After an exhuastive research endeavor at the Entermazement Labratories, I have come up with an inovation to dampen the sound coming out of my Fender Blues Junior Guitar Amplifer.
Don't let the name fool you. It can still get pretty dang loud.
It is a tube amplifer. With tube amps you tend to get a better tone by turning them up at least a little bit.
I am using a dampening device that has polyester fibers tightly meshed into a flexible rubber backing. I place the fiber side towards the speaker & prop it up with the vocal mic stand.
It is hard to tell from the stage but it seems to be doing the job.
Another great thing about this device is that it also works well as the passenger side floor mat on my truck.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Friday, September 22, 2006
Warm WInd
If you hadn't noticed, It is pretty dang windy today. Not the cool breeze you would hope for at this time of year either.
Yesterday, I stopped by Bennos on the Seawall to get a Fish Poboy & the wind was coming in from the water pretty strong. It was sunny and not alot of clouds but all of the sudden it started pouring down rain. I have most of my stuff that really can't get wet in the front of the truck but I do keep the PA speakers and a my bass amp in the back but I put them in 55 Gallon Trash bags. I just slip the bags over the speakers & then I put a plywood sign over that. I specifically made it to use as a cover and a sign both.
I still don't like the thought of anything getting wet so I keep a Tarp in the truck also incase it is really bad. I ran out and started putting the tarp over everything and by the time I was done, It had stopped raining.
It tured out that one of the guys working in the kitchen was one of the dudes that I wrote about in my blog a couple of weeks ago that had come in late to Whiskys Pub. I think his name is Marino. He is a musician also and has a gig at the Balanese Room tonight.
It was good Po-boy. I was really just trying to order the sandwich but I guess it normally comes with French Fries, Cole Slaw, & Hush Puppies so I guess I got my carbos for the day in one meal.
On my way out to Galveston yesterday, I stopped by Rock Romano's Red Shack Recording Studio and picked up my CD. He had done kind of a Budget Remaster & eliminated some of the hissing noises, Cleaned up the begining and endings of songs & Did some minor EQ adjustments & took out some of the real low end bass. He also adjusted the levels of all the songs so that they are equally hot. The other thing I wanted to do was change the order of the songs on the CD so that there was a little more variation between tracks. I had all the slow ones togeather last time & I realized it needed to be changed.
It is mostly stuff that most people wont notice but it really does make the CD easier to listen to as a whole & I am really happy with it. There are a couple of songs in particular that it really made a huge improvement. Particularly the cover of "Wi nd Cri es M ary" It had a lot of hissing noise and he took it out using his super computer Pro Tools Skills.
I am not going to put Rock's name on the CD credits when I get more copies made and make a new CD Insert. It would look good to have the name of a known reputable studio on there but it is not really fair to Rock since he was doing just a couple of hours work & not really dong what would be considered "Mastering" the CD & it would not reflect what he could do on a proper budget.
I had given him the Green light to do 2 hours work on it and use his own judgement on what to do instead of me sitting down with him and doing it with him since I figured with the limited time, I would probably end up getting in the way and not much would get done. I am pretty sure he spent alot more time than 2 hours on it since I know just listening to the CD just one time would take up about half an hour alone. He did me a favor and I definitely owe him for that.
Thanks Mr. Romano, You Rock!
Yesterday, I stopped by Bennos on the Seawall to get a Fish Poboy & the wind was coming in from the water pretty strong. It was sunny and not alot of clouds but all of the sudden it started pouring down rain. I have most of my stuff that really can't get wet in the front of the truck but I do keep the PA speakers and a my bass amp in the back but I put them in 55 Gallon Trash bags. I just slip the bags over the speakers & then I put a plywood sign over that. I specifically made it to use as a cover and a sign both.
I still don't like the thought of anything getting wet so I keep a Tarp in the truck also incase it is really bad. I ran out and started putting the tarp over everything and by the time I was done, It had stopped raining.
It tured out that one of the guys working in the kitchen was one of the dudes that I wrote about in my blog a couple of weeks ago that had come in late to Whiskys Pub. I think his name is Marino. He is a musician also and has a gig at the Balanese Room tonight.
It was good Po-boy. I was really just trying to order the sandwich but I guess it normally comes with French Fries, Cole Slaw, & Hush Puppies so I guess I got my carbos for the day in one meal.
On my way out to Galveston yesterday, I stopped by Rock Romano's Red Shack Recording Studio and picked up my CD. He had done kind of a Budget Remaster & eliminated some of the hissing noises, Cleaned up the begining and endings of songs & Did some minor EQ adjustments & took out some of the real low end bass. He also adjusted the levels of all the songs so that they are equally hot. The other thing I wanted to do was change the order of the songs on the CD so that there was a little more variation between tracks. I had all the slow ones togeather last time & I realized it needed to be changed.
It is mostly stuff that most people wont notice but it really does make the CD easier to listen to as a whole & I am really happy with it. There are a couple of songs in particular that it really made a huge improvement. Particularly the cover of "Wi nd Cri es M ary" It had a lot of hissing noise and he took it out using his super computer Pro Tools Skills.
I am not going to put Rock's name on the CD credits when I get more copies made and make a new CD Insert. It would look good to have the name of a known reputable studio on there but it is not really fair to Rock since he was doing just a couple of hours work & not really dong what would be considered "Mastering" the CD & it would not reflect what he could do on a proper budget.
I had given him the Green light to do 2 hours work on it and use his own judgement on what to do instead of me sitting down with him and doing it with him since I figured with the limited time, I would probably end up getting in the way and not much would get done. I am pretty sure he spent alot more time than 2 hours on it since I know just listening to the CD just one time would take up about half an hour alone. He did me a favor and I definitely owe him for that.
Thanks Mr. Romano, You Rock!
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Smile
For the past couple of weeks, I have been video taping my shows. I was originally thinking of making a video presentation tape to try to use as promotional propaganda.
I bought the video camera when I fisrt strated the one man band but I didn't like the sound quality of the microphone. It was the cheapest one they had at Wal-Mart. It uses the smaller VCR tapes. The biggest problem is that it didn't seem to pick up the bass guitar sound.
I figured out recently that I could run the sound out wire through my mixer and then into the VCR & that does improve the sound quality a little bit. I can EQ it a little & take out some of the high end sounds & kick up also turn up the bass end a little. I am also placeing the camera closer to the bass amp so that it picks it up better. It would be nice if it had a Microphone input so I could hook up a better mic. One that is designed to capture sounds from the entire room.
It is a little more work to haul one more piece of equipent, set it up, and change the tape but it is very helpful to actually watch the tape & see/hear things from a different perspective.
I just wanted to keep you up to date on the lastest scientific methods here at Enermazement Management, Inc.
Happy Trails (to you)
I bought the video camera when I fisrt strated the one man band but I didn't like the sound quality of the microphone. It was the cheapest one they had at Wal-Mart. It uses the smaller VCR tapes. The biggest problem is that it didn't seem to pick up the bass guitar sound.
I figured out recently that I could run the sound out wire through my mixer and then into the VCR & that does improve the sound quality a little bit. I can EQ it a little & take out some of the high end sounds & kick up also turn up the bass end a little. I am also placeing the camera closer to the bass amp so that it picks it up better. It would be nice if it had a Microphone input so I could hook up a better mic. One that is designed to capture sounds from the entire room.
It is a little more work to haul one more piece of equipent, set it up, and change the tape but it is very helpful to actually watch the tape & see/hear things from a different perspective.
I just wanted to keep you up to date on the lastest scientific methods here at Enermazement Management, Inc.
Happy Trails (to you)
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Week Number 12
Well, Next week will be my 13th week playing the Sunday gig at the Gravity Bar in Galveston. We are kind of taking it week by week to see how it goes but it has lasted longer than I originally expected.
Today was kind of wierd though. I was out in front of the Gravity Bar putting up a "Live Blues" sign and a dude walked up and told me that it was a violation of the Sign Ordinance & I could't put it up. I asked him in what capacity he was telling me that & he said he owned two businesses on the Strand & one of them is a club down the street. He said a group of business owners had complained to the city and I was going to get cited. I told him that since he was the only one talking to me about it that it looked like he was the only one that had complained. He said that the sign didn't fit in and looked bad, etc. I wasn't feeling like really getting into it with him so I didn't confront him with the fact that his bar also features live music at the same time as my gig.
Wierd thing #2: There was another bar down the street (going east) that was having some kind of Bike Run. Not Motorcycles but actual bicycles. They got a group of people togeather and rode from bar to bar along the strand and surrounding area and stayed at each place for a little bit and then moved on. They had very loud whistles that they were blowing as they rode down the streeet. The Gravity Bar wias the last stop and when they got there they were pretty well liquored up & were very loud and were also blowing the whistles inside the bar. The whistles were peircingly loud table by table everybody else (all the paying customers) that was there before they came in, basically exited the bar. Several of the people in the bicycle group were wearing T-Shirts from the bar down the street & It almost seemed like a scene from Cheers where the poeple from Garys bar were visiting. There was this one guy in particular that was extremely rude. I remember thinking that he was the single rudest customer I had ever seen at a bar since I started playing live music. He was coming up by the stage and holding his hands over his ears and making a face and saying something about how my harmonica was too loud. The wierd thing about that was that it was about a tenth as loud as the whistles they had. After they cleared out the bar & were leaving, the one rude dude came right up to me and yelled a derogatory comment at me at the top of his lungs. He had been drinking but I had really had enough of his crap & I just looked right at him & I think he picked up that I wasn't going to take any more shit & he turned and walked out the door. I later found out that this dude was the owner of the bar sponsoring the bike run thing. His bar is called Poor Michaels. What an Asshole. I don't know what he was pissed about. Maybe it is becuase I was playing blues music & his club is supposed to be a blues bar. There is no possible way that a guy who owns a blues bar could possibly be a cool guy if he is out harrassing blues musicians just because they are playing at a bar down the street.
I really am amazed that on the same day, the actual owners of the two closest bars on strand street that feature live music both gave me shit & in such a direct way.
I guess it is thier way of letting me know that they have noticed that my gig has gone well. Thanks Guys.
Still, The whole thing seemed very strange. People are funny animals.
Today was kind of wierd though. I was out in front of the Gravity Bar putting up a "Live Blues" sign and a dude walked up and told me that it was a violation of the Sign Ordinance & I could't put it up. I asked him in what capacity he was telling me that & he said he owned two businesses on the Strand & one of them is a club down the street. He said a group of business owners had complained to the city and I was going to get cited. I told him that since he was the only one talking to me about it that it looked like he was the only one that had complained. He said that the sign didn't fit in and looked bad, etc. I wasn't feeling like really getting into it with him so I didn't confront him with the fact that his bar also features live music at the same time as my gig.
Wierd thing #2: There was another bar down the street (going east) that was having some kind of Bike Run. Not Motorcycles but actual bicycles. They got a group of people togeather and rode from bar to bar along the strand and surrounding area and stayed at each place for a little bit and then moved on. They had very loud whistles that they were blowing as they rode down the streeet. The Gravity Bar wias the last stop and when they got there they were pretty well liquored up & were very loud and were also blowing the whistles inside the bar. The whistles were peircingly loud table by table everybody else (all the paying customers) that was there before they came in, basically exited the bar. Several of the people in the bicycle group were wearing T-Shirts from the bar down the street & It almost seemed like a scene from Cheers where the poeple from Garys bar were visiting. There was this one guy in particular that was extremely rude. I remember thinking that he was the single rudest customer I had ever seen at a bar since I started playing live music. He was coming up by the stage and holding his hands over his ears and making a face and saying something about how my harmonica was too loud. The wierd thing about that was that it was about a tenth as loud as the whistles they had. After they cleared out the bar & were leaving, the one rude dude came right up to me and yelled a derogatory comment at me at the top of his lungs. He had been drinking but I had really had enough of his crap & I just looked right at him & I think he picked up that I wasn't going to take any more shit & he turned and walked out the door. I later found out that this dude was the owner of the bar sponsoring the bike run thing. His bar is called Poor Michaels. What an Asshole. I don't know what he was pissed about. Maybe it is becuase I was playing blues music & his club is supposed to be a blues bar. There is no possible way that a guy who owns a blues bar could possibly be a cool guy if he is out harrassing blues musicians just because they are playing at a bar down the street.
I really am amazed that on the same day, the actual owners of the two closest bars on strand street that feature live music both gave me shit & in such a direct way.
I guess it is thier way of letting me know that they have noticed that my gig has gone well. Thanks Guys.
Still, The whole thing seemed very strange. People are funny animals.
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Really, Why the hell not?
http://www.kinkyfriedman.com/I have noticed that Just in time for the November Elections, Gas Prices are Going Down & The Stock Market is at near an all time high.
I have made it a point to stay out of discussing politics lately but I can't see a good reason not to vote for this dude.
What better endorsement could you need than Willie Nelson.
Unless of course you are a terrorist.
Monday, September 11, 2006
Mose Allison
My friend Eddy gave me a CD yesterday when I played a the Gravity Bar. It was an extremely nice gesture.
I got a chance to listen to alot of it on the drive home from Gavleston & it is some pretty cool stuff.
Here is a link where you can hear parts of the songs on that same CD:
http://www.amazon.com/Allison-Wonderland-Anthology-Mose/dp/samples/B0000033AH/ref=dp_tracks_all_1/104-7534978-1738336?ie=UTF8#disc_1
Mose plays piano and does the vocals. It is some good music. Eddy told me he really like the lyrics and I agree.
I had to listen close to tell excatly what it was but he has this thing he does where he kind of scats along with the piano riffs but it is kind of like a growl (sort of) & is not real loud but it sounds cool as hell.
I looked at his discogrophy page and it looks like he has been recording since 1988.
Check him out for your own self.
If you like it, then you might be hip.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Zildjian
Howdy,
I was out last night to put up some flyers at the Vintage Bar for the show there Next Week. I was kind of excited to see that Hamilton Loomis is going to be doing a show there October 19th. I don't know Hamilton but I used to have his first tape which I won by being the right caller during a blues program on KPFT about 10 years ago.
It would be cool to see him in a setting like the Vintage Bar.
After that I had another errand to run and was driving by the Big Easy and saw Jeremiah Johnson's Truck parked out there so I snapped that it his regular night to play ther so I stopped in but they were just going on break. He has a guitar player and a Bass player plus him on acoustic guitar also & they are doing a sort of unplugged thing. I hung around and chatted with the band and waited till they went back on and listened to about 5 songs. It was good music & it always relaxes me to hear good live music. Jeremiah used to host a blues jam out in the Katy area at Einstiens and I went to it almost every Sunday night for about a year. It was good to see what he is up too and as I told him last night, He does good at what ever setting he decides to use. He does alot of good original tunes & he has one in particular that was very good. I don't remember what the tune was called but it was about what someone feels like after they kill someone. It was sort of a country sounding song ala Thunder Road but has a mix of alternative rock with the vocal riffs also. I am going to have to make it over there when I have more time so I can kick back and relax & listen to more of the show.
Today, I stopped by my local Katy area H&H Music store and was very upset to see that it is closing down. They got bought out and they told me that there is a very good chance that it will re-open after the liquidation.
I went in to get some picks and was planning to get two packages which cost about $4 with the starving musician discount. Most of the inventory is already gone so I had to look around and check the sale prices. I looked for a bass amp & also PA Equipment but most of it was gone. I found the 18" Zildjian symbol that I had been eyeing for the past year. It is a 200 & something dollar item (retail) & they had it for just over a hundred so I had to buy it. I really didn't have the money but I just couldn't pass on it.
I is very excited.
I am now going to go home for lunch and see what it sounds like. I would like to get a chance to practice with it a little before playing at Whiskys Pub in Galveston tomorrow but it really won't matter since I am used to hitting the 14" Zildjian Symbol that I alrleady have. I am sure that it is going to sound great.
The biggest thing I need to figure out is what configuration to use. I may just substitute it for the 14" symbol or if it sounds good enough, I might try using it with my drum stick contraption that I wrote about here a month or so back.
Or just come to a show this month and you can see for yourself. I have been playing alot in Galveston lateley but I do have some September Shows in Houston Also. The Vintage Bar on Thursday the 14th and The Stagshead Pub on Saturday the 23rd. Or come on out to Galveston on Sunday Afternoon and check out the Gravity Bar on the Strand or if you are out on a Thursday, I will be at Whiskys Pub tomorrow & then again in two weeks. Check the schedule on my website. If a gig gets cancelled, I will update it there.
So as Marvin Zindler always says, Good Golf, Good Tennis, or Whatever makes you happy!
Monday, September 04, 2006
Gus the Fireman
After about 10 Sundays in a row at the Gravity Bar, I am starting to get familiar with some of the vendors & artists that work on the Galveston Strand every Sunday afternoon. They probably work out there alot of other days but I am only there on Sundays.
There is one guy who does characatures that always will swing by while I am playing and say hello. The "stage" area where I play is near the entrance and the entryway. There is a metal hand rail type devider. He usually comes up there and leans on the rail and gives a smile and a wave.
There is another guy who lives in an apartment up above the Bar & he sells his art right on the sidewalk. He just leans it on the building near the entrance of his apartment. I don't talk to him that much but he says hello and we have chatted a couple of times. One time his painting fell over and I picked it up & he seemed to appreciate that.
There is another guy who is a bass player that lives up in an apartment. He is usually sitting out on a bench at some point and we chat a little but it is his home so I try not to invade his space too much. He has come in and listend to me play and also come by Whiskys Pub also.
There are also the people that give the horse carriage rides. I have chatted with some of them usually about how business is.
The one guy that I have talked to the most is an old feller & a nice guy. He just sets up on the sidewalk and paints and sells his work. He smokes a pipe and has some pretty thick lenses on his glasses.
Since I had changed the format of my show and been doing the marathon gigs, I have not had a chance to chat with him for several weeks. This past week it was real busy all day but I was able to take a break at about 7pm and walked over and visited with him for a little bit.
It was nice to see him and we talked for a minute and I started to realize that he might have had a drink or two. He was pretty well lit up. He told me that he had played guitar with Willie Nelson & he sang me a couple of old country songs. It was a great time. I really was feeling good about everything and told him I had to get back and play some more.
A few minutes later, He had made his way over to the Gravity bar and I ran into him outside. He had decided that he wanted to play a few tunes and wanted to use my guitar. Not one of my favorite requests to say the least but after 3 years of playing in Bars, Clubs, pubs, taverns, pool halls, Ice Houses, & other premium venues, I have learnt how to deal with these type of situations & handled it about as smoothly as I could.
Overall this past Sunday was a pretty good day for the Blues.
I am thinking next week will be more of a challenge since there will probably not be as many people out on the strand but it is not easy to predict those kinds of things. I am just happy to have the gig. The customers are generally in a good mood and there is a wide cross section of what I like to call Humanity.
I have done extensive market research and figured out that Humanity is my target market.
Oh yeah, I hated to hear that the Croc Dude got killed. I liked that guy.
There is one guy who does characatures that always will swing by while I am playing and say hello. The "stage" area where I play is near the entrance and the entryway. There is a metal hand rail type devider. He usually comes up there and leans on the rail and gives a smile and a wave.
There is another guy who lives in an apartment up above the Bar & he sells his art right on the sidewalk. He just leans it on the building near the entrance of his apartment. I don't talk to him that much but he says hello and we have chatted a couple of times. One time his painting fell over and I picked it up & he seemed to appreciate that.
There is another guy who is a bass player that lives up in an apartment. He is usually sitting out on a bench at some point and we chat a little but it is his home so I try not to invade his space too much. He has come in and listend to me play and also come by Whiskys Pub also.
There are also the people that give the horse carriage rides. I have chatted with some of them usually about how business is.
The one guy that I have talked to the most is an old feller & a nice guy. He just sets up on the sidewalk and paints and sells his work. He smokes a pipe and has some pretty thick lenses on his glasses.
Since I had changed the format of my show and been doing the marathon gigs, I have not had a chance to chat with him for several weeks. This past week it was real busy all day but I was able to take a break at about 7pm and walked over and visited with him for a little bit.
It was nice to see him and we talked for a minute and I started to realize that he might have had a drink or two. He was pretty well lit up. He told me that he had played guitar with Willie Nelson & he sang me a couple of old country songs. It was a great time. I really was feeling good about everything and told him I had to get back and play some more.
A few minutes later, He had made his way over to the Gravity bar and I ran into him outside. He had decided that he wanted to play a few tunes and wanted to use my guitar. Not one of my favorite requests to say the least but after 3 years of playing in Bars, Clubs, pubs, taverns, pool halls, Ice Houses, & other premium venues, I have learnt how to deal with these type of situations & handled it about as smoothly as I could.
Overall this past Sunday was a pretty good day for the Blues.
I am thinking next week will be more of a challenge since there will probably not be as many people out on the strand but it is not easy to predict those kinds of things. I am just happy to have the gig. The customers are generally in a good mood and there is a wide cross section of what I like to call Humanity.
I have done extensive market research and figured out that Humanity is my target market.
Oh yeah, I hated to hear that the Croc Dude got killed. I liked that guy.
Monday, August 14, 2006
Tempted
Last Sunday Night, I was driving home listening to Little Steven's Underground Garage. It is a radio program that has been coming on 93.7 fm for the past several years. I think it runs from 8 to 10pm.
Little Steven is in Bruce Springsteens Band and also plays "Sal" on the Supranos.
He is one of my favorite characters on that show & also one of the characters that killed "Big Pussy". It was one of the best scenes ever on that show (Except for the one where Christopher killed the guy in the butcher shop and all the pig's heads were looking at him,) They took Big Pussy out on Tony's boat and Sal, Tony, & a couple other dudes lined up in a row facing Big P & he knew he was about to get done. He started crying a little and asked them not to shoot his face. Then they all pulled out thier guns and started shooting, Maybe about 40 or 50 shots total. They camera shot they used was from the view of Big P & it almost looked like a scene from Dick Tracy. With his hair and make-up Sal looked like a Comic Book Character. The expression on his face was priceless.
If you want to check out his show, Here is the website:
www.littlestevensundergroundgarage.com
I think they have some archived shows to listen to. Check it out of you like cool music. He plays Garage band, Rockabilly & other cool stuff.
One of the songs he played last Sunday was from Marty Stuart, The Country (&Bluegrass) singer/musician. It is called "Tempted" and sounded like a Buddy Holly tune.
It was specifially listening after that to hear who did the song and was surprised when he said marty Stuart.
I had seen him on TV playing mandolin several times and always liked what he did.
Well,
Thats my report for now.
Rock On!
Saturday, August 12, 2006
Why the Hell Not?
I am not running for Governer.
But lately I have been trying to push my limits a little bit.
Used to be when I had a 4 hour gig, I would play 4 forty five minutes sets, take 3 twenty minute breaks. I tried to stick to that schedule.
Lately, especially since I started playing at the Gravity Bar on Sundays (for the Summer) I have been playing longer sets. In the past several weeks I have played sets that lasted up to two hours and 10 minutes. I have also started earlier and played from 3 to 8 instead of 4 to 8. I figure if I am going to go to all the trouble of driving to Galveston & do all the loading and unloading, I may as well maximize the exposure.
I started bringing a lunch box up to the stage and if I get hungry, I just eat a banana or something. I pretty much just stop to go to the restroom or replace a broken string.
Thats all I got for now & I know it ain't much but I just wanted to check in and say hello.
Keep the Faith & stay positive.
Than ks
But lately I have been trying to push my limits a little bit.
Used to be when I had a 4 hour gig, I would play 4 forty five minutes sets, take 3 twenty minute breaks. I tried to stick to that schedule.
Lately, especially since I started playing at the Gravity Bar on Sundays (for the Summer) I have been playing longer sets. In the past several weeks I have played sets that lasted up to two hours and 10 minutes. I have also started earlier and played from 3 to 8 instead of 4 to 8. I figure if I am going to go to all the trouble of driving to Galveston & do all the loading and unloading, I may as well maximize the exposure.
I started bringing a lunch box up to the stage and if I get hungry, I just eat a banana or something. I pretty much just stop to go to the restroom or replace a broken string.
Thats all I got for now & I know it ain't much but I just wanted to check in and say hello.
Keep the Faith & stay positive.
Than ks
Thursday, July 20, 2006
The Office
http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/theoffice/
I got the DVD for this British TV Comedy Series at the Harris County Public Library. I think it is a total of 12 episodes that were originally shown on BBC and I think it was also shown on PBS.
Last night I was watching episode 1 from the second season and I was almost too embarrassed to watch. Thats how I know I am buying into it. Not that I don't remember it is a TV Series but the simple fact that I felt embarrassed for the Boss Character when he is making an idiot of himself.
It is a different kind of humor but it really does crack me up.
OK, That is all for today. I gotta load up for a gig.
I got the DVD for this British TV Comedy Series at the Harris County Public Library. I think it is a total of 12 episodes that were originally shown on BBC and I think it was also shown on PBS.
Last night I was watching episode 1 from the second season and I was almost too embarrassed to watch. Thats how I know I am buying into it. Not that I don't remember it is a TV Series but the simple fact that I felt embarrassed for the Boss Character when he is making an idiot of himself.
It is a different kind of humor but it really does crack me up.
OK, That is all for today. I gotta load up for a gig.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Dilana Rocks!
Last TV Season, I started watching the Program Rock Star INXS & got interested in it. It was kind of like American Idol but much better. They were picking a lead singer for the actual 80s Rock Band INXS. The original singer had died.
We went and saw the band with the new singer, JD Fortune, last month on June 28th.
Now they are doing a show called Rock Star Supernova. http://rockstar.msn.com/
Tommy Lee and some other rockers are forming a new band and they are picking a singer.
One of the contestants is from Houston(currently). Her name is Dilana and she has done gigs in the Houston area for the past several years. I have never seen her show but I had heard that she used a Karaoke type set-up where she had backing tracks & would put on a whole show of Rock and Pop Songs. A friend of mine named lloyd had seen her live show and told me she was good and I had been meaning to check it out.
A couple of years back when I first started my live show, I played alot of the same "Venues" that she played at. Mostly Sports Bars & some rougher type places also. Not anywhere I would consider dangerous, Just more down to earth than other places.
Dilana's Web Page is http://www.dilanarox.com/
From the first two episodes it looks like she is a front runner in the competition. I know it can chage week to week but I am definitely rooting for her. I never met her in person but from watching the show, she seems to be very supportive of the other contestants and comes across with a certain level of humility that I like to see in any type of performer.
The first song she did was from Nirvana and she really did rock. As a matter of fact, when I was watching the show my comment was that "She F---ing Rocks" which was funny to me a the time becuase that is what she always advertised.
GOOD LUCK DILANA!
We went and saw the band with the new singer, JD Fortune, last month on June 28th.
Now they are doing a show called Rock Star Supernova. http://rockstar.msn.com/
Tommy Lee and some other rockers are forming a new band and they are picking a singer.
One of the contestants is from Houston(currently). Her name is Dilana and she has done gigs in the Houston area for the past several years. I have never seen her show but I had heard that she used a Karaoke type set-up where she had backing tracks & would put on a whole show of Rock and Pop Songs. A friend of mine named lloyd had seen her live show and told me she was good and I had been meaning to check it out.
A couple of years back when I first started my live show, I played alot of the same "Venues" that she played at. Mostly Sports Bars & some rougher type places also. Not anywhere I would consider dangerous, Just more down to earth than other places.
Dilana's Web Page is http://www.dilanarox.com/
From the first two episodes it looks like she is a front runner in the competition. I know it can chage week to week but I am definitely rooting for her. I never met her in person but from watching the show, she seems to be very supportive of the other contestants and comes across with a certain level of humility that I like to see in any type of performer.
The first song she did was from Nirvana and she really did rock. As a matter of fact, when I was watching the show my comment was that "She F---ing Rocks" which was funny to me a the time becuase that is what she always advertised.
GOOD LUCK DILANA!
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
More Complete Noise
Howdy Folks,
The Big News from the band is that I have come up with a way to play the Hi-Hat or Symbol using a contraption I designed.
The last big breakthrough was adding the bass drum which I considered to be a big deal at the time. As far as the sound, It was probably a bigger deal when I got the better bass drum. The first one was a piece from of a beginner set that I bought on Ebay.
Lately though, I have found myself pondering for extended periods trying to find a way to add symbols to the ongoing mix without taking away from the guitar or other sounds. I am basically out of limbs & really don't want to have to use un-natural or odd movements to play. I don't want the focus to be on a freak show. I know from experience that as far as live performance, the novelty of the one-man-band will only last so long. It has to sound good.
But back to the pondering. I really have just sat and thought about this quite a bit & really had nothing. The wierd thing was that I was just relaxing at home Sunday & without really thinking about it just started working on the stand & drum stick. All of the sudden I had it.
It is a very simple design & instead of using a spring to pull the drum stick back, It uses gravity. I drilled a hole in the stick where there was more weight behind it than in front & ran a piece of coat hanger wire through it and taped it to a stand. Then I just attached a piece of string to the the stick and at the other end tie it to the bass drum pedal. I think Isaac Newton would have gotten a kick out of it.
The sound difference is not completely subtle but the small addition of a symbol at the right spot in the beat is huge.
I am going to use it Thurday at Whiskys Pub in Galvestown and am really excited about it.
The other thing I like about is the image. There will be a drumstick hitting a symbol just off to the right. It looks kind of like something from the Adams Family.
I have conceptualized a way to also add another drumstick but I am going to work with this set-up for a little bit before I do that.
I have decided to take the floor tom out of the mix for the time being. Partly becuase I don't use it that much & also because it doesn't fit as easy with my new symbol striker contraption. It is also bulky to transport & I am trying to make my set up and break down a little less taxing.
If all this useless information is putting you to sleep, then enjoy your nap.
Thanks & Blah, Blah, Blah!
The Big News from the band is that I have come up with a way to play the Hi-Hat or Symbol using a contraption I designed.
The last big breakthrough was adding the bass drum which I considered to be a big deal at the time. As far as the sound, It was probably a bigger deal when I got the better bass drum. The first one was a piece from of a beginner set that I bought on Ebay.
Lately though, I have found myself pondering for extended periods trying to find a way to add symbols to the ongoing mix without taking away from the guitar or other sounds. I am basically out of limbs & really don't want to have to use un-natural or odd movements to play. I don't want the focus to be on a freak show. I know from experience that as far as live performance, the novelty of the one-man-band will only last so long. It has to sound good.
But back to the pondering. I really have just sat and thought about this quite a bit & really had nothing. The wierd thing was that I was just relaxing at home Sunday & without really thinking about it just started working on the stand & drum stick. All of the sudden I had it.
It is a very simple design & instead of using a spring to pull the drum stick back, It uses gravity. I drilled a hole in the stick where there was more weight behind it than in front & ran a piece of coat hanger wire through it and taped it to a stand. Then I just attached a piece of string to the the stick and at the other end tie it to the bass drum pedal. I think Isaac Newton would have gotten a kick out of it.
The sound difference is not completely subtle but the small addition of a symbol at the right spot in the beat is huge.
I am going to use it Thurday at Whiskys Pub in Galvestown and am really excited about it.
The other thing I like about is the image. There will be a drumstick hitting a symbol just off to the right. It looks kind of like something from the Adams Family.
I have conceptualized a way to also add another drumstick but I am going to work with this set-up for a little bit before I do that.
I have decided to take the floor tom out of the mix for the time being. Partly becuase I don't use it that much & also because it doesn't fit as easy with my new symbol striker contraption. It is also bulky to transport & I am trying to make my set up and break down a little less taxing.
If all this useless information is putting you to sleep, then enjoy your nap.
Thanks & Blah, Blah, Blah!
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Crazy
They had a show on channel 8 (PBS) the other day about Patsy Cline. It showed TV appearances in a chronological order. I am not sure what I would say about Patsy Cline that people don't already know. Maybe I could look up some interesting fact and pretend like I knew it.
I did't ever really think about it but I was surprised that she was only 30 when she died.
It really amazed me how she sang Crazy & you could hear Willie Nelson's Vocal Inflections in her voice. Once you write a song like that and it is a hit record for Patsy Cline it kind of takes all the pressure off of having to prove anything.
Anyway, It is a good program & I am sure it will get re-played if you missed it.
Friday, June 02, 2006
Are you scared yet?
According to all the news it is now officially hurricane season.
It doesn't get much better for newspeople than hurricanes. They love to do that shot where the reporter stands at the water and talks about a storm that might be a couple of days away but they love it the most when they can actually be in the hurricane itself.
They are talking about how we might need to start having a Category 6 classification just in case. I thought it was pretty funny when the one weather dude started saying "Cat 3" & "Cat 4" instead of actually saying the word "category"
Alex Trebec has to say catagory alot more times than that but he doesn't say "Cat". But at the same time he does pretend to know the questions to all the answers.
It doesn't get much better for newspeople than hurricanes. They love to do that shot where the reporter stands at the water and talks about a storm that might be a couple of days away but they love it the most when they can actually be in the hurricane itself.
They are talking about how we might need to start having a Category 6 classification just in case. I thought it was pretty funny when the one weather dude started saying "Cat 3" & "Cat 4" instead of actually saying the word "category"
Alex Trebec has to say catagory alot more times than that but he doesn't say "Cat". But at the same time he does pretend to know the questions to all the answers.
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
The Royal Device
http://www.royaldevice.com/custom.htm
My friend Dennis Ginn sent me this web site. The Subwoofer is built using some sort of underground chamber & compression area. Just from looking at the pictures, I can only imagine how many hundred thousand dollars it would cost for a listening room like this one.
Click on the site and check out the pictures. It is crazy.
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Wired!
I was supposed to play a gig in Galvetston today. I thougt it was just me playing but I found out the other day that it was going to be a double bill with me opening for a band called Fast Food Junkies. I had never heard of them before but they sounded like a band that I would like. They play Metal/Bluegrass or something like that. They have a web page that explains it which you can find if you Google the band name.
The problem with me doing show with another band is that it takes me too long to set up and break down my equipment. I have to load and set up a whole bands worth of equipment. So when I get done playing, The other band would have to wait to get set up. In reality, they usually don't wait so all my equipment gets intermingled with thier stuff. Not that I would worry about anybody stealing something or anything like that. Musicians are usually pretty cool about sharing equipment & being respectful. I am just used to loading everything in a certain order & know what to watch for with the different pieces (Drums/amps, etc.) & can avoid damage. The knobs on my bass amp stick out too far & get smashed easy. My smaller guitar amp is very tempramental & If I load it facing backwards, My bass drum's tuning keys will be hitting the knobs and also the guitar input which is very easy to damage because it is plastic & not metal like it should be. I always appreciate when people offer to help but I really have to do it myself. The truth is that it is probably just some sort of personality disorder.
One of the things I don't like about being a one man show is that you don't get the band comradery. The cool thing about doing a double bill gig is that you get to meet and hear the band & talk about music like junior high school, stuff like that. Who knows? I never know but it is the adveture that keeps things rolling anyway.
My point is this:
Since I had the day off, I decied to tackle a project I had been dreading for some months now. Our little house on what was the Katy Prarie has a central a/c unit but I decided to add a window unit in the den living area room or what ever it is. A few years ago I bought a 14500 BTU model at Home Depot but I evenutally realized that the wiring in our walls was not heavy enough to safely run it. I only bought the more powerful model becuase it was the most efficient and was Energy Star Compliant or something like that.
Today I added a circuit breaker and ran a wire to the unit. The guy at home depot who helped me was a department manager who had stopped by to take care of something on his day off. I had several questions and needed several items so I told the guy several times that I would figure it out and wait for someone else to come along. I just didn't feel right about keeping him at work but he kept telling me he was happy to help.
I had taken digital photos of my breaker box & also brought a picture we took when the house was being built 14 years ago. It was really helpful when I was explaining what I was trying to do.
I got 70 feet of wire, a 15 amp circuit breaker, a plug for the wall, & a thing made to fish the wires through the walls. I also bought some PVC and fitings so I could shoot the wire out of the top of the breaker box straight into the attic without having to try jamming it through the back of the box with all the other wires.
I took the little plate off of the weather proof box and looked for a replacement that had a hole in it but couldn't find one. I decided to drill a hole in the plate but it need to be almost an inch wide & the drill bits that big are about 20 bucks. Using a tip from the guy in the drill bit section, I taped sandpaper around the drill bit and spent about hour rasping out the hole.
It was a job fishing the wires and hanging out in my attic with sweat dripping off my face but I got it all done and now I am basking in the coolness as my muscles ache.
I is so proud of myelf.
The problem with me doing show with another band is that it takes me too long to set up and break down my equipment. I have to load and set up a whole bands worth of equipment. So when I get done playing, The other band would have to wait to get set up. In reality, they usually don't wait so all my equipment gets intermingled with thier stuff. Not that I would worry about anybody stealing something or anything like that. Musicians are usually pretty cool about sharing equipment & being respectful. I am just used to loading everything in a certain order & know what to watch for with the different pieces (Drums/amps, etc.) & can avoid damage. The knobs on my bass amp stick out too far & get smashed easy. My smaller guitar amp is very tempramental & If I load it facing backwards, My bass drum's tuning keys will be hitting the knobs and also the guitar input which is very easy to damage because it is plastic & not metal like it should be. I always appreciate when people offer to help but I really have to do it myself. The truth is that it is probably just some sort of personality disorder.
One of the things I don't like about being a one man show is that you don't get the band comradery. The cool thing about doing a double bill gig is that you get to meet and hear the band & talk about music like junior high school, stuff like that. Who knows? I never know but it is the adveture that keeps things rolling anyway.
My point is this:
Since I had the day off, I decied to tackle a project I had been dreading for some months now. Our little house on what was the Katy Prarie has a central a/c unit but I decided to add a window unit in the den living area room or what ever it is. A few years ago I bought a 14500 BTU model at Home Depot but I evenutally realized that the wiring in our walls was not heavy enough to safely run it. I only bought the more powerful model becuase it was the most efficient and was Energy Star Compliant or something like that.
Today I added a circuit breaker and ran a wire to the unit. The guy at home depot who helped me was a department manager who had stopped by to take care of something on his day off. I had several questions and needed several items so I told the guy several times that I would figure it out and wait for someone else to come along. I just didn't feel right about keeping him at work but he kept telling me he was happy to help.
I had taken digital photos of my breaker box & also brought a picture we took when the house was being built 14 years ago. It was really helpful when I was explaining what I was trying to do.
I got 70 feet of wire, a 15 amp circuit breaker, a plug for the wall, & a thing made to fish the wires through the walls. I also bought some PVC and fitings so I could shoot the wire out of the top of the breaker box straight into the attic without having to try jamming it through the back of the box with all the other wires.
I took the little plate off of the weather proof box and looked for a replacement that had a hole in it but couldn't find one. I decided to drill a hole in the plate but it need to be almost an inch wide & the drill bits that big are about 20 bucks. Using a tip from the guy in the drill bit section, I taped sandpaper around the drill bit and spent about hour rasping out the hole.
It was a job fishing the wires and hanging out in my attic with sweat dripping off my face but I got it all done and now I am basking in the coolness as my muscles ache.
I is so proud of myelf.
Monday, May 08, 2006
Global Warming
This past weekend was pretty busy for me. I had a gig Friday Night, Worked at my Day Job for 9 hours on Saturday, & then had a gig Saturday Night also.
I woke up Sunday and relaxed for a little while & then spent about an hour or so unloading my equipment from the truck and setting it up in my practice room. After that I headed over to Lowes & Home Depot and picked up some Insulation for my attic and some Wind Turbine Roof Vents (like from back in the 70s) plus a few other odds & ends. The AC guy who checked out our styem and added freon last year recommened that we get the turbine vents. I also bought some roofers caulk/tar stuff, some rope, & some breathig masks to wear in the attic when I was doing the insulation.
My house already had three roof vents so all I had to do was get up on the roof and carefully remove them without tearing up the shingles. The vents I bought are made of aluminum and came in two parts. I went ahead and assmebled them on the ground and then carried them up to the roof and installed them (one at a time). Luckily I didn't run into one of those typical problems that seem to arise when a job is expected to be simple.
One thing I decided to do this time was to tie a rope on front of my house and throw it over & use it to hold onto while I was walking around. It was only rated for 50 pounds but I wasn't putting that much weight on it. My roof has a pretty good pitch in the back so it was nice to have something to hold to help stabelize while I was carrying the Turbines, Tools, Nails, roofing caulk and & stuff like that.
I got the vents installed without falling off the roof and then started working in the attic. I bought several bags of enviromentally friendly insulation. They are kind of bricked up and made to go in a blower machine. I didn't rent a machine so I was using an old broom to break them up and spread them around in the section of attic over my garage. It is an attached garage & shares the same attic as the rest of the house. The garage usually gets so hot in the summer that you could literally pass out.
I got the insulation done & was not exactly nice and fresh so I took a shower & we took the dogs out for a walk except I rode my bicycle.
When I came home from work today, the first thing I did was go to the garage to see if it was any cooler & then I went to the attic. The most noticeable difference was in the attic but the garage was better also.
I was really proud of myself.
I may not save the planet but the way engergy costs are going, I am sure it is going to pay off this summer.
Well there you have it. A few days in the life of Marc Twyman, a dude that sometimes refers to himself in third person.
Now I sleep!
But I will get back up and continue to fight Karaoke and all other forms of pure evil.
I woke up Sunday and relaxed for a little while & then spent about an hour or so unloading my equipment from the truck and setting it up in my practice room. After that I headed over to Lowes & Home Depot and picked up some Insulation for my attic and some Wind Turbine Roof Vents (like from back in the 70s) plus a few other odds & ends. The AC guy who checked out our styem and added freon last year recommened that we get the turbine vents. I also bought some roofers caulk/tar stuff, some rope, & some breathig masks to wear in the attic when I was doing the insulation.
My house already had three roof vents so all I had to do was get up on the roof and carefully remove them without tearing up the shingles. The vents I bought are made of aluminum and came in two parts. I went ahead and assmebled them on the ground and then carried them up to the roof and installed them (one at a time). Luckily I didn't run into one of those typical problems that seem to arise when a job is expected to be simple.
One thing I decided to do this time was to tie a rope on front of my house and throw it over & use it to hold onto while I was walking around. It was only rated for 50 pounds but I wasn't putting that much weight on it. My roof has a pretty good pitch in the back so it was nice to have something to hold to help stabelize while I was carrying the Turbines, Tools, Nails, roofing caulk and & stuff like that.
I got the vents installed without falling off the roof and then started working in the attic. I bought several bags of enviromentally friendly insulation. They are kind of bricked up and made to go in a blower machine. I didn't rent a machine so I was using an old broom to break them up and spread them around in the section of attic over my garage. It is an attached garage & shares the same attic as the rest of the house. The garage usually gets so hot in the summer that you could literally pass out.
I got the insulation done & was not exactly nice and fresh so I took a shower & we took the dogs out for a walk except I rode my bicycle.
When I came home from work today, the first thing I did was go to the garage to see if it was any cooler & then I went to the attic. The most noticeable difference was in the attic but the garage was better also.
I was really proud of myself.
I may not save the planet but the way engergy costs are going, I am sure it is going to pay off this summer.
Well there you have it. A few days in the life of Marc Twyman, a dude that sometimes refers to himself in third person.
Now I sleep!
But I will get back up and continue to fight Karaoke and all other forms of pure evil.
Sunday, April 30, 2006
be humble
Friday night I had a gig in Humble Texas at the Twin Oaks Tavern. It was my first time to visit this particular establishment.
It is located in the Historic business district area. There is an Antique Store, a Cybercafe Skatepark type place, a few other businesses, and also the Humble Cafe.
I had arrived early and was already set up since I was trying to beat the 90% chance of rain. As far as transporting/loading/un-loading my equipment, I can function in the rain but it is much more work. & they were also talking about Thunderstorms, High winds, etc.
I noticed that the Humble Cafe had a pretty good crowd so I took that as a solid endorsement from the local community. I stepped on over to the Humble Cafe. I took a look at the menu and decided to break my fast on Hamburgers and also french fries that I have been able to maintain for almost a week and a half now. Acutally, before that, It had been several months since I have had a Hamburger & even longer since having one from fast food corporation.
I ordered the Humble Burger with no onions or mayo. Mustard, Lettuce, Pickles, Tomatoes, all on a freshly baked roll type of bun.
After that I took a short nap in the truck. I was actually parked right in front of the Twin Oaks Tavern and also underneath one of the actual Twin Oaks that it named after.
So there you have it. Mystery, Drama, Humble Burgers, No Onions, & Oak Trees all in one story
You find another blog in the internet that offers all that, then you know you are spending way too much time on the internet.
It is located in the Historic business district area. There is an Antique Store, a Cybercafe Skatepark type place, a few other businesses, and also the Humble Cafe.
I had arrived early and was already set up since I was trying to beat the 90% chance of rain. As far as transporting/loading/un-loading my equipment, I can function in the rain but it is much more work. & they were also talking about Thunderstorms, High winds, etc.
I noticed that the Humble Cafe had a pretty good crowd so I took that as a solid endorsement from the local community. I stepped on over to the Humble Cafe. I took a look at the menu and decided to break my fast on Hamburgers and also french fries that I have been able to maintain for almost a week and a half now. Acutally, before that, It had been several months since I have had a Hamburger & even longer since having one from fast food corporation.
I ordered the Humble Burger with no onions or mayo. Mustard, Lettuce, Pickles, Tomatoes, all on a freshly baked roll type of bun.
After that I took a short nap in the truck. I was actually parked right in front of the Twin Oaks Tavern and also underneath one of the actual Twin Oaks that it named after.
So there you have it. Mystery, Drama, Humble Burgers, No Onions, & Oak Trees all in one story
You find another blog in the internet that offers all that, then you know you are spending way too much time on the internet.
Thursday, April 27, 2006
All Mixed Up
Here is a picture of a Mixer that I just bought at H&H Music. It is small as far as mixers go and only has 4 channels but it is still a huge thing for me. I really should have bought it long ago. The biggest thing it is going to do for my live sound is that I can individually adjust the volume of the Bass and Snare Drums. Before this I was running them both through the same channel and could only adjust the volume by moving the Microphones farther and closer to the source. The other thing will be that I can shape the sound of the two different drums by individually adjusting the Bass, treble, and mid range dials. Also, I am now able to add a microphone to the symbols.
The third big advantage is that I am no longer using the adapters and am able to have the balanced cable connections.
Yipee
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