Stardate 8/27/09

Last night?

Working on a film score (for Scott Boswell's "Burn LIke FIre") unto the wee hours, tuning the guitar to an open E flat, recording some music with this nice open tuning. Emailing clubs about the tour.

Today?

Emailing clubs about tour, recording more tracks with the open tuning, taking a break from music & swimming a mile-- and whilst walking home from the pool, working out lyrics in my head for a new tune, "Capsule Crush".

Suddenly, perhaps being lightheaded from lack of sleep or swimming or low blood sugar, feeling mystical communion with the sidewalk. Very pleasant. Mostly. Is this Nirvana? The sun warming the pavement. And lighting up a whole sky of florescent white cirrus clouds smeared above San Francisco's western ridges. Everything standing out in sharp relief--leaves on the street, tennis balls, pigeons. In the grocery store even the MUZAK is significant. Back outside the sidewalk continuing to unreel chronologically into my third eye or chakras or spririt navel. A huge venerable live oak on Shotwell Street leaning protectively over the Victorian house, dwarfing it and the little yard. Feeling tiny. Feeling huge.

Ready for lunch--and more tunes.

Bubble Tea Reality

Howdy! Didja miss me? I missed y'all! We've sure had a busy time of late. Can I tell you? OK I will. To do so I must go backwards in time (not unlike our song "Hours in Reverse")! So, back back we go! Back to late July:

We played at the Summer 2009/Leo Birthdays Celebration installment of the
CIndy Buck Presents Yard Concert Series...and it was good. Actually good is too mild a word (though biblical enough, I suppose). My friends. It's an idyllic outdoorsy adventure thrill when you are rocking out in the sun instead of a musty old-school nightclub!! And at the Yard Concerts the vibes are always grand, the grub always delightfully tasty, and the other bands FAB! Who were they this time, you might ask, might you?...well, Kitty Rose and Shelley Doty An excellent time was had by all. And cake was had too--on account of being my birthday (and other Leos too).

Then, we played at Dolores Park Cafe a few days later for my San Francisco birthday show (see, the Yard Concert is in Hayward). The splendid MONICA PASQUAL (of Blame Sally fame) did a gorgeous solo set, and standup comic/performance artist, Alicia Dattner handily hostessed the night. We got to debut our new tune, "BLAZING WHEEL" ( sorry I can't make a link to it cuz it ain't recorded yet--soon soon soon). All in all, it was night of love, joy, and rock epiphany-- and cake. A big thank you to all who participated--I LOVE YOU!! xoxo!

Meanwhile, the band was undertaking the final recording sessions ( track sequencing, assembly & mastering) for the new album (THE JUGGLER's PROGRESS), confabbing with Alicia Buelow finalizing the stellar artwork, and yes yes yes--off it went to the manufacturer. Let me tell y'all: for sure, that is as exciting as it gets..although... it feels quite odd--could we really be done? Are we really to this final step: COMPLETION=MASSPRODUCTION?? Whoa--what a journey it has been. Dude.

Anyhoo, on Friday, my roommate David Gremard Romero and I did some shopping for various Leo birthday prezzies (yes, Leos other than me!). We hunted and gathered throughout the Mission and unto the Castro. Now people, shopping is a thirsty business so we had to grab a bubble tea to wet our proverbial whistles. As we walked and hydrated David expressed his frustration with the tapioca pearls. He said, " I always get tired of them, they get in the way, they slow down the drinking process--but then I order them every time. Maybe I should get JUST the drink and no tapioca..."

I pointed out, "But then the drink wouldn't be as delicious, it's the way the pearls hamper the flow of the drink through the straw that makes the drink elusive and thus more desirable! You have to have the bubbles in the tea to get in the way & that's what makes the tea really good." That being so logical, he couldn't help but agree.

And there are many instances where suspense adds to the final flavor! For example, that's how it is with our new album. Between the time we started the album up to this very moment (right now!!) there were many months, and these intervening months have been like tapioca-- I know ya'll are thirsty for some new tunes. Well, the drink you ordered is on the way!