine a kid having had a cooler guy for a playmate, sitter, big brother, etc...
Jon was into models, Star Trek, Star Wars, classic cars, you name it and he built a model of it. I used to sneak into his bedroom at Grandma and Grandpa's house when he was gone and play with Corvettes and fly the Enterprise around the room, until something broke. Then I would set it down and leave, but instead of getting in trouble when he found out, he would always just repair it and nothing else came of it. Jon was eleven years older than me and as he started growing into more grown up stuff, I marveled at how cool everything was that he was discovering. I remember after he got his first car, he purchased a siren that attached magnetically to the roof of the car. He took me along with him for a ride and before I knew it, the siren was blaring and we were scaring the shit out of kids all over South St. Paul. Then came the first fuzz buster I had ever seen, and now that I think back, everything in that car was like a new treasure to me. Not only did I hear my first Guns 'n' Roses and Beastie Boys cassettes in that car, but the very stereo systems and speakers they were played on became a new discovery. Jon was an electronics guy and he was constantly ripping out one system and replacing it with something different. The wires would be hanging out and I would hold the tape decks and examine all the parts.
When John enrolled in the military and left for Virginia, I lost my childhood hero and was pretty bummed. When he returned I was excited but things, as they always do, had changed. John had grown and found a relationship. Our lives often intermingled as I also grew and changed, and we still enjoyed each other's company. John had a big loving heart and never had anything but a smile to greet me with. When he was working as a security guard in the early nineties he brought home a big baby German Shepard one day. He was an intimidating looking guard dog except when he tried to bark all that would come out was a bunch of little squeaks. The security firm couldn't train him to play the role of mean doggie and from that day on, John and "Squeaks" were the epitome of man and his best friend.
As I grew and left home for college and eventually California, John and I saw each other only a few times, but as I think back, all I can remember was his smile and a hug before we said goodbye. Now that I no longer have you to hug uncle John, I'm left with some regret that I didn't see you more.
As I mentioned earlier, I've been dragging around a bag of fears for years that a time would come when my family would need my help, and I wouldn't be in a position to do so. That time has come. Uncle John and his big heart extended to his family, he cared for his sister, my aunt Anita. Without his support, the future is uncertain, and suddenly a fire was lit under my ass to do something about it.
For the last fifteen years I've been a struggling musician in so-cal. I'm in a band and I have a couple of albums out there in the world, but as of yet, it hasn't exactly brought home the bacon. I've written prolifically over the years and the notebooks of songs to-be-recorded have piled up in the garage, wondering if they will ever see the light. A few months ago I finally began typing up everything I thought worthy, in an attempt to create some organization in my music life. After I received the sad news, and the tears had finally subsided, I began, finally, dealing with the fear.
You have been a true angel in my life uncle John, and I'm sure it was your inspiration that sat me down at the keyboard and put my hands to work. In the last few days I've been typing, editing, and formatting, while my sons not-so-patiently for dad to pay attention to them. Seventy songs later, I'm happy and relieved to announce that I have published my first volume of songs in a book format. I need to step up and pick up where John left off and in an effort to do so, I'm donating a portion of every book sale to help care for my family. Here is the link, it is available on amazon and kindle. http://www.amazon.com/Tristan-Songs-Sad-Child-Luhrs-ebook/dp/B00WA8SGLA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429297689&sr=8-1&keywords=tristan+songs+of+the+sad
Thank you for the support. John, you've been a true angel in my life, rest always in peace, the world is a better place for having had you in it!
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
The Fighting Parents
I took a nap with my youngest son today. I wasn't the least bit tired, and both his mother and I got good sleep the night before. About half an hour into his nap the eczema woke him up and he was ripping apart the skin on his elbows and fingers with his eyes closed. I laid down with him and started our routine of grabbing whichever spot he goes for and massaging it with aquaphor, vaseline, cortisone, and every other thing natural or man derived. He would fall back to sleep for ten minutes and then start up again. After an hour or so of this I just started falling asleep and waking up with him.
After the twins woke up and the day kicked back into gear, I soon found myself bribing the twins with snacks, chocolate milk, and the i-pad. The deal was to let me off the hook from being dad for awhile because Tristan's eczema was running wild after nap time, and all my attention was directed toward putting the fires on his skin out.
It's not always like this, but these days mommy and I are put face to face with a reality that any loving parent probably doesn't want to deal with on a daily basis. That is the fact that you would forget yourself for your child's well being. I'm not trying to sound heroic though because it's an ugly process that happens the opposite of smoothly. My ego doesn't want to let me go. It wants me to feel sorry for myself, it wants more sleep, less stress.
My hands cramp, my shoulder aches. I've been doing this in my sleep for the last year plus. The massaging soothes him and sloughs off the dead skin. It's all about keeping the wounds cared for to avoid infection. When I reach my breaking point, after he ripped off the gauze, and starts crying because I start forcing his hands away from each other, I have to step away for a minute and let my neck unclench. I'm dehydrated, I didn't eat lunch, the house is a mess, but the itching won't stop.
When I walk back to the fight I see a new sight that makes my heart come crashing to a daily low point. He's moved off to the corner and he's hiding his hands from me so I can't see him scratching.
I need to write because I'm a writer, I need to golf because I'm a golfer, I want to drink because I'm a drinker. I need to relax because my nerves are fraying. I grab a glass of water and decide to fill up the pool outside in the hope that it will distract him. His discomfort becomes my energy, we'll get him through this...it's just a tough fight.
After the twins woke up and the day kicked back into gear, I soon found myself bribing the twins with snacks, chocolate milk, and the i-pad. The deal was to let me off the hook from being dad for awhile because Tristan's eczema was running wild after nap time, and all my attention was directed toward putting the fires on his skin out.
It's not always like this, but these days mommy and I are put face to face with a reality that any loving parent probably doesn't want to deal with on a daily basis. That is the fact that you would forget yourself for your child's well being. I'm not trying to sound heroic though because it's an ugly process that happens the opposite of smoothly. My ego doesn't want to let me go. It wants me to feel sorry for myself, it wants more sleep, less stress.
My hands cramp, my shoulder aches. I've been doing this in my sleep for the last year plus. The massaging soothes him and sloughs off the dead skin. It's all about keeping the wounds cared for to avoid infection. When I reach my breaking point, after he ripped off the gauze, and starts crying because I start forcing his hands away from each other, I have to step away for a minute and let my neck unclench. I'm dehydrated, I didn't eat lunch, the house is a mess, but the itching won't stop.
When I walk back to the fight I see a new sight that makes my heart come crashing to a daily low point. He's moved off to the corner and he's hiding his hands from me so I can't see him scratching.
I need to write because I'm a writer, I need to golf because I'm a golfer, I want to drink because I'm a drinker. I need to relax because my nerves are fraying. I grab a glass of water and decide to fill up the pool outside in the hope that it will distract him. His discomfort becomes my energy, we'll get him through this...it's just a tough fight.
Saturday, April 4, 2015
April is End the Drought Month!
Make no mistake, I'm a meat guy. There are few who walk the planet that appreciate a cheeseburger in paradise more than me. The fact is that paradise is in deep shit and if we don't wise up quick a hard rain is gonna fall. I don't mean the kind of rain you can drink.
As California heads into it's fourth year of extreme drought it's time to face up to the truth. Forget global warming, and forget nature all together. All you have to do is drive around in a circle for a few miles and count how many burger joints you see.
Mc Donald's(oh wait that's not real beef)
Carl's Jr.
Burger Lounge
Smash Burger
Five Guys...and many more. Now do the math. Every half-pound of beef produced requires about a thousand gallons of water to nourish, slaughter, and put that cow in your watering mouth. Almonds are another killer. Did you know it takes more water to feed California's annual almond crop than L.A., San Francisco, and San Diego drink in a year, COMBINED! Not only that but most of the crop is shipped out of state. Google it.
Last week our illustrious incumbent old fogie Jerry Brown signed a water reduction plan into effect. The changes are coming but we residents are going to get squeezed while business as usual continues in this desert. Residents use a fraction of the water compared to Cattle and agriculture. It's unsustainable and as a concerned father and citizen I'm taking action.
I'm allergic to almonds so no worries there. I'm swearing off beef for the month of April. It's been four days, and guess what...no cows here! Please pass this message on and help the cause. I'm not asking you to hug a tree or buy an electric car. Just stick a fish fillet between that bun for awhile!
As California heads into it's fourth year of extreme drought it's time to face up to the truth. Forget global warming, and forget nature all together. All you have to do is drive around in a circle for a few miles and count how many burger joints you see.
Mc Donald's(oh wait that's not real beef)
Carl's Jr.
Burger Lounge
Smash Burger
Five Guys...and many more. Now do the math. Every half-pound of beef produced requires about a thousand gallons of water to nourish, slaughter, and put that cow in your watering mouth. Almonds are another killer. Did you know it takes more water to feed California's annual almond crop than L.A., San Francisco, and San Diego drink in a year, COMBINED! Not only that but most of the crop is shipped out of state. Google it.
Last week our illustrious incumbent old fogie Jerry Brown signed a water reduction plan into effect. The changes are coming but we residents are going to get squeezed while business as usual continues in this desert. Residents use a fraction of the water compared to Cattle and agriculture. It's unsustainable and as a concerned father and citizen I'm taking action.
I'm allergic to almonds so no worries there. I'm swearing off beef for the month of April. It's been four days, and guess what...no cows here! Please pass this message on and help the cause. I'm not asking you to hug a tree or buy an electric car. Just stick a fish fillet between that bun for awhile!
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Thursday's Thriller
Attention residents. Due to the enormous volume of constant snack requests, Rockstardaddy Daycare has established new and permanent feeding times. Please note this is only temporary until hair loss slows down and blood pressure levels normalize. Refer to the snickering superman clock for appropriate times! Thursday, March 19, 2015
Meat Free Month! Join Me In Ending the Drought!
Hey gang, not sure how well you've been keeping up with the status of our California drought but let me update you. Basically the situation has gone from bad to worse and according to recently published NASA reports, we are down to about a year's worth of water in the major resevoirs. What is worse is that during the last few years of drought the central valley has been pumping so much water from the ground that it is sinking a foot per year!
It's not what it seems though and I'm not trying to preach that you should stop washing your car or let your lawn die. 80% of the water in the state is used by agriculture and the cattle industry! http://www.takepart.com/photos/incredible-ways-skipping-meat-can-change-world/saving-water-whole-lot-water . Articles like this one tell the whole story in a few simple facts. it takes over a thousand gallons of water to produce a half-pound burger's worth of meat. It's ridiculous and we need to change. Half of the country's water goes to beef production.
As a concerned citizen and parent I'm declaring April as Meat Free Month. Please join me. It's good for your inner and outer environment and you will truly be making a difference. Share my blog post around if you believe in this cause. In addition, each week I will post a new non-meat meal recipe I've been working on in Rockstardaddy Kitchen. Rock On!
It's not what it seems though and I'm not trying to preach that you should stop washing your car or let your lawn die. 80% of the water in the state is used by agriculture and the cattle industry! http://www.takepart.com/photos/incredible-ways-skipping-meat-can-change-world/saving-water-whole-lot-water . Articles like this one tell the whole story in a few simple facts. it takes over a thousand gallons of water to produce a half-pound burger's worth of meat. It's ridiculous and we need to change. Half of the country's water goes to beef production.
As a concerned citizen and parent I'm declaring April as Meat Free Month. Please join me. It's good for your inner and outer environment and you will truly be making a difference. Share my blog post around if you believe in this cause. In addition, each week I will post a new non-meat meal recipe I've been working on in Rockstardaddy Kitchen. Rock On!
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Tuesday's Tales
The boys were enjoying lunch time when Isaac said he wanted some of Tristan's Japanese brown rice. After he started eating his own bowl I asked him if it was good.
Isaac: "Yeah it's so good it tastes like real Japanese."
Isaac: "Yeah it's so good it tastes like real Japanese."
Monday, March 16, 2015
Drought Proof Culinary
Homemade sauce is easy, goggle it, google it, whatev's. I also wouldn't dare to tell you what to top your pizza with...but the crust...well sure!
In this drought stricken desert we live in it is more important than ever to be water wary. I live in California where the surface and groundwater are at extreme lows and NASA scientists are saying we are on the brink of disaster, as in screwed. Sure it is important for all of us to save water at home but the fact is that agriculture and the cattle industry account for eighty percent of the water consumed in the state. So what is my point?
We are facing a new way of living soon as humans, it's kind of like the old way. When there isn't enough water to sustain the cattle and produce industry anymore what will we do?
The answer is I have no clue, but this crust is a blend of four different types of flour which provide a day's worth of nutrition, as opposed to regular wheat flour. If we can cut down on our trips to In and Out, maybe we can help take a step toward sustainable living. If not In and Out won't be there anymore anyway. Stay thirsty my friends, just not too thirsty!
Homemade Pizza Crust: 1 cup AP flour, 1/3 cup brown rice flour, 1/3 cup quinoa flour, 1/3 cup sorghum flour. Throw a few pinches of salt and sugar in your mixing bowl along with two tablespoons of REAL extra virgin olive oil and two tablespoons of active dry yeast. Hopefully you have a mixer with a dough hook, if not it's a good forearm workout. Slowly add a cup of warm water while mixing until all ingredients are firmly sticking together. Work it into a ball and set it in a covered bowl until the ball doubles in size. Punch it back down to a ball and wrap it in plastic wrap. I leave it in the refrigerator for a half hour. Spread a tablespoon of flour on a large cutting board and roll out the crust to your desired size and thickness. Bake the crust for two minutes at 375deg., remove, and pile your delicious toppings on. The three different flours provide a triple punch of protein that can replace red meat, and the flavor...bella!
In this drought stricken desert we live in it is more important than ever to be water wary. I live in California where the surface and groundwater are at extreme lows and NASA scientists are saying we are on the brink of disaster, as in screwed. Sure it is important for all of us to save water at home but the fact is that agriculture and the cattle industry account for eighty percent of the water consumed in the state. So what is my point?
We are facing a new way of living soon as humans, it's kind of like the old way. When there isn't enough water to sustain the cattle and produce industry anymore what will we do?
The answer is I have no clue, but this crust is a blend of four different types of flour which provide a day's worth of nutrition, as opposed to regular wheat flour. If we can cut down on our trips to In and Out, maybe we can help take a step toward sustainable living. If not In and Out won't be there anymore anyway. Stay thirsty my friends, just not too thirsty!
Homemade Pizza Crust: 1 cup AP flour, 1/3 cup brown rice flour, 1/3 cup quinoa flour, 1/3 cup sorghum flour. Throw a few pinches of salt and sugar in your mixing bowl along with two tablespoons of REAL extra virgin olive oil and two tablespoons of active dry yeast. Hopefully you have a mixer with a dough hook, if not it's a good forearm workout. Slowly add a cup of warm water while mixing until all ingredients are firmly sticking together. Work it into a ball and set it in a covered bowl until the ball doubles in size. Punch it back down to a ball and wrap it in plastic wrap. I leave it in the refrigerator for a half hour. Spread a tablespoon of flour on a large cutting board and roll out the crust to your desired size and thickness. Bake the crust for two minutes at 375deg., remove, and pile your delicious toppings on. The three different flours provide a triple punch of protein that can replace red meat, and the flavor...bella!
Thursday, March 5, 2015
The Rebel Variety Hour at "Spike Africa's".
To be perfectly honest, it ended as quietly as it started. There was some warm applause, some tips, and smiles, all very nice and super appreciated, but always falling a little shy of a musicians hopes. It was the middle that was the intense part. The middle was the wild roller coaster ride that was my band mates and my nine month residency as the house band for "Spike Africa's Fresh Fish Grill and Bar".
Recently the management has decided to scale back the live music to special occasions. I understand the decision and agree with it. The downtown beast is a tricky one to figure out and quite often the waxing and waning business doesn't merit having a band. I know personally from years of waiting tables in the Gaslamp, it can be frustrating. Of course as a player my instinct is always to play until the coach says it's time to take a blow, so from that stand point, i'm sad to not be playing there almost every weekend. Now that i've had a few days to rest up and reflect, which means a few moments for Rockstardaddy Daycare, i'm relieved for the break. The band has alot of big gigs coming up and an insanely cool album to finish. Exciting times are upon us San Diego rockin' rebels, I just want to take a moment and share some memories from what was the single most growth inspiring year in my life as a performing musician.
What really made it special was how it was pulled off and the challenge was met. The resulting growth was the gravy, I personally like the sweat and the search. You see the band, the "Country Rockin' Rebels" in all our rebel splendor, are a six piece rock, country, blues spectacle. We gots it all from screaming electric, bluesy slide, fiddle and pedal steel. But we can't fit as a six piece into the smaller venue, and with everybody's individual schedules we had to do some inventing to fill the almost thirty shows we played there.
We played as everything from a five piece, four piece(with and without bass), three man and two man acoustic, to just me and a guitar. We added covers from every genre and debuted originals on the crowd to fill the three and a half hour time slot. The actual slot was three hours but when we got the Saturday night crowd rockin', we emptied out the catalog on them. In my own romantic mind it was my chance to play the role of Jon Coltrane or Miles Davis and lead a group of talented instrumentalists through a few hours of improvisational riffing and soloing against a backdrop of American music history101, rebel style!
We developed new dynamics amidst our shuffling line-up. New tempos, inflections, approaches, etc.We discussed it over beer battered mahi and oh so many delicious, local micro-brews! They treated us well and we responded. The passing throngs of downtown night life would look into the window and watch us jamming. It seemed our personality was different for every different passerby who would look in. We took the opportunity and ran with it and now all that's left to say is thank you. I want to give my most humble thanks to Rob, Gordon, Tony, Blaine and of course the ring leader Mr. Alex Fernandez. To all the players involved, Mr. Michael Head, the man with the magic wand, Steve the "Tomahawk" Tahmahkera, Mark the "L.A. Slide" Eppler, Teddy "Strings" Stern, Tony the "Sandman" Sandoval. Of course to all us players families and friends for all you do for us musicians. And of course a giant thanks for the support from the staff of "Spikes"...I leave you all with a line from one of my own.
"When i'm going downtown babe, you give a frown to me. I say jump in the back you can come along, enjoy a ride for free." -Indian Wind.
Recently the management has decided to scale back the live music to special occasions. I understand the decision and agree with it. The downtown beast is a tricky one to figure out and quite often the waxing and waning business doesn't merit having a band. I know personally from years of waiting tables in the Gaslamp, it can be frustrating. Of course as a player my instinct is always to play until the coach says it's time to take a blow, so from that stand point, i'm sad to not be playing there almost every weekend. Now that i've had a few days to rest up and reflect, which means a few moments for Rockstardaddy Daycare, i'm relieved for the break. The band has alot of big gigs coming up and an insanely cool album to finish. Exciting times are upon us San Diego rockin' rebels, I just want to take a moment and share some memories from what was the single most growth inspiring year in my life as a performing musician.
What really made it special was how it was pulled off and the challenge was met. The resulting growth was the gravy, I personally like the sweat and the search. You see the band, the "Country Rockin' Rebels" in all our rebel splendor, are a six piece rock, country, blues spectacle. We gots it all from screaming electric, bluesy slide, fiddle and pedal steel. But we can't fit as a six piece into the smaller venue, and with everybody's individual schedules we had to do some inventing to fill the almost thirty shows we played there.We played as everything from a five piece, four piece(with and without bass), three man and two man acoustic, to just me and a guitar. We added covers from every genre and debuted originals on the crowd to fill the three and a half hour time slot. The actual slot was three hours but when we got the Saturday night crowd rockin', we emptied out the catalog on them. In my own romantic mind it was my chance to play the role of Jon Coltrane or Miles Davis and lead a group of talented instrumentalists through a few hours of improvisational riffing and soloing against a backdrop of American music history101, rebel style!
"When i'm going downtown babe, you give a frown to me. I say jump in the back you can come along, enjoy a ride for free." -Indian Wind.
Thursday, February 12, 2015
The Daily Slash
www.rockstardaddydaycare.com
I'm not gonna lie. My hand gets tired. My mind gets tired. It gets a bit out of control. Once it catches his eye it's game over. Evan has taken a temporary departure from Led Zeppelin(it can always only be temporary with Zep, you always go back). Now it's on to Guns and Roses. In one day he will produce thirty different drawings of Axl, Slash, Duff, Izzy, and who's the other guy? I don't know either and that's what I keep telling him, but he must know. His mother and I have to separate him from a crayon and piece of paper, kicking and screaming, at bedtime. Whoa oh oh Sweet child o mine...but where do we go now?
I'm not gonna lie. My hand gets tired. My mind gets tired. It gets a bit out of control. Once it catches his eye it's game over. Evan has taken a temporary departure from Led Zeppelin(it can always only be temporary with Zep, you always go back). Now it's on to Guns and Roses. In one day he will produce thirty different drawings of Axl, Slash, Duff, Izzy, and who's the other guy? I don't know either and that's what I keep telling him, but he must know. His mother and I have to separate him from a crayon and piece of paper, kicking and screaming, at bedtime. Whoa oh oh Sweet child o mine...but where do we go now?Sunday, February 1, 2015
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Monday, January 26, 2015
Monday's Mutterings
Up at mema and papa Jim's place yesterday, mema took the boys out back to see the chickens...
Mema: Do you boys remember their names?
Isaac: Bonnie and Etta.
Mema: That's right.
Evan: I call them chicken nuggets.
Mema: Do you boys remember their names?
Isaac: Bonnie and Etta.
Mema: That's right.
Evan: I call them chicken nuggets.
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Happy 80th Birthday Elvis!
"I was born in 77' the year that Elvis died,
I picked up a guitar while everybody cried,
and started singing "Love Me Tender", "It's Now or Never",
and "Always On My Mind",
the spirit of the king, just sort of leapt right into mine." -"The Man In Blue". -by Me. (From the"Country Rockin' Rebels" album)
Growing up in Minnesota I was spoon fed a steady diet of 60's and 70's rock by two young parents. Springsteen, Zep, Doors, Who, Floyd, etc.. Jimi Hendrix is in my opinion the greatest musician to walk the planet, although i'm pretty sure he was an alien. The Doors are my favorite band, and if you wanted to tell me that Chuck Berry is the king of rock'n'roll, I wouldn't argue with you.But when I think of the first time the hair stood up on my neck and arms, and I knew I wanted to be like 'that guy', it was the first time I saw Elvis singing "Hound Dog" on the Ed Sullivan Show, thirty years after he did it. The raw energy, attitude, confidence, moves, looks, and above all things...that voice!
With all due respect Sinatra, Michael Jackson, James Brown, Madonna, Whitney and the rest are in the same mountain range as Elvis, but he is the insurmountable Everest of all things music. There will never be another. In an age where youtube and American Idol can produce stars like an assembly line the magnitude of Elvis' presence only grows. The internet era puts us one yahoo search away from famous footage of the King, to tons of rare performances that put the greatest song and dance man on display to see for ourselves. All three of my sons have become Elvis addicts, even over Bruno Mars and Barney. If you happen to see my band playing around San Diego, you are guaranteed at least one Elvis tune, should you shout a request for the King. He made it look, sound, and feel natural because for him...It was. Happy 80th birthday Elvis, long live the King!
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
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