tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81717483408376254642024-03-21T15:34:58.389-07:00Eric's Music and MusingsA Southern Songwriter's Stories and Philosophies
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434836978049681966noreply@blogger.comBlogger85125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171748340837625464.post-70174766589635839112012-12-06T07:23:00.001-08:002012-12-06T17:07:53.336-08:00Tah Mee Kah I have an Australian tour and recording session planned for Dec-Feb. <br />
<br />
I also have a very good friend in LA named Frank Perricone. I never get to see Frank as often as I'd like and it has been years since we had a chance to write and record together.....so Frank and I decided to tack a week of hanging/recording at Frank's studio on the way to and from Australia. Frank kindly offered to use his SkyMiles to fly me to LA. This was great because then I only had to worry about getting myself from LA to Australia and back. <br />
<br />
Anyway, I left Mobile this morning to begin this first leg of the trip. My mom and Leon drove me to Pensacola to catch my first flight (Pensacola to ATL). <br />
<br />
Boarding goes easily and quickly. <br />
<br />
But<br />
<br />
The flight to Atlanta is running late (leaving me less than 30 minutes from the projected landing time and departure time to deboard, run to the escalators, get on the tram, travel to another concourse, run up the escalators there, ALL the way to the other end of the concourse and board the Atlanta to LA flight. <br />
<br />
I'm amazed and out of breath but I arrive just in time for my flight to LAX. I'm in the second to last row. After a while a boisterous, Bronx fireball of a woman sits next to me and immediately starts telling me her life story. She has Diarrhea of the mouth with that gruffness only truly perfected by New Yorkers. She also informed me (an everyone within 10ft of us) that she needs the barf bag because she hates flying. As we begin take off she hyperventilates into the barf bag. Oh brother. After a bit of that joy, She is right back rattling off a barrage of anecdotes and commentary about life in her deep New Yorker "ghetto dialect" (as she called it) . <br />
<br />
I think it's kinda funny so I chat her up. She tells me all sorts of stuff about her kids and virtually everything else under the sun. I try to keep up with the conversation and somewhere along the way it comes up that I am a musician. Then she asks me all about different aspects of the music industry (ie "What does a producer do?") I explain as best I can. We continue small talk about music for a good while. She then says she likes to sing from time to time with some friends (and asked if I thought her stage name "Tah Mee Kah Sanga" was a good).<br />
I didn't but of course told her it was interesting and she should call herself whatever she liked.<br />
She said that she tries to write too and that she usually jots down her ideas in a notebook. From that point on, she (of course) continues blabbing about totally random topics but simultaneously seemingly subconsciously doodles something on the page. At first I don't see it because im not trying to invade on her privacy but after a while it catches my eye. <br />
<br />
<br />
WHAT THE HELL?!?! <br />
<br />
<br />
I look over to see the words "birds sitting on a wire" scrawled along with a few other unrelated lines and a doodle of two telephone poles and a line of birds perched upon it. <br />
<br />
WAIT WHAT ?!??<br />
<br />
I say , " You have to be kidding me!". Then I show her my CD and tell her the most notable song on my new album is called "Bird on a Powerline" and actually we had just released the video yesterday. <br />
<br />
I'm astonished and she seems taken aback by it too. She said , "Wow. I must be psychic". <br />
<br />
Her writing is just enough different that I am amazed but able to believe it to be a coincidence. Plus she just keeps jabbering so the oddity I had just seen got kinda swept under the rug. <br />
At this point my spidey sense is tingling but I continue anyway. <br />
The lady just crashes forward with reckless abandon from one topic to the next so its hard to do anything but respond. <br />
This hectic conversation continues for about half the trip (2.5 hours). <br />
In order to slow the frantic pace of talking I pull out my iPad and fire up a game of Scrabble. <br />
This seems to slow her down slightly plus it was just a fun way to pass time. <br />
We play a couple of full games, while she is still just spewing out information and attitude (using words like "ignant" and "trifling"). <br />
<br />
At this point I start getting pretty hungry. I realize that I have dinner plans with Frank as soon as we land at LAX, but I think I would like a snack before we arrive. <br />
<br />
I say, "I think Im gonna ask the flight attendant for a menu"<br />
To which the woman replies forcefully, "UH UH. We are going to eat together when we land". <br />
<br />
I looked straight forward thinking , "Oh damn. Did she really just say that? This woman is crazy."<br />
<br />
I would pay money to see a picture of my face at this moment because I had to look like I just got an unsuspected ice bath. <br />
<br />
I stare out of the window trying to gather a response. <br />
<br />
After a good bit of silence (which has been rare on this trip) she says ,"We have more in common than you know"<br />
<br />
<br />
A cold chill runs down my spine now. This chick is now way passed innocent loud-mouthed and boisterous, she is full on crazy. She's gonna stab me. I wanted to yell "SECURRITY!"<br />
<br />
I have this ghetto Bronx woman now insisting on eating with me (which isn't gonna happen) and she thinks she we have some destiny or connection. <br />
<br />
She then shoves her phone in my face and I see a picture of.......<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Frank in the studio. <br />
<br />
My friend Frank in the studio I am headed towards. <br />
<br />
Then it all floods in and I get it. <br />
<br />
<br />
Frank got me. Frank got me good.<br />
<br />
Frank set the whole thing up. He got my seat with his miles. It was no problem to have gotten her seat with his miles and arranged this "chance meeting". <br />
<br />
She says "I'm Adrianne. I'm so sorry. Frank made me do it." She was obviously hoping I wasn't actually mad. <br />
<br />
I said "Oh no. I'm kickin you and Frank's ass. Or better yet, plotting revenge."<br />
<br />
Then it hit me...,,she's Adrianne. I don't know her but have known of her for years.<br />
<br />
Adrianne is a very talented session singer that I had heard sing many times on recordings Frank has done. However I had never met her in person. Frank was obviously flying her out to be part of the sessions this week. <br />
<br />
Adrianne's Ghetto slang and head snapping melted away instantly. She went from Bon Qui Qui to a normal person who happens to have a New York accent. <br />
<br />
We used the last 1-1.5 hour of the flight laughing and actually discussing music and specific songs we will be recording this week. <br />
<br />
Anyway, the flight arrives safely in LA. We get our bags, meet Frank (who says ,"Oh, you two have met?" With his devilish Frank grin), then we ate and called it a night. <br />
<br />
Im not sure if the writing/recording we do this week will be Grammy worthy or not. <br />
<br />
But if we fail to receive a Grammy for our efforts, rest assured Adrianne could easily win an Oscar for her performance on that flight. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8FlhDDZMeCHWf8vEipc3yp3IOm8ZhJHmQJiDd0upeKCCmcWYI6WypEOdAPIXVYiI4yMZZAl3R1aJACrP4DHtok-wmWCJz8TW_j-czvMDlRykuiesP0e1KJ14tMBrHHM3G03iAQJXVvA/s640/blogger-image--1685063623.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8FlhDDZMeCHWf8vEipc3yp3IOm8ZhJHmQJiDd0upeKCCmcWYI6WypEOdAPIXVYiI4yMZZAl3R1aJACrP4DHtok-wmWCJz8TW_j-czvMDlRykuiesP0e1KJ14tMBrHHM3G03iAQJXVvA/s640/blogger-image--1685063623.jpg" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Thanks For Reading
www.ericerdmanmusic.com
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<br />
I believe it is for this reason I have been on somewhat of a tear lately. I'm finishing partial songs that have been laying around for months, I am having drastically more successful co-writing appointments, and I'm just generally feeling good about my productivity. All of these things are happening partially because I have been fortunate enough to be around a ton of inspiring song writers as of late, but more so I believe because I just work better with a deadline. When I know there is a due date my mind just kicks into overdrive. Perhaps this is a personal flaw, but it is a flaw that I recognize and therefore (when all goes well) I can use to my advantage.<br />
<br />
As the flood of new songs comes pouring in it makes me think of excesses, and the natural ebb and flow of things.<br />
<br />
It is with this mindset that I entered one of my recent writing sessions. This writing session was with one of my all time favorite writing buddies, Amanda Williams. Amanda is as real as it comes and she is one smart songwriter. I'm always impressed by her ability to think mechanistically and factually about the music industry one minute and then as if flipping a switch go immediately and effortlessly into creative, flowery zen type thoughts about the specific piece of music we are creating at the time.<br />
<br />
Amanda is a rare breed. I'm proud to call her my friend and always happy with the results of our writing.<br />
<br />
For this last writing session I brought in a strange kind of idea (musically and lyrically). (NOTE: In addition to working better with a deadline, another thing I have learned about my creative process is that if I have a piece of a song stuck in my head I had better go ahead and finish it by any means necessary because otherwise my mind will continually jump back to that one idea no matter what else I am working on. This piece of music was one of those. I call em splinters. They must be excised)<br />
<br />
The idea was a hangover song. I kept replaying the line "Today we pay for last night's wine" in my head. And because it was a hangover song I had kind of a jarring, peculiar feeling intro chord progression. I thought this uneasiness fit well with the subject matter.<br />
<br />
So far the idea doesn't sound too terribly strange. Well, leave it to my twisted brain.<br />
<br />
I told Amanda, this is a hangover song idea, but not really about a hangover per se.<br />
It was no surprise to me that Amanda was now more enthralled. She said, "Go on".<br />
<br />
My idea was that our country and the society therein is in a hangover state in a sense. Politicians can call it economic downturn or recession, or any other myriad of expressions but what it looks like to me is a hangover. We partied fast and hard for a few centuries and we are dealing with that morning after headache now.<br />
<br />
I envision the "upper class men" (England, Germany, France, etc) watching "the freshman" show up to the party and just indulge and indulge and indulge. The "grown folks" at the party are sipping beer and wine. We are funneling Whiskey. We have been the life of the party for a bit, but we are learning we may need to reign it in a bit before the next kegger.<br />
<br />
Although the song depicts the miserable scene surrounding the realization that some of our actions from last night weren't necessarily the wisest, I believe there is a lighter side to this in reality.<br />
<br />
Much like a hangover in real life, our nation may need to take a few Tylenol and drink a ton of water in order go forward, but we will go forward having learned a little something about ourselves and how to conduct ourselves at the next party.<br />
<br />
(NOTE: We will still be the life of the party and we will always proudly drink our whiskey.....maybe just not the entire handle next time)<br />
<br />
Anyway, enough of my babbling, here are the lyrics:<br />
<br />
<br />
"Last Night's Wine"<br />
(written by Amanda Williams and Eric Erdman on 11-7-12 )<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Such a mystery</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">How things got to be</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This cacophony of grift and grind</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Painful to perceive</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Freedom to extreme</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Is it destiny with bloodshot eyes</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Chorus</u></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We had our fun</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But now it's done</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Today we pay for last night's wine</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Today we pay for last night's wine</span><br />
<br />
Teenage fantasy<br />
What you've done to me<br />
Responsibility nowhere to find<br /><br />Like a melody<br />Way to high to sing<br />Let the chorus cut you down to size<br /><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We had our fun</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But now it's done</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Today we pay for last night's wine</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Today we pay for last night's wine</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
Bridge<br />We joined the party late<br />But we caught up<br />One's ok<br />Two's too much<br />But three's not enough<br /><br />We had our fun<br />But now it's done<br />Today we pay for last night's wine<br />Today we pay for last night's wine<br /><br />We had our fun<br />But now it's done<br />Today we pay for last night's wine<br />Today we pay for last night's wine<br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Thanks For Reading
www.ericerdmanmusic.com
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In order to cleanse my mind of anything logical and get ready to create a few songs this afternoon, I used one of my goofy mental exercises. Namely, turning words inside out and making them mean something other than what they are supposed to. Here are today's results. : (By the way: I think everyone should have some fun with words sometimes. Do it and let me know of some funny definitions you come up with)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Newsstand - What reporters have to do while waiting on a story to break<br />
<br />
Copperhead - The nickname I give the fake tan, gym rats when they have their fresh coat of orange paint (NOTE: This is a nickname I call them VERY VERY quietly)<br />
<br />
Rosebud - your friend at the florist<br />
<br />
Bedrock - an action that may happen after visiting your rosebud.<br />
<br />
Rattlesnake- thieving infant<br />
<br />
Foreground - golf course<br />
<br />
Shortchange - switching summertime wardrobe<br />
<br />
Lunchbox - What happens when someone tries to steal my sammich<br />
<br />
Mailbox - How pugilistics used to be before Laila Ali and her colleagues integrated the sport<br />
<br />
Toolbox - the next step of making the sport open to all, an all douchebags division is instated. If either gets knocked out we all win.<br />
<br />
Sandbox - amateur impromptu bouts that could be qualified as Toolboxing at the beach (usually stemming from a volleyball dispute or a bikini clad girl)<br />
<br />
Background - What the loser of a Tool boxing match feels.<br />
<br />
Starfish - it used to be just a regular old fish, It gets in one Disney film and nows he's mister big shot.<br />
<br />
Goldfish - the executive producer for the Disney film which made Starfish a Star<br />
<br />
Teapot - what they drink in Colorado<br />
<br />
Fireplace - shooting range<br />
<br />
Popcorn - dad's horrible sense of humor<br />
<br />
Sweatshirt - time to do the laundry<br />
<br />
Oatmeal - three times a day for a horse<br />
<br />
Meatloaf - prevented by the little blue pill<br />
<br />
Bedspread - step one when making a bed angel<br />
<br />
Worksheets - step two when making a bed angel<br />
<br />
Snowflake - indecisive skier<br />
<br />
Meatball - worst and most blunt pick up line in history<br />
<br />
Woodpecker - I'm gonna recommend a good sanding before use<br />
<br />
Airbag - what you get when you buy potato chips<br />
<br />
Aircraft - indirectly what someone who makes balloon animals is doing<br />
<br />
Airline - day one at balloon animal college<br />
<br />
Bridegroom - now legal in a few states<br />
<br />
Bucktoothed - eating venison<br />
<br />
Backhoe - well….yeah<br />
<br />
Ballplayer - come on man, not in public<br />
<br />
Barcode - don't grope the girls, throw up on the dance floor, or pass out while ordering a drink<br />
<br />
Battlecry - really bad for the morale of the soldiers (and your reputation)<br />
<br />
Birthplace - vagina<br />
<br />
Birthrate - "Mrs Jones you have a healthy baby boy, but I have to deduct a few tenths of a point for the dismount. I'll give it 8.7"<br />
<br />
Birthright - The skill Mrs. Jones is gonna have to work on if she wants to get that score up next time<br />
<br />
Blockbuster - most Karate demonstrations<br />
<br />
Bobcats - man they hate it when you do that<br />
<br />
Cardboard - after 6 hours of a poker tournament<br />
<br />
Cheapskate - makes it hard to not fall down during the Hokie Pokie<br />
<br />
Chickpea - squatting<br />
<br />
Childproof - the 3rd positive pregnancy test<br />
<br />
Clockwise - those who master time management<br />
<br />
Downscale - goal for a Jenny Craig member<br />
<br />
Copycat - I'm gonna eat, lay around, and lick myself…just like felix<br />
<br />
Cookwear - I don't know. I can't find him either and we have customers waiting for lunch<br />
<br />
Cookout - reason the cook can't be found<br />
<br />
Crosswalk - pretty painful according to the Bible<br />
<br />
Crossword - INRI<br />
<br />
Downfall - I'm not really sure how else you can do it<br />
<br />
Downplay - a pillow fight<br />
<br />
Forecast - about the point at which I begin wondering if I will get a bite<br />
<br />
Ghostwriter - I'm guessing uses invisible ink<br />
<br />
Halfback - a darn good rebate<br />
<br />
Hedgehog - Hoarder in the Lowe's landscaping department<br />
<br />
Highlander - Denver native<br />
<br />
High school - CU<br />
<br />
Housekeeper - What every homeowner is when the market is down<br />
<br />
Network - A good way to catch fish<br />
<br />
Nightstand - a security guard's job<br />
<br />
Outcropping - where you can find the farmer<br />
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Overbooked - that feeling you get on Exam week<br />
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Overseer - a world traveler<br />
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Pickax - The obvious choice when excavating and given the option of spoon or ax<br />
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Redwood - you should probably get that looked at<br />
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Superimpose - what some house guests do<br />
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Underdog - Earth<br />
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Undergrowth - Earth<br />
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Understand - Earth<br />
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Underwater - Earth<br />
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Underworld - thin layer of atmosphere then a bunch of space<br />
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Wasteland - putting in yet another strip mall<br />
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Wisecrack - the drug of choice for intelligent people<br />
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Workshop - the means and ends of a woman's mission in life<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Thanks For Reading
www.ericerdmanmusic.com
www.facebook.com/ericerdmanmusic
www.twitter.com/ericerdmanmusic</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434836978049681966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171748340837625464.post-26419908359803026732012-11-18T12:20:00.001-08:002012-11-19T06:47:52.172-08:00How the Echo of a Star was made a * by an Ecko In my readings I came across a story I had forgotten. This story is however one of my favorites so I wanna recount it now to breathe a little life back into it.<br />
<br />
The story is of Barry Bond's record breaking home run ball. Actually the story is about the fate of the historic ball and the path it took to get where it is today.<br />
<br />
<br />
I am a huge baseball fan. I played lots of sports when I was younger but baseball was far and away my favorite. I played park ball, I played for my high school team, I played on days when I wasn't required to play. I loved it. There is a reason it is America's past time. It's a great sport but it some how comes along with a bit magic, and bit of history, and most importantly of all a heap of weirdness and quirkiness unlike any other sport.<br />
<br />
I would play in the back yard for hours with my best friend, Hanan. We would try to invent and perfect new pitches or we would turn pretend double plays. We dreamed in baseball terms. I wanted to be Wade Boggs.<br />
<br />
The point to all this is....we were highly invested in not just our specific team or our game that day, we were invested in the concept of baseball.<br />
<br />
I am confident we were not alone in this.<br />
<br />
This is why the story of Barry Bonds ball always makes me smile.<br />
<br />
Let me say from the jump, I don't hate Barry Bonds. I don't ridicule him, because I am not sure about all the circumstances surrounding his part of baseball lore. I wasn't in his shoes. But the story involving his home run ball makes me feel good about baseball. I mean it makes me feel good about the concept of baseball. It makes me have hope for tradition. Hope for tradition in general.<br />
<br />
<br />
This is what happened: Barry Bonds had a career that is awe inspiring. There is no doubt that Barry Bonds is one of the greatest to play the sport of baseball. You would think that would make me love him since I love the sport so dearly. ......you'd think wrongly.<br />
<br />
Firstly Barry played for the Giants (which instantly made him an enemy to my Braves), strike one (pun intended). Additionally, he was notoriously a diva and a person hated by his teammates (this doesn't make him an enemy of baseball by itself because there are many of the baseball greats that were known to be not so cuddly. But he supposedly went to extremes. Word on the street is he insisted on having his own locker room because he didn't even want to be around his team mates before or after the game. That's pretty bad. ) So the guy's an epic asshole. There have been other baseball heroes who were assholes. I'll let that slide. But what I and many other baseball fans refused to let slide was the fact that he obviously used performance enhancing drugs as he approached the biggest record in the sports' history.<br />
<br />
The Juicing era of baseball was a dark scourge on the face of our beloved sport. Through the many books, rumors and yes a congressional hearing we have learned that many of the players we looked up to were indeed cheating. Sure they still had to possess amazing work ethic and skill to be good at baseball. They cheated to go from good to great.<br />
<br />
And Barry was in the very very small group of the most egregious offenders. He went from being a fit, slightly muscular guy (I'll say the Ted Williams, DiMaggio fame) to looking like a cartoon. Barry's muscles had muscles. His skull had muscles. It was freakish. The guy looked like a marvel comic character.<br />
<br />
As I have said , he was far from being the only person juicing. It seems to have been the norm. For this reason, I don't like bashing Barry too terribly bad. However stack on the fact that he was apparently the biggest jerk he could possibly be , AND the most important of all........he was closing in on the most heralded of all records, the homerun record, and you have yourself baseball villain numero uno.<br />
<br />
Barry Bonds, went on to surpass Hank Aaron's record(He was passing the Mobile, AL hero....yet another reason to not like Bonds) as the person to have hit the most home runs in a career EVER (Aaron had 755, Bonds hit 756.....and continued to eventually hit 762).<br />
<br />
This is important.<br />
<br />
This bothered me. This bothered Hanan. This bothered people like us all over the nation that are passionate about baseball. Sure there had been cheaters, as a matter of fact there had been cheaters that were the "faces of the sport" for a decade or so. But to have the person who would obviously be put into the Hall Of Fame as the Best Power Hitter to ever live be a cheater.....that was hard to swallow.<br />
<br />
But what could be done as a fan of baseball? Nothing.<br />
<br />
<br />
In steps fashion designer, Mark Ecko.<br />
<br />
I don't know ANYTHING about Mark Ecko, other than the fact I've worn a couple of his shirts, and I'm guessing he likes rhinos.<br />
<br />
But he must either be a huge baseball fan and felt wronged like the rest of us, or he must just have so much money he doesn't know what to do with it all.<br />
<br />
Well either way, he spent a lot of his money ($752,467.00 to be exact) to purchase the historic home run ball at an online auction.<br />
Then he let the fans decide the fate of the ball. <br />
<br />
Ecko made an online poll and let the people who care the most about the game vote. He let the fans vote.<br />
The options were:<br />
<ul>
<li>1) put the ball in the Hall of Fame as is</li>
<li>2) have the ball destroyed</li>
<li>3) have the ball shot into space</li>
<li>4) have it permanently emblazoned with an * to denote that it shouldn't count as the actual record and THEN be put in the Hall of Fame</li>
</ul>
<br />
The fans spoke. The votes were tallied and the fans of baseball decided to add the asterisk and send it to the Hall of Fame. So that is exactly what Mark Ecko had done.<br />
I think this decision matters for many reasons. One, (because Mark Ecko's contribution allowed it) the fans spoke their opinion of how their sport shall be viewed by future generations. It shows that the lovers of baseball thought the actions of Bonds (and all other juicers) made them a footnote in the history of baseball as opposed to the players that naturally played the sport without "cheating". And again it showed that baseball is quirky and weird even in the Hal of Fame and record books. And it also kinda slightly made a statement about being a team player.<br />
<br />
Barry Bonds had a bout with karma and his legacy will forever be tarnished.<br />
<br />
Now I almost feel bad about badly Bonds got treated , but the fact that a people stood together and gave the middle finger to something they disbelieved in, makes me value what's left of baseball.<br />
<br />
The baseball fans stood together and said we do not want to be represented by people who play and act in the way Barry did. That's a huge statement and it makes me love our weird sport even more.<br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Thanks For Reading
www.ericerdmanmusic.com
www.facebook.com/ericerdmanmusic
www.twitter.com/ericerdmanmusic</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434836978049681966noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171748340837625464.post-72655284043087167712012-11-08T09:43:00.002-08:002012-11-08T11:10:03.512-08:00The Jabroni Marconi and the Nobel Prize for Douche-bag-itudeI am in Nashville. I have been here for a couple days. I filmed the final scene (well the final scene involving me anyway) for the video for "I'm Through" , ate some BBQ and then I headed out to Amanda Williams and Todd Senf's house to do some writing. Amanda and I wrote a weird but very cool song entitled "Last Night's Wine".<br />
<br />
As always, when I hang or write with Amanda I have a great time. But another inevitability involved in writing with Amanda is discussing "the business" . I cherish these talks and look forward to them almost as much as the creation process. Amanda is a highly highly knowledgable young woman, her main area of expertise is music (although she is definitely not limited to only music), AND to top it all off, she typically thinks similarly to me.<br />
<br />
We tend to LEAN toward music topics, but it isn't strange for us to touch on Hindu Vedas, what seasons are best for growing which crops, Star Wars, home schooling, website design, and virtually ANYTHING else.<br />
<br />
During our talks today we grazed a familiar topic for us.....Copyrights.<br />
<br />
At first my mind focuses, as it usually does when thinking of this subject, to illegal downloads. I think of the song writer and performers who dump insane amounts of time and money into the production (or have money dumped into these productions by a third party which is rightfully expecting to get reimbursed with interest). These artists are finding it harder and harder to continue producing high quality music simply because society is refusing to pay them for their craft. The public loves the music but has devalued it. This devaluation is negatively impacting the ability to create the same quality albums as used to be made. But since we have covered this topic umpteen million times my mind quickly wanders.<br />
<br />
My mind wanders to specific copyrights and the infringement upon them. Then it takes the next step; pondering the all time worst sonic copyright infringements.<br />
<br />
I thought of the classic cases: Vanilla Ice snatching "Under Pressure" by Queen, George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" being derived from "He's So Fine", Huey Lewis' "I Wanna New Drug" ripping Ray Parker Jr's "Ghostbusters", Offspring's "Why Don't You Get a Job?" being "Obla Di Obla Da" by the Beatles, the list goes on and on and on<br />
<br />
Then my mind leapt to an entire different level. There was a sonic victim that had been stolen from so much more severely than anyone on my list. The man I was thinking of was really a meta-victim. He had been stolen from on the level of sonic transmission.<br />
<br />
The meta-victim was Nicolai Tesla. In addition to being ripped off and under appreciated on a myriad of other situations, Tesla basically had the credit for radio broadcasting taken from him.<br />
<br />
I can imagine the pain of John Lennon's corpse must have felt when it was rolling over in such a confined space as the airwaves of 1998-1999 were filled with these horribly bastardized version of "Ob la di, Ob la da". I'm guessing Lennon's remains were thankful for the 6 feet of Earth and the coffin lid that at least somewhat muffled the screeching vocals and horrid lyrics of the uncredited remake.<br />
<br />
But as horrible a feeling as that must have been, I have to think it was a warm comfy bath when compared to having one steal the entire idea of radio transmission itself, as Tesla did.<br />
<br />
Think about that. Tesla thought up the concept of broadcast. And gets little credit.<br />
<br />
Oh I forgot to mention that Tesla also developed A/C current. This is relevant to music because even if you some how think music could eventually have been passed hand to hand via some other method than broadcast, Tesla's ideas would still be needed to provide electricity to whatever device that's reproducing the music to be heard (excluding player pianos, music boxes, and sheet music, but I'm thinking few people would want to exchange their iPod for a music box for each song they would like to hear or a folder of sheet music and an ensemble to perform said sheet music. Without Tesla it gets cumbersome to say the least).<br />
<br />
At first Tesla wasn't at war with Marconi (the man credited with the first radio broadcast across the Atlantic Ocean, and given the moniker "Father of Radio"), as a matter of fact when Marconi was getting accolades for creating this new thing called "radio", Tesla cleverly said, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: x-small;">"<b>Marconi is a good fellow. Let him continue. He is using seventeen of my patents."</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This light hearted feeling toward the Marconi praise changed once Marconi was given the Nobel Prize in 1911 (for basically "creating" what Tesla had already devised). </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tesla attempted to sue Marconi but Tesla was broke, Marconi and his constituents weren't broke. I therefore shouldn't need to tell you how that one ended.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Months after Tesla's death the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Tesla's patents (NOTE: the U.S. Supreme Court did this only to get back at Marconi for other lawsuits involving Marconi's patents which the U.S. had used in WWI. Tesla only gets love when it's convenient for other people, and even then it is posthumously).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So the next time I turn on the radio to a John Mayer song that musically sounds exactly like "Sexual Healing" I will still be angry on behalf of Marvin. But from here forward I will think of this broadcasting device (and any other broadcasting device) and think of its shady beginnings. I will still be angry on behalf of Marvin (and cowriter David Ritz) of course, but I will have an extra chip on my shoulder for Tesla.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">He didn't have his song stole. He had the ability to play every song ever stolen. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Nicolai Tesla, the meta-victim of sonic infringement.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Thanks For Reading
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As I have stated before in the blog, I am entertained by the failing of myself and others (for example, here's a post about one of my embarrassing moments: <a href="http://ericerdmanmusic.blogspot.com/2012/09/on-other-handthere-humiliation.html">http://ericerdmanmusic.blogspot.com/2012/09/on-other-handthere-humiliation.html</a> )<br />
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I guess I find them entertaining not because I believe they should be attempted or anything of the sort. I don't think they have great value in and of themselves. I figure in most of these irreversible embarrassing situations the damage has been done by the time the perpetrator even realizes there is a situation. So I guess at that point I feel like we should study the details of the situation, laugh at the comedically embarrassing elements, then take a life lesson from the aftermath (as to hopefully never repeat the same actions).<br />
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The good thing about these embarrassing situations is that they are universal. No one has to feel embarrassed alone, because we have all made glaring embarrassing mistakes at one time or another. Of course each instance has its own ingredients (which also adds to the entertainment value) but they all result in embarrassment for the perpetrator.<br />
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Well, now for the bad news. Apparently these embarrassing moments aren't simply limited to individuals. Organizations also make excruciatingly embarrassing decisions. And to take it one step further the organizations and governmental bodies that are specifically designed to fix situations sometimes make the absolute worse mistakes of this kind. I find this type thing riveting, obviously not because I love the outcome, but because I get amazed by how wrong these people and organizations predict a situation. It is like watching a train wreck. Of course it is gnarly and ugly but I can't pry my eyes away.<br />
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And that brings us to "The Cobra Effect".<br />
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There are tons of examples of "The Cobra Effect". I'll try to briefly describe 2-3, but I believe we should start with the situation that gave "The Cobra Effect" its name.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The term "The Cobra Effect" stems from the time of British rule of colonial India. The British government was concerned about the number of venomous cobra snakes. The government therefore offered a reward for every dead snake. It was told to the citizens that if they killed a snake and brought its skin to the designated area (near town hall) they would receive reward money. Initially this was a successful strategy as large numbers of snakes were killed for the reward. Eventually, however, Indians wised up and began "playing the system". The people around the outskirts of Delhi began to breed cobras. They would then kill the cobras and take the skins to the designated area and collect their reward. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When this was realized the reward was cancelled. With the rewards no longer available, the cobra breeders immediately had no reason to continue breeding cobras. Once they had no reason to keep breeding the cobras the cobra breeders set the snakes free and the wild cobras consequently multiplied. The apparent solution for the problem made the situation much much worse.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-schwarz_2-0" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1em;"></sup></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The second example of "The Cobra Effect" causing a bad situation to become extremely worse is in Hanoi during the early 1900's.</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;">During this time Hanoi was under French colonial rule. Well, the French have always been very proud of their lifestyle and they insist on a certain level of elegance. Unfortunately, the model French city they were trying to construct at Hanoi had a sewer system which although high tech for the time, was a breeding ground for rats. The inundation of rats made it hard to keep the French level of elegant society so something had to be done to eradicate the rats.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;">However the French apparently hadn't heard about the cobra problem in Delhi because the colonial regime basically repeated the error and created a bounty program that paid a reward for each rat killed. To obtain the bounty, people would provide the severed rat tail. Colonial officials, however, began noticing rats in Hanoi with no tails. The Vietnamese rat catchers would capture rats, lop off their tails, and then release them back into the sewers so that they could procreate and produce more rats, thereby increasing the rat catchers' revenue.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;">In addition to the streets still running rampant with tailless rats and their "soon to be tailless" offspring, there were farms for the creatures springing up around town. Exactly like the Cobras in Delhi, the rats of Hanoi became a way to make money, so the people figured out how to make more rats. This was obviously the exact opposite of the initial intention of the bounty.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;">I'm sure you are saying , there are thousands of stories of how governments have made mistakes hundreds of years ago. At least we learned from those silly mistakes. Well, one would think.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;">But in 2007 at Fort Benning in Georgia, the same exact thing happened. This time is was with pigs. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">Fort Benning was simply getting overrun with pigs. The pigs were destroying the lands and needed to be stopped. The attempted solution: bounty on pigs. If anyone killed a pig and brought the tail to the designated area, they got $40. As you would imagine, it didn't take long before there was a racket going on where some of the wiser guys on post would go to surrounding areas, pay local meat processors and butchers a small amount ($3-8 each) for some pig tails, then go trade them in for $40 each. Meanwhile not helping the actual pig infestation at all.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">Here's where the Fort Benning pig problem actually qualifies as a "Cobra Effect" problem where the "solution" makes the problem worse: in addition to paying for a lot of tails from pigs that never stepped hoof on Fort Benning, they also allowed the soldiers to take scraps out of the back of the mess hall to bait the hogs. This led to fatter, healthier pigs that produced offspring at a higher rate. So instead of fixing the pig problem at Fort Benning they had actually made it worse. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">The fact that the Fort Benning case was so recent really shocked me. I thought by now we would have learned from our mistakes. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">Although I get a little chuckle thinking about the unstoppable onslaught of too many pigs, I do see where "The Cobra Effect" has had and can have severe detrimental effects on an area or our whole civilization.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">For the final example let's leave the animals alone. This example also happened in recent years. And this time it was exacted by the United Nations. I'll directly quote Freakonomics here: </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">"</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">United Nations came up with a plan a few years ago to cut down on greenhouse gases. It rewarded companies with carbon credits for disposing of polluting gases, and those credits could be converted into cold, hard cash. Now, the prices were set according to how bad these things were for the environment. And one of the highest prices — one of the highest bounties, really — was for destroying a nasty gas called HFC-23, which is a byproduct of a common coolant. So what happened? Yep — companies began to produce more and more of this coolant in order of destroy more and more of the byproduct waste gas, and collect millions of dollars in the process. The other problem was that the coolant itself was also really bad for the environment."</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">You can obviously extrapolate from these examples and see how the same ideas/mistakes if repeated could wreak havoc.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">They gave a final example of how the Endangered Species list actually qualifies as being a perpetrator of "The Cobra Effect". Basically the Endangered Species List can't just immediately put a creature on the list, there is about a 2 year waiting period (for more research , etc.). The problem here is that, if a land owner, possible developer hears that a certain species Cockatoo that is indigenous to his area may become endangered in 2 years (making his land therefore unable to be developed), he's going to immediate get to deforesting and building in order to beat the Endangered Species List to the punch. But of course surely causing said creature to become even more endangered (or possibly extinct) in the process.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">So that's "The Cobra Effect". At first I was getting a good chuckle at the expense of ancient governmental mistakes but then I started realizing that it's still a mistake that is currently being made.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">There is no real moral to the story I guess, it just blows my mind that we are still screwing up something that has such a horrible track record. I mean it's like falling for the "Hey, you have something on your shirt" gag for 100 years. Only instead of getting our noses bonked we are destroying significant parts of the planet or tinkering with the ecosystem in highly negative ways.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">We all know that if there is a way to "beat the system" there will be folks out there smart enough to figure out how. But it is inexcusable to keep repeating the same error over and over and over. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">So let's collectively agree to not look down when the next bounty/incentive plan comes along and says "Hey, you've got something on your shirt".</span></span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Thanks For Reading
www.ericerdmanmusic.com
www.facebook.com/ericerdmanmusic
www.twitter.com/ericerdmanmusic</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434836978049681966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171748340837625464.post-85424170926867851192012-10-24T20:21:00.000-07:002012-11-08T11:37:27.017-08:00Artist Spotlight: Ben Tanner (of the Alabama Shakes)<br />
Aritst Spotlight: Ben Tanner (of Alabama Shakes)<br />
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During my time in Muscle Shoals I made many great friendship. I know many of them will last for a lifetime. Of all those folks, Ben Tanner has to be among the top of the list. During the time we spent writing and recording at FAME studios, I probably spent the most time with Ben. During the Nostoi sessions and virtually every other thing we recorded while in the Shoals, Ben was some how involved as either an engineer, producer, or just an extra set of qualified ears.<br />
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In addition to being a studio whiz, Ben is a well educated guy whose just a chill guy to hang with. Many nights we would hang at Ricatoni's or Rivertown Coffee and just discuss music, or life, or ....the most absurd things we could ponder. But it was always fun.<br />
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Well being a cool guy and a great engineer/producer isn't the end of young Tanner's list of great attributes. He is also an incredible keyboardist.<br />
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We had Ben play on many of our recordings throughout our time in the Shoals.<br />
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Any time we were in town and saw that Ben would be playing with this group or that group we would go check it out. He never disappointed.<br />
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We all knew Ben was a musical genius and headed toward musical greatness, but we weren't sure which vehicle would take him there. He had played with dozens of cool bands around the Shoals area but for this reason or that reason they would never last for too long. We'd come back from the road and Ben would be playing with a great band. We'd go out of town and come back and Ben would be with a different group. We'd head to Mobile for a week, come back and Ben would be in yet another band. They were always interesting and Ben always added the perfect signature element to the style of the band (regardless of which band). They just had short shelf lives.<br />
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It is for all these reasons that Ben joining the Alabama Shakes and their subsequent rise to world prominance made me ecstatic. This is probably the time when I can most confidently say, "The Good Guy Won. (and continues to win)"<br />
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I have to laugh now when I think about the following story: About 6 months before they began to explode onto the charts, they headed down to Callaghan's in Mobile. Ben called me to see if we were going to be around. Of course as it worked out we were not in town because we were out somewhere playing ourselves. But I told Ben that I was close friends with the owner of the club they were going to play and I would put in a call to him. I made the call to the owner (JT) and asked him to take care of "my people" and be sure to talk to Ben because he was a close friend. Of course JT takes care of all musicians that play his place, but I thought I would warn JT anyway. Besides that's the least I could do to help out my old friend Ben and his latest bad ass band that was struggling to make it.<br />
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Well I laugh now because that may have been the last they ever struggled. It was very very shortly after their Callaghan's performance (which was apparently great. Both JT and Ben called me to tell me they had a phenomenal time) that they were all over every media outlet in the world.<br />
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So last year at the Hangout festival in Gulf Shores I watched Ben (along with the rest of the Alabama Shakes) absolutely rock 40,000 plus people. It was very apparent that they drew as big a crowd as any act at the entire festival (which included Red Hot Chili Peppers and Dave Matthews Band). They were remarkable. It made me proud to watch ANY Alabama based band bring the pain like that, but for it to be a kind, deserving long time friend......well I'm not gonna lie I teared up a little. It was a beautiful moment. (I mean it was 10x more emotional than watching "Rudy").<br />
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Anyway, I hung out with Ben at the Hangout. I got to tell him how proud we all are of him. But I also got to ask him some questions.<br />
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He is amongst my busiest of friends but because he is the most bad ass Ben Tanner, he took time out of his schedule to answer a few questions so I could put them here for your enjoyment.<br />
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If you have been living under a rock and are unaware of the Alabama Shakes, go check them out. And if you see their keyboard player wandering the streets go buy him a drink ( I'll pay ya back).<br />
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Here's the interview:<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>1.- Let me start by saying I'm not sure I've ever been more proud of a friend than I am of you. And being as "the industry" has made horrible decision after horrible decision , seeing you (a highly competent artist and a genuine good soul) be recognized and successful gives me hope for music. Have you crossed paths with other artists that make you feel the same? (meaning: artists who were successful and worthy. Artists whose recent success give you hope for the future of "the industry") </b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks so much, Eric. It gives me hope, too. I first saw the Shakes (when they were simply "The Shakes") in front of 40 or 50 people, and it was one of the greatest musical moments I've experienced. But I never thought, "They're gonna be huge", I just thought it was another great band that would probably never be heard as widely as they should be. So to see them (us) succeed gives me hope, too.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As far as other artists, Bonnie Raitt comes to mind immediately. We met her briefly on the David Letterman set. On Thursdays, Letterman tapes a double show; they shoot Thursday's and Friday's shows in one day so they can take Friday off. We were taping for Thursday, and Bonnie was there for Friday's. After we played, I went back upstairs to our dressing room, and there was Bonnie Raitt talking to Brittany. She was just the warmest, coolest, nicest person. And then she was telling Brittany about this obscure female singer from Louisiana, and she starts singing a line of this song, and it clicked for me: "Oh, that's just your voice. That's what you actually sound like." We ran into her again in Nashville at the Americana Music Awards, and she was, again, unbelievably nice and gave a killer performance. So hers was more a lesson of how to act. It's like your grandmother always taught you, "Be sweet", no matter how great you (think you) are.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We've also crossed paths with a lot of the folks from that Daptone R&B scene in Brooklyn, and they're really inspiring, too. Great musicians really committed to writing great songs and coming up with great arrangements. We did a show with Antibolas in California, and they've got something like 12 guys on stage, but it never feels cluttered, they're all playing off each other and listening to each other. And that whole scene came from them just making the kind of records they wanted to hear, and it eventually paid off for them, so that's a pretty hopeful story, too.</span></div>
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2. <b>The Muscle Shoals area has been churning out great music and musicians for what seems like forever, but I can't help but feel there has been a renaissance there over the last few years. It seems to me like the area is bursting at the seams with talented musicians and writers in a way it hasn't in years (or possibly ever). Do you feel that's an accurate statement? </b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It definitely feels like something special to me, and a lot of the older players like David Hood and Spooner Oldham say it's the most talent they've ever seen around here, so I'll take their word for it. I also think it's only the beginning. It feels like everyone has a lot of momentum right now. We're all learning with every record we make, and I think the Shoals is putting out a pretty solid catalog of work right now, and I think we'll continue to challenge ourselves to make better and better records.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Definitely Levon Helm. The Band is right up there with The Beatles and The Stones for me, and I had the pleasure of meeting Levon a few years ago. I was at Bonnaroo with the now defunct Sons of Roswell, and Dylan Leblanc, Jay Burgess and myself were hanging backstage before Levon's set, and Levon was just standing over by himself, so I thought, I have to at least shake the man's hand. He chatted with us for a minute, and when it came out that we were from Muscle Shoals, he just lit up. He asked about all the session players from there, and he talked to us like we were his own grandchildren. He was a really sweet, genuine person. And then he put on an unbelievable show. I just read his autobiography, "This Wheel's On Fire". That's a really great read.</span></div>
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4. <b>You have been touring a bunch. We were recently in Europe at the same time. I was in Belgium and I missed being able to see y'all in Germany and in France by a day each time. If you are anything like me, you discover new favorite spots in Europe everytime you go. Tell me some of your favorite European spots (it could be a venue , a restaurant, a park, whatever). Which European spots make Ben Tanner wish he could stay longer?</b></div>
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I lived in Paris for a little while after college, so I always love going back there. This summer, we had a couple of days off in Utrecht in the Netherlands, which was a great little city. Like a smaller, chiller version of Amsterdam. I had a really nice time in Madrid just wandering around the city, and everything starts later there, which is more like my natural schedule. We played the Montreux Jazz Festival this year, and we got hang out at the festival founder's chalet up in the Swiss alps. That was pretty surreal and amazing. Those are some highlights, but we have a pretty great time everywhere in Europe; Europe has treated us very well.</div>
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5. <b>Now for more of the gear geek questions. Do you find that you are more of the "I have to have the new model of the best piece of gear every time it comes out" type guy or are you more of a "tried and true. I've had this keyboard since middle school" type of guy?</b> </div>
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In the studio, I love trying lots of different stuff, and I try to avoid too many formulas or presets. In the keyboard realm, specifically, sometimes a cheap crappy keyboard might have one cool sound on it that works perfectly for something. But for playing live, I tend to go towards the more stable, versatile stuff. I've been playing the same Nord Electro 2 for around 6 years now, and it's treated me really well. For some bands I play with, I'll add a Nord Lead to that setup if I need some more synth-y or noisy sounds.</div>
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6. <b>What is you gear setup specifically?</b></div>
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With the Shakes, I have a pretty sweet right now. They recently bought a road-worthy B3 that has folding legs and fits into a road case. So I usually have that and a Rhodes and the Nord Electro. The Electro i normally use for just piano sounds unless the Rhodes is having issues, which happens from time to time. So with the Shakes, it's a pretty awesome, classic setup, and it's really spoiling me.</div>
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7.<b> I know you as a great musician but I also know you as a producer and engineer from the time I spent working with you on Ugli Stick stuff. Are you doing any engineering or producing currently? If not, do you miss it and see yourself getting back into more studio work once you are off the road a little more?</b></div>
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Yeah, I'm still trying to record as much as possible. Touring so much makes it challenging, but this year, I've stayed really busy with sessions during our breaks from the road. I've been juggling a lot of records all year, and every time it looks like it's going to slow down, something else comes along. I had to invest in a new laptop with Pro Tools installed so I could do at least some work on the road. Before I got the laptop, it was like, "I'm home for a week and I have 4 different projects to work on, plus I have to do laundry before I leave again." So the laptop has helped a lot. Plus, there's so much downtime on the road, it's nice to have something productive to do, I can at least pull up a session and mess around with it.</div>
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8. <b>Give me a brief rundown on what is on slate for you for the remainder of 2012 and the beginning of 2013.</b></div>
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We leave for another European tour on November 1, and we're over there for a few weeks, then we have a couple of weeks off, and then we have a handful of shows in the US at the beginning of December, and then I think we're gonna be off until the end of the year. In January we're hitting Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, which is insane. I still haven't wrapped my mind around that.</div>
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On the recording front, I just sent off mixes to be mastered for Belle Adair's first LP, and I'm pretty excited about that. The Bear just finished tracking their new album, and we'll probably start mixing in November and try to put it out sometime in early 2013. Doc Dailey's new album comes out in a couple of weeks. I'm mixing a really cool EP for a soul/R&B band from Birmingham called Saint Paul and the Broken Bones right now. John Paul White has a little guest house behind his house that we're trying to develop into a smaller studio/mix room/writing room. We just started moving gear in there this week, but we're pretty excited about it.</div>
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Thanks For Reading
www.ericerdmanmusic.com
www.facebook.com/ericerdmanmusic
www.twitter.com/ericerdmanmusic</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434836978049681966noreply@blogger.com158tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171748340837625464.post-7137196289234034402012-10-17T08:41:00.002-07:002012-10-17T16:14:44.395-07:00John Hiatt is Cool<h3>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="huge" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">As you get older it is harder to have heroes, but it is sort of necessary.</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ernest Hemingway<br /> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><div class="bq20" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="huge" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Without heroes, we are all plain people and don't know how far we can go.</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="bodybold" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Bernard Malamud</span></span><span class="bodybold" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><span class="bodybold" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><span class="bodybold" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">========</span></span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="bodybold" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I've had an exciting week and it just keeps getting better. I have been in Nashville filming a video for my song "I'm Through". My long time friend, Ray Iddings (and his cameraman, Joey), are really working far above and beyond to be sure this turns out great. I have seen some of the raw unedited footage and it's amazing. I can't wait to release it. </span></span><span class="bodybold" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><span class="bodybold" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We are hoping to do a couple quicker, less labor intensive videos for "If Alabama Is Not Good Enough For You", and "Bird on A Powerline" today.</span></span><span class="bodybold" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><span class="bodybold" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Because of this fact this blog post probably won't be too terribly long.</span></span><span class="bodybold" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><span class="bodybold" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But I wanted to make sure to keep you guys and girls abreast of what's going on. </span></span><span class="bodybold" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><span class="bodybold" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">During my time in Nashville I have also been able to visit some of my great musician friends. </span></span><span class="bodybold" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><span class="bodybold" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Last night I did some recording in Les Hall's studio and then we did a live concert from his studio (via the technological magic that it StageIt.com). After that we went and listened to a little live music courtesy of Les' friend, Larry. Les and I sat in and played a couple each. It was a good time. </span></span><span class="bodybold" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><span class="bodybold" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But now I must turn my sights to today and tomorrow.</span></span><span class="bodybold" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><span class="bodybold" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As I said above, today will be spent filming. I've done a bunch of filming over the years but I can say that this is something altogether different than any of that. This is a professional video shoot with professional film crew and producer. And the difference is apparent.</span></span><span class="bodybold" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><span class="bodybold" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So in addition to owing Ray big time for helping me make a quality video, I also feel even more endebted to him because he is allowing me to become comfortable in a professional video shoot environnment. </span></span><span class="bodybold" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span><span class="bodybold" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">He is giving me a gift (a quality video which will help me in many ways), but he is also helping me attain a new skill. </span></span><span class="bodybold" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><span class="bodybold" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For that I can't thank Ray enough.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>=====</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Well before I headed up to Nashville late Saturday night, I got a phone call about a possible opening gig this Thursday. </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>I knew I had video shoot obligations but we were supposed to be done that day anyway. I asked, "Who is the opening gig, opening up FOR?"</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>I hear, "John Hiatt"</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>I almost tripped over my tongue trying spit out "Absolutely, Of course, What Do I need to Do?, Hell Yeah, Yes" all at once. </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>John Hiatt is an icon.</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>As most of you know, I not only AM a songwriter, but I am a huge lover of songwriting. If I didn't write songs I feel like I would still study them and admire them for a hobby. Song craft is the art that speaks to me most vividly. I therefore adore it.</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>And John Hiatt is one of the absolute masters of song craft.</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>I can't remember when I first heard John Hiatt. It kind of just seems like his songs have always been around. </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>As I have grown older and more addicted to song writing, I notice that I admire John more and more. There are many reasons for this.</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>First and foremost, I love John Hiatt's songs. He is one of the all time best. If you don't have a John Hiatt song you love I believe it is because you haven't heard enough of them. They are remarkably great (and with the quality of songs on his new album he shows no sign of stopping)</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>I love his songs.</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>I also love the fact that John is cool. That may be a vague statement, but it carries weight with me. </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>I was speaking with Ray yesterday about folks that have this "coolness". People like Billy Gibbons, Mark Knopfler, Sting, ....and John Hiatt.</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Of course not all songs created by these artists are great. I know weak songs by each one. HOWEVER I try to listen to everything these artists put out because they just understand...cool.</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Another of John's attributes is his ability to remain partially in the shadows (which contributes to his coolness also). I have been a fan of John's for years and yet I still find songs I thought were written by other writers but were actually written by John. </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>It was a few years after "Angel Eyes" was a huge hit that I realized it was penned by Hiatt. But my biggest Hiatt surprise was finding out that he wrote "Feels Like Rain". I love Buddy Guy. I have seen him a few times and that was the song that always caught my ear. After hearing it over and over I look it up. Written by John Hiatt.</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Another reason I love John Hiatt, is the fact that he is very competent at singing and playing guitar. This allows him to perform with all the celebrities that record and play his songs live. </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>And because John has one of the most unique and distinctive voices on Earth, it is always very evident when John Hiatt is on a track.</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>So to sum it up: John writes amazing tunes (so many that I'm still finding some songs that I have loved for years were unbeknownst to me , written by John), Even on his less than stellar tunes there is a prevalent coolness that makes you dig those too. He has more than enough skill to be the super star front man but tends to be the support for the superstars, when he does take center stage he has such a signature sound that it seems to have come from outer space.</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>That's a pretty strong resume.</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>I hadn't put it into these words until now but I can say, "John Hiatt is one of my heroes".</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>As the Hemingway quote notes, as we get older it gets harder to have heroes. But I can safely say Hiatt is a hero to me.</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Everything I have ever hoped to do as a song writer, John has done. </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>So it is with this in mind that I anxiously look forward to tomorrow's show. </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Tomorrow night I will not only be honored to share the stage with one of my heroes, but I will be inspired and motivated to push myself even further as a songwriter. </b></span></span></h3>
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ALL the show details can be found here:</div>
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https://www.facebook.com/events/376179395796382/</div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Thanks For Reading
www.ericerdmanmusic.com
www.facebook.com/ericerdmanmusic
www.twitter.com/ericerdmanmusic</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434836978049681966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171748340837625464.post-84921779078332006062012-10-09T11:19:00.002-07:002012-10-09T15:56:45.816-07:00You are Gonna Pull Something If You Don't Stretch<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I've been asked a bunch about songwriting. It is a craft I dearly love. I plan on writing a book about it at some point but for now I'm too busy writing songs to write a book.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But as I get started today I am reminded of one element of song writing that many songwriters mistakenly skip. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And that's the warm up. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Maybe, I'll just warm up and show ya what I mean.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">========</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have a stack of songs I need to finish. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Today I am in the right state of mind to make headway. State of mind makes head way. Head way for my mind. What's a head weigh? 8 lbs if it is more fuller than mine. If it's a mine, I've apparently been mind shafted. Can ya dig it? </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But the point is, I feel like writing/righting. And when I'm in this zone , </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I can't just run into running , you see? </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"..one doesn't fly into flying" said Neitzche. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I like to start with a little linguistic yoga. I like to unscrew the top of my noggin and let the words fall out like cooked noodles. Al dente. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It's the stretch before the marathon. You know? The marathon of carefully placed thoughts that stretch for 26 smiles and a little more. So this is the stretch before the stretch, that eventually leads to the home stretch. (I know that's stretching it, but I don't wanna pull anything)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So today before any attempt I have at serious artistic thought, I have to get my brain out of gear. So I will kill 2 birds with one stone (NOTE: no animals were harmed in the writing/righting of this blog) and stretch here on my blog. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You will be my sounding board</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sounding board.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sounding Bored? </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">No. Not all. Writing without rules excites me. I'm only getting started.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Seems like I am getting to the point. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I can't get to the point when there isn't one. (question: doesn't every sentence that reaches a period get to the point? Well obviously that one didn't, but this one did. After a pause for the comma.)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In this happy place where nothing is wrong, it's simple to begin.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">No topic is taboo.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you want,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Use Bipartisan Political Puppetry, ala Sesame Street residents to make the country's candidates for Presidense </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">seem to mock us with an intent that is too bent to make sense ....of.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Oh no I need to wear gloves</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So my 9th grade English Tsar/CSI TV star will not see my fingerprints all over the last dense sentence which ended with a preposition. Those are horrible thing to end sentences with. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I did it again. This time on purpose. Don't tell. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">See? We are pissing off teachers, that means we are using our reachers.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Stretch. this is the stretch remember?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The goal here isn't to reach a destination. Actually it isn't even to move toward it. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We are simply warming up. This is free form motion of the faculties.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Facul-tease. Stop that. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ok. I'm feeling good about the flowetry and prose that arose from me. It was fun but have we begun? I guess, supposedly.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">============</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(After I have loosened up by just writing free form silliness and word play like I have above for a while I turn to a slightly more structured writing. This writing should be timed. I'd say somewhere between 5-10 minutes. The purpose of this writing is to be descriptive as possible about a specific singular object. The idea is to tell an engrossing story about the selected object. This story should be succinct and not terribly long, being as you are only allowing yourself 5-10 minutes to create it. And a great idea is to focus on the senses. Really think about sight, sound, taste, touch, smell. This is objective, creative writing. The act of doing it will greatly benefit the creative process once we reach that phase.)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Let's try it.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here we go.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Object: Old Muffler in my neighbor's yard</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">7 min of Writing:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> The pale blue moon light reflects from the fog and almost lights the path to it. Although vegetation has done its best to disguise with years of growth, this is a path I'll never forget. I'm closing in. The last 10 feet. I feel slowly forward. My bare feet grip the damp ground that feels like cotton candy but smells metallic. I inch closer until the moon paints the dim silhouette of the muffler. I can still hear echoes of spark plugs from the car's prime pulsing. I imagine the engine when it was new, throbbing and growling on a night like this. Now the last of the echoes are still trying to reach the cool night air and be heard after all these years. My hands slide along the jagged wreck. This long forgotten coarse piece of chrysler guiding my course. X marks the spot. I get on all fours and begin to dig my hands into the soil beneath the twisted shrapnel. I move forward and feel the roughness scrape my neck to remind me not to raise up. I push my fingers deeper into the ground, pulling out scoop by scoop until I finally reach it. It was still there after.....</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The timer went off. My 7 minutes are up. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The story about the muffler sucks. It's isn't great. I obviously wrote too slowly and thought about it too much because I didn't get to the end. But that isn't the point. The point of this is to exercise writing freely.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And that.......I have done.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So now I am ready to actually take on the righting/writing of a song. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There are no guarantees that I will create something stellar today, but having done exercises like the one above for years I can tell you that they help. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It is much easier to write something creative and of quality when your mind has been allowed to warm up.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This may have been a random post and I may have to elaborate on it later, but it has helped me get my mind ready to write. So thank you for being my sounding board. You have helped me get ready to create. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And hopefully...... maybe .....by seeing the silly, loosening up exercises I use, your creative writing may benefit as well.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Try it. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Even if you don't want to write a song or poem, it's kind of fun to free form write just as a stress reliever.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So for your own sanity......write. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Worst case scenario you will feel better. Best case scenario you will feel better AND you will create something you are proud of. </span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Thanks For Reading
www.ericerdmanmusic.com
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I've known BJ for years. I have hung out with Sirius Plan for most of their visit, And I did interviews with the film crew (well i knew Francoise and Virginie. the guys were new to me. But very nice) during my visit to Belgium earlier this year. So I was basically hanging out all week with my good friends and colleagues. It was great. <br />
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In addition to being super nice people, all the folks I talked about above speak French (not surprising since it is their native tongue). <br />
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For those of you that don't know I love the French language and enjoy any opportunity to practice. This week provided ample opportunity for that. <br />
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I must say Thank you to all my new French teachers for their patience. Im sure it was annoying but they were all so nice and helped me. <br />
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But as I hacked my way through French all week, I was reminded of a funny trip from my past. <br />
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In 2005 Dale Drinkard Jr , Jay Hines and myself went to France and Italy. During our trip there we had a couple of long train rides. <br />
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This train ride was from Florence to Rome. We find our compartment. It is a small room with 3 seats on one wall facing 3 seats on the other wall. <br />
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These other 3 seats were filled by the time we arrived. <br />
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Upon getting situated we struck up a conversation. After a little engagement we realize that the 3 men are Italian. One speaks English very well, the other two speak Italian only. So its obvious that the bilingual guy will be our Rosetta Stone. <br />
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After a little conversation we realize he also speaks French. <br />
As I said above I take any opportunity to try (wretchedly) to speak French. So I began speaking horrible French with the "translator". His face lights up. <br />
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He says I can understand when he speaks (pointing at Dale)<br />
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He says I can understand when he speaks (pointing at Jay)<br />
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But I can't understand unless you speak French. <br />
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This made me feel great and bad simultaneously. <br />
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On the one hand my French must be ok enough for him to understand because he is insisting I speak only in French for the remainder of the trip. This is a big pat on the back. My French must be better than I thought (NOTE: my French is highly rusty at this point but during the 2005 trip I had practiced a lot and brushed up on a lot of vocabulary and grammar. So it was much better then than it is now. Hopefully my hanging with my Belgian friends in America and in Europe will help me get better at speaking French)<br />
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But on the other hand , the Italian man was letting me know that I mumble and under enunciate English so badly that he couldn't understand me. Hahaha wow. <br />
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He had unknowingly insulted and complimented me. But since the purpose of language is really just communicating , he was actually trying to facilitate the transferring of information. Which is the goal. <br />
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It just made me laugh. <br />
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I had been focusing so hard on using the correct words with the correct pronunciation in another language that I lost focus on my own language. <br />
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We had an enjoyable trip with the Italians. I wish I had recorded the trip though. It would have been strange to listen to I believe. <br />
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Italian from the Italian only speakers to the "Rosetta Stone" guy<br />
English to us. <br />
English from Jay and Dale back to Rosetta Stone guy<br />
French from me back to him. <br />
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Repeat for about 2-3 hours. <br />
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That trip always pops in my mind when other languages are flying around me (as they were this week). I Unfortunately have let my French slip but I plan to fix that situation and be more proficient by the time I return to Europe. <br />
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Luckily my next trip overseas is to Australia. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to understand them. Of course the Italian train scene reminds me that I may want to work on my English before I leave so they can understand me. Hahaha <br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Thanks For Reading
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www.twitter.com/ericerdmanmusic</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434836978049681966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171748340837625464.post-56818062391571324352012-09-26T10:52:00.000-07:002012-09-27T08:30:57.128-07:00A Funny Thing Happened At Chickfest<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Today is Chickfest.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Chickfest is an incredible annual concert that is put on by Veet's in Mobile.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">(NOTE: If you are unfamiliar with Veet's. It is my favorite watering hole/live music venue/family operated business/place to hang, see friends and eat. If you are ever in Mobile Alabama you owe it to yourself to go. http://www.veetsbarandgrill.com/about.asp)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">So once a year Veet's turns the spotlight on the ladies specifically. And when I say the ladies I don't mean just any ladies. I mean some heavy hitting international celebrity talent as well as our local super talented ladies. Well tonight is the night. The headliners are JoAnna Berlage, Sirius Plan (incredible trio from Belgium), the legendary Donna Hall, and international star Beverly Jo Scott. (Beverly Jo is the kind soul that set my entire visit to Belgium up and hosted me the whole time. Love her).</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Well this is the second year I've been asked to be a part of the backing band. I am unbelievably happy about this. Not only do I get to accompany some of the best female vocalists I've ever heard , I also get to play along side an incredible backing band.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">So tonight will be a great time.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">(Come listen if you're in the area. 7pm at Veet's. You will not be disappointed).</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">But this year's Chickfest got me thinking about last year's Chickfest and it reminded me of one of my favorite music stories.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">There were plenty of remarkable, memorable performance moments from last year's show but the memory I had this time was a funny one about rehearsal.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Since the backing band for Chickfest is assembled specifically for one night, we are inherently unfamiliar with the material and hence require a couple days of rehearsal. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">A couple of rehearsals is a relatively short time frame to cram a concert the size of Chickfest together. It requires a very experienced band. Luckily Veet's makes sure we can assemble such a group. Because of the casting each year has been a wonder show.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Last year the concert was a little ambitious with the amount of material that was to be done by the backing band. It was more than double the songs for this year.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Therefore during rehearsals the band was sweating and scribbling notes. Due to the volume of material in that show we only had about 8-10 minutes per song to rehearse. Then we had to move on to the next one and hope we had written notes well enough to remember the previous song when it was show time.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Well I've been in this type of environment many times. And when everyone in the band is intensely and consistently focused on song after song for hours, a simple song can be a lifesaver. It is a chance to stop looking at a sheet of paper and just play from familiarity. It is a beautiful and necessary relaxing point (during rehearsal and subsequently the show) that refreshes the band and helps them regain focus when they return to less familiar territory.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">It is with this in mind that I tell you seeing "Respect" by Aretha Franklin on the list made every band member happy. Whew. That would be a recharging spot for sure. We had all played that one enough times that we could play it in our sleep.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">So we thought.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">The artist that would be singing this song at the show was the very talented Carmilla Ali. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Unbeknownst to us, she had intentions of playing a version of "Respect" that was so far removed from the original version that it might as well be another song.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Uh oh.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">That's even worse than being unfamiliar with a tune. Since the band were so accustomed to the original version, we were having to focus extra hard to fight our instincts to play it like the record. (So much for the relaxing spot in the rehearsal and show. This instantly got flipped into the most intense section of focusing and remembering in the whole shebang).</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Well after me and my flustered brethren fumbled through the twisted version of the tune a couple times, I could see the uneasiness on everyone's faces This song was understandably shaky on our part. We were shell shocked by the odd version, plus (as I said before) we were struggling to NOT play it like the classic version everyone is familiar with.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">As we were trying to soothe the shrapnel wounds we just received to our psyche, we were given a harder task. We were informed the song was going to have a syncopated James Brown type ending.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Oh lord. This song was gonna be the death of us.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">But we are all experienced guys so we buckle up for the onslaught.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">We worked and we worked and we worked.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">The instructions for the ending were all kind of vague (i.e.-"when y'all do the DAA NAA NAA NAA DAA DAA part twice then come in with ....NAA........DAA DAA DAA .....NAA NAA.....DAA DAA DAA DAA!") but we were determined to get it right. We all tried things, asked questions and attempted to write out the actual rhythm notation for NAA........DAA DAA DAA .....NAA NAA.....DAA DAA DAA DAA! Or at least a notation that would remind us individually how the part went.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Fast forward through a lot of toil and grief. We finally got it after about 40-50min. Remember that we had been spending 8-10 per song up until this point, so this "simple song" had eaten up a bulk of a rehearsal just for itself and most of that time was spent hammering out the 7 second ending.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">But all of our efforts were worth it. This surprisingly tricky song was locked in now. The band was solid on the whole thing, even the ending.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Now Fast Forward to the show. We have a few equipment glitches initially but other than that it is smooth sailing. The ladies are all on their A game. They are dazzling the crowd song after song and we are providing the backdrop for them to do so.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">The band all looks on the list and see "Respect" is next. We exchange a quick smile as if to say "Hang On. We got this."</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">We kick off into it and the song feels good. Carmilla is putting on a performance that would make Aretha jealous. She is killing it. Her energy is infectious. The crowd is feeding off of it. The band is feeding off of it.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">The band really sinks into the groove and the tune feels great. I'm thinking maybe this strange version of this tune was worth the brain hemorrhage after all. Well only if we "stick the landing".</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">We are approaching the end of the tune. The eyes of each band member widens. I could see the anticipation on each of their faces.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">I gripped the guitar a little tighter and braced myself. It all came down to this. The NAA........DAA DAA DAA .....NAA NAA.....DAA DAA DAA DAA! Was coming in 4 measures, 3 measures,2 measures....</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Then Carmilla (who was understandably wound up giving the performance of her life and having the crowd eat it up), turns toward the band and gives us the unmistakable , be all to end all hand gesture that she was about to end the song. In that millisecond I saw her hand held high I thought, "She's not about to forego the ending. I mean THE ENDING. You know the NAA........DAA DAA DAA .....NAA NAA.....DAA DAA DAA DAA! We spent most of a rehearsal (and untold brain damage) learning"</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">But sure enough, she swung her arm down and like any professional group of musicians would do....stopped on a dime.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">The bar before the NAA........DAA DAA DAA .....NAA NAA.....DAA DAA DAA DAA!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Well, the crowd erupted in applause (and they should have. That was a great rendition of that song and Carmilla had truly delivered a stellar performance). The audience felt no lacking because they had never been exposed to the NAA........DAA DAA DAA .....NAA NAA.....DAA DAA DAA DAA! In the first place. So they didn't miss it.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">The band however was staring at each other in a state of disbelief. Our ending. The hours of toiling. The chunk of soul with which we paid for the learning of said ending. All passed with one drop of a hand.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">In retrospect it is hilarious to think of those band member's expressions. It was part terror, disappointment, shock, and bewilderment.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">We were so knock back by that shock that it took a song or two before we really found the groove again but I have to commend that group of guys.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Due to the amount of effort and that went into NAA........DAA DAA DAA .....NAA NAA.....DAA DAA DAA DAA! Without it ever getting performed would have caused lesser men to collapse in a heap.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Although it was definitely jarring to them, the improv abbreviated ending didn't stop the band from doing our job.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Although I know we are much more prepared for tonight's show, I can't wait to see what little magical moments await.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Hopefully they won't entail a missing ending this year.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><br />
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<br /></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Thanks For Reading
www.ericerdmanmusic.com
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<br />
I've been absent from the blog for a little bit. This was not intentional. But a neccesary byproduct of life. <br />
<br />
I've been revolutionizing some things. And revolution takes time. Revolution takes....focus. <br />
<br />
Since my last blog I've written two songs, started collaborating with two (way above my pay grade) songwriters, started working out and eating right again, booked a 3 month Australian tour, booked two weeks of session work/writing time at a studio in LA, started a new side business and highly edited my business model for my main business/"real job" music career. <br />
<br />
Whew. <br />
<br />
But I also did one more thing. I realized I had a focus problem. I don't mean that I found out I have ADHD, or that I lacked focus. Far from it. I have always been one of the most focused people I know. I realized I was misusing my focus. <br />
<br />
Part of my new "lifestyle change" if you will, is that in addition to actual exercise I'm going to walk a little every morning as a kind of meditation and mental focus time. I love being outside. But I rarely just walk. I usually like doing something more aggressive or active. Usually if I simply walk I eventually get bored and then jog or run part of my journeys. Therefore I devised a plan. I will bring a ball with me everyday and bounce it. This will keep my pace slow and therefore allow my mind to be what is exercised (My physical exercise is going to be done at a different time slot). The walk is for meditation purposes. <br />
<br />
Since this was day one , I had to find a ball. Well I'm a guy plus I am a former athlete. I didn't figure finding a ball in my house would be an issue. I went to grab a ball. <br />
<br />
No ball. <br />
<br />
Ummm....surely there's a tennis ball around here somewhere. Nope. Basketball? Dang. I am embarrassed that I do not have a ball in my house. Well I eventually came across an old hacky sack. It isn't a ball but I figured it would be a suitable replacement (for today anyway). I'd just have to toss it hand to hand instead of dribble it. <br />
<br />
So I set out on my walk, hacky sack in hand. I tossed it from right hand to left. Then left to right. Repeated. Well after a couple throws my mind drifted to all of the career/life things I listed above. The throwing of the hacky sack was subconscious. <br />
<br />
Well until I thought , "Wow, I'm throwing a hacky sack without focusing on it". That thought struck a chord with me. <br />
<br />
I could have easily been staring at the hacky sack each throw, contemplating exactly how to let it roll off my fingers, exactly how much force to put behind the toss and exactly where to position my other hand to catch it. But I didn't. My mind was a million miles away from that hacky sack yet the task of catching was still accomplished. <br />
<br />
This thought excited me. <br />
<br />
How far could I take this?<br />
<br />
I mean I had been mentally elsewhere, but I had still been keeping my eyes on the hacky sack as it flew through the air. My mental focus had definitely been elsewhere but my visual focus had stayed on the hacky sack. <br />
Could I pay even less attention to the task and accomplish it? <br />
<br />
For the rest of the 2.5 mile walk I intentionally focused my gaze nowhere near the hacky sack. I purposefully fixed my eyes on a point far down the road (my metaphoric and simultaneously real destination). <br />
<br />
I tossed the hacky sack and still caught it. Again after a few tosses I let my mind drift back to all my new exciting affairs. <br />
<br />
I kept catching the hacky sack. <br />
<br />
Amazing.<br />
<br />
I will admit that I dropped the hacky sack once in a while but with no more regularity than when I was keeping my eyes on it. <br />
<br />
This experiment in peripheral vision and subconscious movement had some profound effect on me. <br />
<br />
As I walked along I realized that my over active focus on music and business had been wasted (well partially wasted). I realized that just having focus isn't enough. Focus needs focusing too (if that makes sense).<br />
<br />
Just like my attention to the hacky sack, many things that I had been devoting huge chunks of time and focus to were able to be accomplished with little or no focus. My over active focus is a good thing ......if and only if it is aimed. <br />
<br />
So I've had a revolution in life approach. Some would just call it prioritizing. But it is slightly different than that (at least in my mind). <br />
<br />
In addition to prioritizing (keeping my eyes down the road , focused on the "destination" and the most important things) I'm also not going to spend much time or focus, if any, on things that are on autopilot (I will treat them like I treat the catching of the hacky sack. Paying a little extra focus when an error occurs. Otherwise let it run on autopilot). <br />
<br />
I believe there are tons of things in my life that have been time suckers and attention suckers. If those things require attention and time to work, THEN I have to decide if they are worth saving. If they can work on their own, I'm going to set them in motion and let em run. As I said, if a problem arises surely I'll have to spend a little time and effort fixing issues. But the time and effort will be minimal and more importantly it will be temporary. <br />
<br />
I feel like I let lots of tasks consume a low level of my attention all the time. Not anymore. <br />
<br />
The important things will now have more of my attention. The smaller (autopilot) tasks will fend for themselves. I'll tend those when needed. <br />
<br />
I've only just begun this approach but I can tell you it feels great. It feels right. And I recommend you try it. <br />
<br />
<br />
As a matter of fact try my experiment. <br />
<br />
Get a ball or a hacky sack. Take a 20-30 min walk tomorrow morning. Start tossing the ball hand to hand. Initially you will need to focus on that action. But slowly move your focus to a spot down the road. Think about the things you plan to accomplish today or your grocery list or just let your mind wander. But let the tossing back and forth slide into your subconscious. <br />
<br />
If you drop it , so what. Pick it up and start again. <br />
<br />
When you return home, think about your figurative "spot down the road" that deserves more of your time and focus. Then find 3 tasks that you worry or toil over that could really be put on autopilot. <br />
<br />
Then repeat tomorrow. <br />
<br />
Hopefully it's as rewarding for you as it has been for me. <br />
<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Thanks For Reading
www.ericerdmanmusic.com
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www.twitter.com/ericerdmanmusic</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434836978049681966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171748340837625464.post-34863424977676495482012-09-14T17:29:00.000-07:002012-09-15T07:13:15.441-07:00I Played the REAL L.A.Last Night I played in L.A.<br />
<br />
I was honored to be one of the artists featured at the L.A. Song Writer Festival. Getting recognition in L.A. is a pretty big deal. I remember being a 13 year old kid with a guitar and a dream. I used to imagine how it'd be to wow the regulars at some L.A. venue. And last night I was there. I had made it. Last night I played along side some of L.A.'s finest talent. And I felt like I belonged. ......Finally my songs had made an impression on L.A. <br />
<br />
<br />
Lower Alabama.<br />
<br />
<br />
Sure the show was at an American Legion in Lower Alabama ("L.A.") and not the Viper Room on Sunset. Sure the room was filled with regular, salt of the Earth folks instead of movie stars. But as I sat there last night I had to smile to myself. I sat there and absolutely enjoyed listening to, playing with and playing for a true listening room audience and a group of amazing seasoned songwriting veterans. I had accomplished my "L.A." dreams without knowing. <br />
<br />
I realized that my "L.A. Dreams" had come true a long long way from California, but they had come true nonetheless.<br />
<br />
The reality I experienced last night was drastically ......almost unrecognizably different than the ideas that were in the head of younger me. But as I sat in that room last night it was blatantly obvious to me that those kid's dreams of mine were reality. <br />
<br />
I sat among some of the best song writers and performers I have ever heard and I played my creations. I played them to the full house and people enjoyed them. <br />
<br />
You see the "L.A. Dreams" I had in my head as a kid involved celebrities and velvet roped V.I.P. rooms and all sorts of pomp and circumstance that was missing at last night's show. <br />
<br />
But the thought occurred to me: My younger dream had surely come true. It may have appeared that the Fairhope, Alabama American Legion post failed to live up to the grandeur of that Hollywood Club I envisioned or that the good people of the Gulf Coast were paltry in comparison to my imagined star-studded crowd , but that couldn't be more incorrect. <br />
<br />
It was a different scene than I imagined it'd be, but that was because my young mind couldn't grasp the power and beauty of the simple. <br />
<br />
The show last night was powerful not inspite of its simplicity, it was powerful because of it. <br />
<br />
All the goofy trappings I had fantasized about in my youthful ignorance were nowhere to be found. That didn't lessen the power of the situation. It increased it. By having the silly , unnecessary sparkle and glitter of Hollywood stripped away, I saw what my actual dream was. I saw what the dream had always been. <br />
<br />
The dream was to create art that I am proud of. I had done that. <br />
<br />
The dream was to garner the respect of my fellow artists. I (felt like) I had done that. <br />
<br />
And the dream was to play my songs for people who actually care about songs. I was currently doing that. <br />
<br />
I was "Living the Dream". Truly. <br />
<br />
Don't get me wrong, last night wasn't the first time I realized I am "Living the dream". As a matter of fact I feel like the luckiest guy alive most days. I truly get amazed a lot of the time that my life is so full and happy and filled with great people. But last night I did have a revelation about that younger dream of mine. <br />
<br />
Had the 13 year old me stuck his head in last night, he would have ignorantly thought it was far beneath his ideal dream gig. But that wasn't because the gig was lacking. Far from it. He would've thought the gig / venue beneath his fantasy gig because his understanding was lacking.<br />
<br />
All the additional elements of the fantasy gig I used to have were fake. Last night was real. The people were real. The artists were real. And most importantly the songs were real. <br />
<br />
Last night, that American Legion WAS the dream gig. Last night was what all the struggle has been for. And worth every bead of sweat I've shed chasing it. <br />
<br />
So I wanna say Thank you to every one in Fairhope who came to the American Legion last night. <br />
<br />
You made the "L.A. Dreams" of a young man come true in ways he couldn't even imagine. <br />
<br />
<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Thanks For Reading
www.ericerdmanmusic.com
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www.twitter.com/ericerdmanmusic</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434836978049681966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171748340837625464.post-7216986523377924572012-09-12T16:46:00.001-07:002012-09-12T23:00:17.656-07:00On the Other Hand....There's HumiliationI'm sure everybody has had a moment where they wished they had kept their mouth shut (or I don't know.........a moment where they wish they hadn't basically flip off a machine gun toting Turkish guard with both hands : http://ericerdmanmusic.blogspot.com/2012/08/trip-to-istandbultwo-thumbs-up.html?m=1)<br />
<br />
Well I have a long list of such embarassing stories. <br />
<br />
Over the years I've told these stories to the amusement of myself and my friends. <br />
Eventually they all began telling me THEIR embarrassing stories. I now have compiled dozens and dozens. I may write a book of them one day (changing the names to protect the less than innocent). I have loved telling these stories and hearing others' similar stories for years (so feel free to leave one of your own in the comments). But the first humiliating story for me, the story that started my infatuation with embarassment was the following:<br />
<br />
I was 16 years old. It was a Friday night. I had played well in the baseball game earlier. School had been easy that week. I had no homework. I had just picked up my girlfriend and I was meeting all my close friends at the movie theater. <br />
<br />
It sounds like a pretty spectacular night doesn't it? <br />
<br />
Well it most definitely was. I was having the time of my life. Me and my girl laughed all the way to the theater. Once we arrived we met up with the rest of the gang. <br />
<br />
We were being loud and obnoxious I'm sure. I , of course was being the most Loud and the most obnoxious as we waited in line to get our drinks and popcorn. <br />
<br />
Once we completed the concessions transaction , I led the way toward the theater. <br />
<br />
As our group of 8-9 teenagers rolled closer to the entrance to the movie theater hallway (and therefore the man who tears the tickets) , I was at the climax of whatever story I was telling. With animated gestures and overly exuberant boisterousness I turned to face my "audience" as I backed the last few feet toward the man who tears the tickets. <br />
<br />
I continued wrapping up my story (which I am sure had zero importance) and turned my head back slightly so I would know where to hand the ticket. Because my focus is much more locked on entertaining my friends than paying attention to where I'm backwardly walking, I only see the ticket tearer in my periphery. <br />
<br />
98% of my attention is still aimed at the lobby and my listeners, 2% noticed from the corner of my eye something miraculous. <br />
<br />
The ticket tearer had grabbed my ticket, torn it, and returned it to me. He had grabbed it in his right hand, instantly popped it with his two fingers and thumb, leaving him pointing just the stub towards me. <br />
<br />
This lightening fast motion and the fact I was highly involved in my self importance and storytelling , made the man's action dazzling. <br />
<br />
It had lasted less than a second but my brain was enthralled in the magic. <br />
<br />
Again wanting to entertain my friends, it was more important for me to tell them what had just happened than to turn and see for myself what was going on. <br />
<br />
I yelled, "DID YA'LL SEE THAT? THIS GUY JUST RIPPED MY TICKET WITH ONE HAND!!!!"<br />
<br />
It was like seeing a sleight of hand for the first time. It was dazzling.<br />
<br />
I was very genuinely impressed and very genuinely amazed. <br />
<br />
I was more amazed when I FINALLY turned my attention back towards the direction of the theaters and the ticket man......because that was the moment I realized.... <br />
<br />
He had torn the ticket with one hand.......because he only had one hand. <br />
<br />
Every drop of blood drained from my face. I instantly fell silent. <br />
<br />
Apparently the expression on my face told the man that I was mortified and that I in no way meant to harm him with the words I had just spoken. He and I never spoke a word (I literally couldn't speak), but he gave me a smile that said, "Pay attention to your surroundings, kid. Some people aren't as kind and understanding as I am."<br />
<br />
The potential anguish I COULD have dealt that man with my careless words really hit me hard. <br />
<br />
I feel very lucky the man had a cool temperament and a kind heart. <br />
<br />
It took hours for me to accept my error and get back to having fun. But the lesson has stuck with me ever since. <br />
<br />
I still love to cut up. I still love to get loud. <br />
<br />
But I always pay attention to the people and things around me. Always. <br />
<br />
I suggest you do the same. Or don't and contribute your embarrassing stories to my collection. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiypu9Qhrp3vsjWNdOgrTgsHEnXOUg5zft6e_zKWTgf8dXqgJMHjkvZFJxJfkrrJ0ZWEjyb0Eyox_7S3O8DewA5myIa4ZR_WQa9eKkD6sBwct-N2SpKdbYZg7Mu8TPt2crja0-4kdL35B4/s640/blogger-image--1468751103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiypu9Qhrp3vsjWNdOgrTgsHEnXOUg5zft6e_zKWTgf8dXqgJMHjkvZFJxJfkrrJ0ZWEjyb0Eyox_7S3O8DewA5myIa4ZR_WQa9eKkD6sBwct-N2SpKdbYZg7Mu8TPt2crja0-4kdL35B4/s640/blogger-image--1468751103.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2pP61ZGdSeFb0Pj-iwf_HskkD3bWFMC3gez6bPvSHuRbnTPOiGuoJ8tSRzVDT-xo71HsFV0OkHGpsD3jLMDDYs3FuE2jKfHIdR3au96hA89UniX3KBefqbpPSoNZ8KFqmL1tc8q9EKk4/s640/blogger-image-891512386.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2pP61ZGdSeFb0Pj-iwf_HskkD3bWFMC3gez6bPvSHuRbnTPOiGuoJ8tSRzVDT-xo71HsFV0OkHGpsD3jLMDDYs3FuE2jKfHIdR3au96hA89UniX3KBefqbpPSoNZ8KFqmL1tc8q9EKk4/s640/blogger-image-891512386.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFot8x879kH8biT8_VULBizwdxxnsCKR45zsQ333DSaT1ejwqXPQISlbf5S7UHaYZOnLbXUKlFceG0bWY1h2_z2etaLMwhyphenhypheniPj2DG91uz1amQjj3TWW9OB3ALg8xIAUBqA9peqqkJIoRw/s640/blogger-image-1091563592.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFot8x879kH8biT8_VULBizwdxxnsCKR45zsQ333DSaT1ejwqXPQISlbf5S7UHaYZOnLbXUKlFceG0bWY1h2_z2etaLMwhyphenhypheniPj2DG91uz1amQjj3TWW9OB3ALg8xIAUBqA9peqqkJIoRw/s640/blogger-image-1091563592.jpg" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Thanks For Reading
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For those of you who are unfamiliar Victor Wooten is a revolutionary musician. He is a bassist who has literally changed the face of music. He is an innovator. He is a 5 time Grammy award winner. And he just so happens to be a friend.<br />
<br />
My band, The Ugli Stick has had the honor of performing with Victor at his Bass/Nature Camps many times and we have been fortunate enough to have him jam with us at our NAMM shows in Anaheim, CA multiple times. (Here are some clips: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8kQX6980a4">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8kQX6980a4</a> , <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxlrBXlzjVI">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxlrBXlzjVI</a> )<br />
<br />
Although it still feels very strange for me to say, I can now say Victor is a friend of mine. (As a matter of fact he has agreed to an interview, which I will soon be posting here for you all to read).<br />
<br />
But when Victor hit the road in 2010 he asked us to open the south east shows. This was a huge honor for us of course.<br />
<br />
Victor's band was incredible. It consisted of : Derico Watson on Drums, Steve Weingart on keys, Reggie Wooten on Guitar and of course Victor on bass.<br />
<br />
Watching them perform was like going to the circus and church all at once.<br />
fearlessness<br />
They play with fire and brimstone intensity but with childlike uplifting creativity. They jam in complex time signatures and odd progressions, but they do so in such an accessible way. It is so much fun to see a bunch of people dancing and smiling to a tune that is in 4 keys and has bars of 5 amid 7/4 time.<br />
<br />
The band made complex stuff cotton candy simple. And they were having a great time doing it.<br />
<br />
It was complex music without the slide rule. They were partying.<br />
<br />
Anyway, getting to be a prat of all that was exciting to me. I was grinning from the beginning of the shows til the end.<br />
<br />
But the one show in particular I wanna tell you about was at the HandleBar in Greenville, South Carolina.<br />
<br />
We played our show to a very responsive crowd. I was beaming as I went out to meet and sell CDs. I danced and smiled along with all the rest of the audience as Victor and the boys took us all on a musical adventure.<br />
<br />
When they finished their "last song" and walked off stage the crowd erupted. There was no doubt that the crowd wanted more. After a few moments, Victor and the band came back on stage. Of course the crowd went wild.<br />
<br />
Victor got on the mic and called us back on stage.<br />
<br />
Then both bands proceeded to jam together for a few minutes. The entire crowd was moving to the music. Then Victor looked at me and kinda nodded towards the mic. I had been so caught up listening and dancing I hadn't even thought about getting close to a mic. I was an audience member. I just happened to have been invited on stage.<br />
<br />
But when Victor asks.....well he won't have to ask twice. I was walking to the microphone and time seemed to stand still. I can still see the packed out club. I will always feel the intense groove being produced partially by my band and partially by a group of my heroes. It was very surreal.<br />
<br />
I sang a little , I rapped a little then I turned it back over to the remarkable instrumentalists. But that was the most comfortable I've ever been while singing/rapping. The groove those guys were laying down was monstrous and the crowd was so into it too. It was a ton of fun.<br />
<br />
After I did my few minutes, Dale sang some then we went into Sly & The Family Stone's "I wanna thank you for letting be myself again". That was probably the most fun I've had during a song. Everybody in the building was smiling.<br />
<br />
We finished and the crowd again went wild.<br />
<br />
At this point Dale and I adjourned to our dressing room. We were still in there smiling and laughing and letting the moment soak in.<br />
<br />
For some reason we had brought Dale's Ukulele into the dressing room earlier, so we picked up the Uke and passed it back and forth (I think we still had some happy excited energy from that amazing encore we had just been a part of).<br />
<br />
As we were laughing and playing songs on the Ukulele we heard a knock at the door. It was Reggie Wooten.<br />
<br />
He said , "Can I come in?". We said of course. He told us he LOVES playing the Uke and as a matter of fact Ukulele was the first instrument they had. He played ukelele before learning guitar.<br />
<br />
It was so cool to be hanging with one of our heroes and have him obviously feeling the same excitement as we were. He was beaming and didn't wanna stop playing for the night either.<br />
<br />
Of course we handed him the ukulele and asked him to play. He was playing and singing and laughing. We were having a great time.<br />
<br />
After a while there was another knock on the door. This time it was the tour manager. He said, "Reggie! Where have you been, man? They are waiting on you! Come On!"<br />
<br />
Apparently there was a second encore about to commence but they were waiting on Reggie. We had accidentally confiscated his attention with our Uke.<br />
<br />
Reggie just looked up and said, "Just a minute".<br />
<br />
I'll never forget that moment. There was a thronging crowd awaiting an encore, there were 3/4 of a world class all star band on stage about to play and yet this musical master wanted to finish his Ukulele song before entertaining the idea of returning to the stage.<br />
<br />
To see the look on his face and the enthusiasm with which he was playing that Uke, the tour manager had to concede.<br />
<br />
Reggie finished his song (Which was "Mary, Mary" by the Monkees)...THEN he agreed to go play the final encore.<br />
<br />
It was a beautiful moment to me. He wasn't by any means being a diva. Or saying "I will return to the stage when I'm good and ready". He was excited by the encore we had all played together and he was genuinely playing that Ukulele with excitement he had when he was a small child. He had been transported back to that time when he was first getting his hands around this magical stuff called music....and the power of that moment lit up his face. I could see it, Dale could see it and the tour manager could see it. That was more important than rushing back to the stage. He needed that extra minute and thirty seconds. And I did too.<br />
<br />
Dale and I went back to side stage and watched Reggie join the band and then we watched them bring the house down one final time for the evening. They bowed. The crowd gave them a huge ovation. And the show was over.<br />
<br />
But after seeing Reggie's Ukulele moment back stage I've been more aware of those magical musical moments. Reggie had been transported back to his childhood for a few moments and it made him as happy as I have ever seen a person. When he went back out on stage to perform some severely non-childlike music , this happiness brought the music an innocent simplicity.<br />
<br />
It is from this that I noticed the entire band was playing with this attitude. That was how they made deeply mathematical music seem light and fun. They were all playing with the fearlessness and happiness of children.<br />
<br />
Seeing my heroes approach complex music this way altered how I have approached music ever since. When I am fortunate enough to bump into moments, I cherish them. I love being transported back to the time I was just learning to play or just learning to sing or write. It fills my current writing and performing with so much passion and fire.<br />
<br />
Of course technique and study are very very integral to making great music. However after seeing the excitement with which Reggie played that Ukulele spill over onto his jazz fusion playing I am more convinced than ever that all the technique in the world will not rival finding your own "Reggie's Ukulele Moment".<br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Thanks For Reading
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<br />
Well the next time Sally's dad, James Taylor, was on tour he left me tickets and backstage passes to the Pensacola show at will call. <br />
<br />
I was very excited. I've always been a huge fan of James' music and after meeting him and his family I had even more respect for him. I asked Dale if he wanted to go with me (of course he did). <br />
<br />
It turned out that our friend Bobby was going to the concert too. Bobby found out we were and invited us to meet him for dinner pre-concert at Mesquite Charlie's . <br />
<br />
Dale and I were still headed home from a gig while we were discussing all this with Bobby. We got to my house with just enough time to change clothes and head to Pensacola. <br />
<br />
When we got to Mesquite Charlie's we didn't have much time before we needed to get to the show (maybe 45 minutes). We ordered, ate fairly quickly, then asked for the check. <br />
<br />
When the check came, I reached for my wallet. ........it wasn't there. <br />
It's ok. Dale and Bobby both immediately offered to cover the meal. <br />
<br />
Then it hit me.....It is NOT ok!! <br />
<br />
I'm an hour from home, headed to watch and hang out with James Taylor and my tickets are at will call (which will require the ID I do not have). <br />
<br />
Oh no. <br />
<br />
Well drive to the venue, park the car , and begin walking. <br />
<br />
As we approached the arena my heart was sunken. I had about .0001% chance they'd let me take those tickets without any ID. <br />
<br />
<br />
We said bye to Bobby then he entered the venue with his ticket. Dale and I waited at will call. The longer we waited the more convinced I was that I wasn't getting in. <br />
<br />
The guys in line two people in front of us reach the window:<br />
<br />
<br />
Guy: "I have two tickets for Chad Franks"<br />
<br />
Will Call Lady: "I just need to see a photo ID before I can give you the tickets"<br />
<br />
Chad produces his ID, will call lady hands him the tickets and away he goes. <br />
<br />
Next person in line: "I have 4 tickets for Denise Sanders"<br />
<br />
Will Call Lady: "I just need to see a photo ID before I can give you the tickets"<br />
<br />
Denise produces ID, will call lady hands her tickets and away Denise and friends walked away, tickets in hand. <br />
<br />
Then it was my turn. <br />
<br />
Fully expecting the worst I approach the window. <br />
<br />
I explain my situation <br />
to will call lady and plead for her understanding. <br />
She was extremely nice but was under very very strict orders to NEVER release tickets without the person having ID. <br />
<br />
Of course I understood. As a matter of fact I had fully expected this to be the final scenario. <br />
<br />
I thank the will call lady for trying. I look to Dale and apologize for being an idiot (therefore not only making him ride to Pensacola without seeing the concert but also making him miss his only opportunity to meet James Taylor). <br />
<br />
I dropped my head and turned to slink away back to the car to head back home. <br />
<br />
Right as every ounce of hope had drained from me and I realized there would be no concert nor hanging with James for us, I heard an oddly familiar voice very faintly yelling "Birdman". <br />
<br />
The voice was so faint I thought I may be imagining it but I looked back anyway. <br />
<br />
Way in the back of the will call room was a friend of mine from college. She was running toward the window screaming "Birdman. Birdman".<br />
<br />
I was so depressed about missing the concert that the happy face of an old friend was even more helpful than it typically would be.<br />
<br />
I walked back toward the window to say hi. As I was approaching I realized ......This wasn't just a great chance to catch up with my friend.......she could vouch for me being who I said I was and get the tickets!!!!!!!<br />
<br />
I explained my situation to her. She grabbed the tickets and passes and handed them to me. <br />
<br />
She and I talked for 3-4 minutes (during which I'm sure my sentences were probably more scatter brained than normal being as I was trying to process the whole will call scene and the random chance that had saved my night). she explained that she had moved to Pensacola a few years back. She had been in the front office where she works and just happened to walk down to will call to grab a stapler. As soon as she stepped through the door she had seen me. <br />
<br />
What are the chances of that?<br />
<br />
After talking with my friend for a bit and thanking her about a million times, she went back to work and Dale and I went into the concert. <br />
<br />
We had perfect 7th row center seats. We went and hung out with him after the show and he was as cordial, funny and cool as everytime I've met him. <br />
<br />
It was one of the more spectacular nights of my life, but when I think back to it I think of how extremely close it came to being a disaster. <br />
<br />
Had I been half a second quicker in turning away from the will call window in dejection , my friend would have never seen me and we would have driven home having not seen the concert and not hung with James. <br />
<br />
When I think back to all the magical amazing moments in my life , the moment at that will call booth has to be the most movie-like. <br />
<br />
I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't experienced it. <br />
<br />
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www.ericerdmanmusic.com
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www.twitter.com/ericerdmanmusic</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434836978049681966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171748340837625464.post-78041305327215843012012-09-07T09:01:00.002-07:002012-09-07T15:07:02.143-07:00How to Get Lucky<br />
"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity" - Elmer Leterman<br />
<br />
===================<br />
<br />
The young salesman was disappointed about losing a big sale, and as he talked with his sales manager he lamented, “I guess it just proves you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.” The manager replied,<br />
<br />
“Son, your job is not to make him drink. Your job is to make him thirsty.”<br />
<br />
====================<br />
<br />
<br />
People come up to me all the time and tell me how lucky I am that I get to do what I love for a living. I always smile when I think of how great my "work" is and then I whole heartedly agree with them.<br />
<br />
As I sit alone in front of this screen I'm having a change of heart. I guess I most-heartedly agree with them. No. Now that I think about it, I'm not sure I agree with them at all.<br />
<br />
The sentiment that one is lucky when one does for a living what one truly has a passion for has been adopted and adapted into our vernacular and collective consciousness so strongly, that virtually everyone concurs. But does anyone concur because they have thought it out and feel like the "lucky" person is lucky to have a job doing something they love? No. They say it because it sounds good and they have heard countless other people say it.<br />
<br />
Here is what I am trying to say. My life is awesome. I wake up happy pretty much everyday. On the days where I don't wake up happy, I find that a cup of coffee and a little breakfast cures what was ailing me.<br />
<br />
I create music. I love creating music. I record or perform music with phenomenally talented friends. These friends add their flavor to my creations and bring them to a better place.<br />
<br />
I travel. I love to travel. Music has taken me to places that I never dreamed of and I have 3 more international trips already slated to yet more places I've never seen.<br />
<br />
I connect with people and make new friends. I love interacting with people. Music allows me (via all that travel and performing) to meet really interesting people that I wouldn't have met otherwise.<br />
<br />
It is sure starting to SOUND like I am lucky. Everything I love doing is presented to me on a silver plate.<br />
<br />
Yes. I love my life. It's a perfect comfortable place (for me anyway).<br />
<br />
But I think people are too quick to attribute this to Luck.<br />
<br />
It has nothing to do with luck….at all.<br />
<br />
Being in a career that truly makes you happy and fired up is a choice.<br />
<br />
When people attribute my happiness and success to luck, I feel like it is unfair to them. I get up every day and attack because I'm happy with what I am doing and I have seen what can be accomplished when I do. It wouldn't matter if it was attributed to horseshoes or leprechauns or anything else. I wake up and make music, travel , and meet new people. These are all things I love.<br />
<br />
But by thinking of my situation as being "lucky" people aren't changing MY situation one way or another, they are changing THEIR situation.<br />
What I mean is this, I have worked exceptionally hard for a long long time and sacrificed a bunch to find myself in a happy place. Things are going well for me. When people throw out the word "Lucky" they are putting obstacles in their own way to similar happiness and success in their lives. Reaching a dream career seems unachievable if it requires luck. It seems like winning the lottery. But it is not.<br />
<br />
If you see a glassblower, that has worked at his craft for 30 years and is now a master. He wakes up every morning with a smile, goes to his shop and makes superb glasswork and makes a sustainable living, would you say he is lucky? No. He has been determined and persistent.<br />
<br />
Everyone can do the same.<br />
<br />
If you are in a job you hate. Make a plan to get out of it and in to one you love. I'm not saying that will always be simple. As a matter of fact, I'm almost assuring you it will be difficult. It may take years and years, but make the plan and do it.<br />
<br />
It is peculiar to me how some people misunderstand their station in life (like the salesperson in the story at the beginning of this post). It is easy for people to get sucked into the cyclic drudgery of day in day out grind and the rhythm of it lulls them to sleep.<br />
<br />
The preconceived notions of what they "have to do" or are "Supposed to do" are keeping them from happiness and fulfillment.<br />
<br />
I say start a revolution in your life. Ask yourself if you love what you do.<br />
<br />
Imagine you are a stranger that has been observing you work for a week. Would you walk up and say, "You are lucky. You get to do what you love doing."?<br />
<br />
If not, CHANGE your situation. It doesn't have to be immediate. As a matter of fact it probably can't be immediate. But break the cycle. Set your long term plan into motion. You don't have to arrive at happy, fulfilling career by the month's end, but you should turn your sights toward that destination.<br />
<br />
It may be a decade before you get to the point where you are sustaining yourself doing what you love, but you will get there.<br />
And when you do , you will not only be helping yourself but you will be helping the world.<br />
<br />
Because the world doesn't need a bunch of drones plugging away at meaningless monotonous tasks. The world needs people who have come alive and attack each day with passion.<br />
<br />
Do what you love and you will have no choice but to attack each day with passion (and a smile).<br />
<br />
Your journey will be tough but worth it.<br />
<br />
Good Luck!<br />
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<br />
<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Thanks For Reading
www.ericerdmanmusic.com
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www.twitter.com/ericerdmanmusic</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434836978049681966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171748340837625464.post-15009966888433509312012-09-05T11:41:00.001-07:002012-09-05T12:37:53.084-07:00Friendship is the LitmusI have been close friends with the members of an Austin based band, Full Service, for many years. The guys are simply great. They are certified geniuses (they have the diplomas to prove it), they are all super athletic (they have the physiques to prove it), they make incredible music (they have a string of great albums to prove it), and they are simply genuine, great guys (and they have a large supportive friend group to prove it). It's this latter of these attributes I want to address. <br />
<br />
Due to my touring and their touring it had been a couple years since I've had the chance to hang with Full Service.....until yesterday. <br />
Man it was such a needed reunion. We biked around Austin. We swam in the creek. We had fun. <br />
<br />
Well in addition to just hanging out with me, they decided it'd be cool to host a house concert for me and invite all their friends since I was in town. <br />
<br />
I was excited to get to see Full Service again but I was also excited to play their party. The guys of Full Service always do things right. I had no doubt the show would be great. <br />
<br />
It exceeded my expectations. <br />
<br />
Even though they had just gotten off tour themselves, Full Service hustled and worked to turn their back yard into a cool music venue. Then they reminded all their friends to come see the show. <br />
<br />
Their friends came out in a remarkable numbers for a Tuesday night. They all sat there and quietly listened but still interacted with me and clapped when appropriate. It was an incredible show for me. They seemed to enjoy themselves too. <br />
(it was a "listening room" enviornment that epitomizes what I wrote about in the post : http://ericerdmanmusic.blogspot.com/2012/08/songs-arent-as-strong-as-you-may-think.html )<br />
<br />
But the overwhelming show and turnout made me think about friends. <br />
<br />
I had of course already thought plenty about how fortunate I am to have friends like Full Service that would go out their way and work so hard to accommodate me. <br />
<br />
But during the show I thought about friendship from a different angle. <br />
<br />
Is there a better indicator of how a person has lived their life than the quality of their friends? <br />
<br />
I think not. And although it isn't surprising to me that the guys of Full Service would have great friends, the amount of quality people they were able to gather on short notice to watch me play proves to me ......they have been living right. <br />
<br />
Sure the guys of Full Service have been friends of mine for years. We have had plenty of gigs together, time together on the road. They have visited my house in Mobile. <br />
<br />
But what about all these house concert guests tonight?<br />
<br />
These people had never heard of me. These people came simply because Full Service asked them to. <br />
<br />
Once there, these strangers to me were genuinely nice and welcoming. They went out of their way to make me feel at home. They listened to my stories and songs intently. <br />
<br />
When I was done performing I met all the folks that had been listening. They were all so nice and interesting I hated for the night to end because I wanted to hang with them more. <br />
<br />
Seeing how authentically kind these people were made me even more proud to call the guys of Full Service my brothers. <br />
<br />
There is no way to amass such a quality friend group without being quality people. <br />
<br />
The fact Full Service shared their friend group with me for a night reminded me of how giving and friendly they are. But that fact that they have built such a quality group of friends tells me so much more about them. <br />
<br />
Well done, boys. <br />
<br />
And Thank you. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Thanks For Reading
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www.twitter.com/ericerdmanmusic</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434836978049681966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171748340837625464.post-58435702435977807752012-09-05T10:06:00.001-07:002012-09-05T12:38:28.751-07:00Don't Be a DummyI love to travel. I feel like I'd go crazy being in one spot all the time. But traveling can be hard on ya.......if ya let it <br />
<br />
You have to decide before you ever crank the vehicle: Are you gonna be the ventriloquist or the dummy? <br />
<br />
Are you in control of the trip or is something or someone else in control. <br />
<br />
I can tell you, it's a lot more fun when you aren't the one with the hand up your butt. <br />
<br />
I've traveled through vast expanses of countryside with mom and Leon. Today we explored eastern Colorado, the panhandle of Oklahoma and part of Texas. <br />
<br />
Covering this amount of distance may seem exhausting but it's not. Well let me quantify that statement. Traveling vast distances CAN be exhausting if you approach it incorrectly. It's brutal if ya choose the dummy route. <br />
<br />
The trip we are on is fun. It's fun because we are making it fun. We took control and refused to let it be any other way.<br />
<br />
Today we have chosen to be the ventriloquist. We are in charge of pace. We are in charge of direction. We are in no hurry. If we see a roadside attraction that strikes our fancy we go see it. If we are hungry and see an interesting local restaurant we stop and eat. We aren't on any time schedules. <br />
<br />
After looking at corn fields for days, it may seem like 10 more hours of corn fields would be maddening but it hasn't been. <br />
<br />
It's been fun. We've been singing, we've stopped at some cool little stores and historic sites. But the most important part of the trip is the fact that we are in control. <br />
<br />
When you start the trip with a ventriloquist's mindset you have fun along the way. When you have fun along the way the "boring miles" melt. <br />
<br />
I realize it is not always possible to to be in command of the logistics like we are on this trip. <br />
But when life allows you to, I suggest that you leave early, enjoy spots along the way , and most of all......refuse to be the dummy. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_s9hkXBuVtllE-7gXSedoRqcznMb2EkWYbkOuaOxhHIT6loIsCHTeU6KBhnesJ6flmru47JWHh7Z2U9QzDYxWe95UyGJzGgX2jGUEQ6tjxz8cKMmy6SGJ0H08YEMw5U5rlSbvVZ_AL1A/s640/blogger-image--1120592626.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_s9hkXBuVtllE-7gXSedoRqcznMb2EkWYbkOuaOxhHIT6loIsCHTeU6KBhnesJ6flmru47JWHh7Z2U9QzDYxWe95UyGJzGgX2jGUEQ6tjxz8cKMmy6SGJ0H08YEMw5U5rlSbvVZ_AL1A/s640/blogger-image--1120592626.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZhhMsjC4Orvol_s2ujPyoiCTo0PdF5yTHayTryV-7BiGEKoJb_WVSMnQlW7mjY4cXMprA2y6FE7hAJHugbbe2y0FNLyYILVPH-06p8VzJXcFVyRhwQXuqa7dgJNiZocdTjwr7W7vpS1E/s640/blogger-image-1718106347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZhhMsjC4Orvol_s2ujPyoiCTo0PdF5yTHayTryV-7BiGEKoJb_WVSMnQlW7mjY4cXMprA2y6FE7hAJHugbbe2y0FNLyYILVPH-06p8VzJXcFVyRhwQXuqa7dgJNiZocdTjwr7W7vpS1E/s640/blogger-image-1718106347.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg74UY783x4Z3ZyA2w5H2kMH1Na9x4sX8uHlxoGJhAQ5DQMhxrZXoW7TufWh080WMc5hE_cawcQSHjPa8RgLQiebOT1baN6CoVcbyrrux-bx1Q_RBpjgR7kAUBsdDxiYWHhCMqa04GchGo/s640/blogger-image-588478873.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg74UY783x4Z3ZyA2w5H2kMH1Na9x4sX8uHlxoGJhAQ5DQMhxrZXoW7TufWh080WMc5hE_cawcQSHjPa8RgLQiebOT1baN6CoVcbyrrux-bx1Q_RBpjgR7kAUBsdDxiYWHhCMqa04GchGo/s640/blogger-image-588478873.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgajcYqlxMiznzYgmFDxaqKBYYtVscD_svstmSUau2AvOQMcgGoPw_1249QKinChmKtZIheuruL4FDTowF42yMAwbxC0SBiGgzqMCOzqEDv5a7Lg0JIXfgMaN2pm0U-amVDmNdEDwe6cHg/s640/blogger-image--1134640956.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgajcYqlxMiznzYgmFDxaqKBYYtVscD_svstmSUau2AvOQMcgGoPw_1249QKinChmKtZIheuruL4FDTowF42yMAwbxC0SBiGgzqMCOzqEDv5a7Lg0JIXfgMaN2pm0U-amVDmNdEDwe6cHg/s640/blogger-image--1134640956.jpg" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Thanks For Reading
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<br />
Today's gig is going to be a cool one. I'd put money on it. <br />
<br />
It's not always easy to make that assessment in advance but with this one I can. I would put money on it being great. <br />
<br />
We are playing at the Boulder Creek Hometown Festival. <br />
<br />
This is our third time here so we know what to expect. And what we expect is a great responsive crowd, a well organized festival and fun. I'd put money on it. <br />
<br />
The cool thing about the Boulder Creek Hometown Festival is that it is a family oriented festival and they have all sorts of fun activities to do during the day. <br />
<br />
They have Zucchini Races (kids pick a zucchini from a huge mountain of zuchinis, decorate them with eyes and paint and all sorts of sparkles and other accessories, then they mount wheels to their zucchini and they race them down a big inclined race track). <br />
<br />
There are lots of vendors advertising their products or services and offering free samples. <br />
<br />
I like free samples. <br />
<br />
I got some cool local Colorado honey, a couple different energy drink shots, I drank some locally brewed Vanilla Root Beer (which came in a bad ass stainless steel souvenir mug), and I got Rolfed. <br />
<br />
Don't worry. Rolfing is not as nasty as it sounds. I had never heard of Rolfing but the people by the Rolfing tent seemed very pleasant plus from their advertisement (before and after pics) I could tell Rolfing was somehow involved with spinal alignment.<br />
<br />
Playing guitar for 20 plus years has left me in constant need of spinal and back muscle attention so I was intrigued. <br />
<br />
By the name alone, Rolfing sounded weird enough to try. I walked up and handed them $10 for 10 minutes. <br />
<br />
I was welcomed by a young Asian guy named Ryu. He asked where most of my problems were. I started to say ," you're gonna massage my brain?" but figured my humor may be misconstrued as an insult so I just said, "between my shoulder blades". <br />
<br />
Ryu told me to lay on my back. He slid his hand under my shoulder , gently and gingerly pressed his fingers against my back and lightly pulled. I felt like I was getting a massage from the weakest person alive. <br />
<br />
I thought that maybe he was warming up and maybe he was kidding but surely this wasn't Rolfing. If it was it was a laughable process. <br />
<br />
I know from experience that my chronic condition is only slightly helped by intense extremely hard massages. My upper back is just basically one knot after another. And Ryu was pressing into my back with all the force of a 105 year old arthritic grandma. This was doing nothing. I'd put money on it. <br />
<br />
Once I realized that Rolfing was apparently a new agey, "align your humours", witchcraftery silliness I decided to simply enjoy laying on a table for ten minutes. <br />
<br />
Ryu seemed like a very nice guy so I figured I would try to entertain us both by starting a conversation. <br />
<br />
I said, "I've never heard of Rolfing before"<br />
<br />
He said , "In a massage, the therapist presses hard into the muscles to force the muscles to release tension. That's not what I'm doing with Rolfing.."<br />
<br />
I thought , "Oh. Ya don't say. Maybe THAT's the problem. Hahaha "<br />
<br />
Ryu continued," what I am doing is holding presurre against the connective tissue until it releases the tension. Connective tissue covers all the muscles and organs. When someone works hunched over a computer all day for example , the connective tissue can kinda get stuck or frozen in that shape and cause issues with muscles, nerves and eventually skeleton. This causes further issues and then starts a downward spiral."<br />
<br />
I said , "I see."<br />
<br />
But I thought, "That does make sense but the ridiculously weak pressure you are putting on me wouldn't release any tension from any thing" <br />
<br />
I spent the next 8-9 minutes idly talking to Ryu and basically waiting for the Rolfing to be over. <br />
<br />
At the end, Ryu said ," ok. Sit up." <br />
<br />
Once I did I realized that my back felt looser and more relaxed and limber than it has in years and years. <br />
<br />
I was in complete shock. <br />
<br />
How was that possible?<br />
It didn't feel like he did anything. Obviously he did. My back felt like a million bucks. I had a spring in my step that wasn't there prior to Rolfing. <br />
<br />
I thanked him and walked away smiling. I walked away smiling partially because I felt so good but partially because once again life showed me I was comically mistaken. It showed me that my brain sometimes gets in the way. <br />
<br />
(Note:Let me say that I'm not the new poster boy for Rolfing. I'm not even suggesting you go out and try it. But I'll try it again due to how much it helped me today. <br />
My point isn't that Rolfing is amazing. My point is how my prejudices made me drastically mistake my situation). <br />
<br />
I guess the lesson I will take away from my Rolfing experience is ......I should be more careful with my prejudices lest I become known for my great judgement as much as Floyd Mayweather is. <br />
<br />
Unlike Mayweather, so far when I have been saying "I'd put money on that" it has been figuratively. <br />
<br />
So as I approach tonight's gig, I HOPE that it will be phenomenal and a ton of fun but I'll keep my "I'd put money on it" in quotation marks. <div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGogYP8U1OAS9OLUb2olnWoaTwOCA2jljxKPXyngeXBaZAZ5OT5mSrsrZc1fjjplfWgscriw_Xyh_XYwswaojKzA5WgBckIy36PZ7sne91F5W5biIVemYCoy_Ctdv12iyxU2WloD3kox4/s640/blogger-image--2131960344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGogYP8U1OAS9OLUb2olnWoaTwOCA2jljxKPXyngeXBaZAZ5OT5mSrsrZc1fjjplfWgscriw_Xyh_XYwswaojKzA5WgBckIy36PZ7sne91F5W5biIVemYCoy_Ctdv12iyxU2WloD3kox4/s640/blogger-image--2131960344.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpVdCn1y-t4DM5nNtZCjU9JONaP7CA5svF-RPkc4VQBmuaMf2t5j2TzcxoIVfmZ2-iQOSF2ok_eAWWC7v5S4dw434w67_qh52xym5jBvHdrvq5n_lkjFBLNLc2w9do_SYmgUZ24781XHM/s640/blogger-image-1188889714.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpVdCn1y-t4DM5nNtZCjU9JONaP7CA5svF-RPkc4VQBmuaMf2t5j2TzcxoIVfmZ2-iQOSF2ok_eAWWC7v5S4dw434w67_qh52xym5jBvHdrvq5n_lkjFBLNLc2w9do_SYmgUZ24781XHM/s640/blogger-image-1188889714.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfkN7j9Ptj3n1W4ceZ92sPIwFI0uGes9k3d3dtJmnzBEV1CWe4MEh5p9GS9WO6nu-IbEUKHQ7hTfL-201oQkg-9z0XYVvPd4ijSr9UjXdMUOmLq-DCqLVsSMYqvxZ7PV2HBSe2eGGwgBc/s640/blogger-image-1993853506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfkN7j9Ptj3n1W4ceZ92sPIwFI0uGes9k3d3dtJmnzBEV1CWe4MEh5p9GS9WO6nu-IbEUKHQ7hTfL-201oQkg-9z0XYVvPd4ijSr9UjXdMUOmLq-DCqLVsSMYqvxZ7PV2HBSe2eGGwgBc/s640/blogger-image-1993853506.jpg" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Thanks For Reading
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<br />
Well this is the first installment of my efforts to right my wrongs. <br />
<br />
I'd like to introduce you too Russell Mefford. <br />
<br />
When I moved to Muscle Shoals to record "Nostoi" with The Ugli Stick (and subsequently became a writer for FAME) , the Fiddleworms were the first people I met. <br />
<br />
Russell is one of the most kind hearted people I've ever had the pleasure to meet. He is a generous soul. <br />
<br />
When it comes to music, Russell and the rest of the Fiddleworms are authentic. the Fiddleworms have realness that is undeniable. When you hear them and see them perform you know they are artists. The music they create is raw ,uncut, and direct. <br />
<br />
The Fiddleworms' music draws on the muscians' Muscle Shoals roots but I assure you they aren't regurgitating new versions of old songs. The 'worms create music that is unique , moving and fresh. <br />
<br />
I recommend it highly. Go check out their stuff. <br />
<br />
Well since I love the Fiddleworms so much as musicians and people AND they happen to be finishing up their latest album "See the Light" (which features me singing on a couple songs as well a couple songs I helped write) I thought , they'd be a great first group to introduce you to. <br />
<br />
So I sat down with Russell and the following was the resulting conversation:<br />
<br />
<br />
Eric- I've been a fan of the Fiddleworms since I first heard you. Y'all have always created songs that blend genres into a beautiful fresh music. Is this genre blending a specific decision or is it a result of letting each song direct the production? <br />
<br />
Russell- "We try to let the song lead us. We also want to error on the side of letting things in. All the fellas each have their own influences and interests. They also have a great respect for the song. We try to let it all seep in and pay no mind to what we might call it."<br />
<br />
<br />
Eric- The Fiddleworms have enjoyed longevity in a time when longevity is extremely rare. Do you have any explanation as to how that has happened? or Do you have advise for other musicians as to how to keep a band together and moving forward? <br />
<br />
Russell - "DON’T EVER STOP"<br />
<br />
Eric- Muscle Shoals is renowned for producing musical talent. However having lived in Muscle Shoals for many years, I couldn't help but notice a renaissance or a resurgence of talent from the area recently that is more than normal. You guys are a huge part of that in my opinion. Since you are a native and a big part of the scene, can you tell me if YOU can tell a difference over the last 4-5 years? <br />
<br />
Russell-"Big difference. I will say the Shoals music scene took a big hit when you guys had to move. Having a band like Ugli Stick move to Muscle Shoals was a message to people that we are a destination. It was also encouraging to those of us here as a reaffirmation that we are relevant. You and I have not really gotten deep into the reasons but I would guess not having venues here would have to be a reason for your move. I understand that all too well. I think that despite the lack of support from our local governments the music of Muscle Shoals is thriving because of Social Media. The world can see us. You can see John Paul on youtube and follow Jason on Twitter. Billy Reid moving here has really helped. He is someone who has invested into the scene here. He also introduced me to Eddie Hinton’s music. Billy seems to be a great guy, he definitely has great vision. Talented writer Cherokee Lair has written an article about 12 Muscle Shoals Bands/Artists that is featured in the September/October issue of Relix Magazine. It could be even better if we just called all 4 of the Quad Cities simply Muscle Shoals. When I was playing coffee shops in Tampa, Fl. people would ask me where I was from. If I said Florence they would have no idea where I was talking about. Most people know or have heard of Muscle Shoals, Alabama. F.A.M.E studios, in Muscle Shoals, stands for Florence Alabama Music Enterprises and was originally located in Florence. Muscle Shoals Sound studio was located in Sheffield. Tuscumbia is home of the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. Its all part of the Muscle Shoal’s Sound so I think we should call the whole area Muscle Shoals. Again the local governments continue to ignore their greatest asset and yet the music continues to survive."<br />
<br />
<br />
Eric- The music world has lost a lot of legends this year. Are there any musicians that passed away this year that you had personal ties to or that specifically inspired you<br />
<br />
Russell-"Whew… yeah man, we are only 2/3s of they way through 2012 and it seems we have lost so many this year. There are those who were part of my childhood. Watching rerunds of the Monkees (Davy Jones), listening to Donna Summer on the radio and seeing “The Sting”(Marvin Hamlisch did the score) as a child. All you have to do is mention the word “sting”, bee sting, police sting…, and the Entertainer plays in my head. You can not be from Muscle Shoals and not have your soul ache for the loss of Etta James and Donald “Duck” Dunn. Levon Helm and MCA seemed to hit me the hardest. Anything I hear from Levon seems so real to me. If he told me the world was flat I would believe him. The first time I heard the Beastie Boys was in 1987 and I was real suspicious of them. I listened to Grand Master Flash and Run-D-MC in high school. It was a time when the industry suits seemed to be crafting images more than music. I wondered if their thing was all made up. Well, obviously it WASN’T. The Beasties are great and losing Adam is like having so many pages ripped out of an amazing book. We have been robbed of greatness."<br />
<br />
<br />
Eric- Speaking of inspiration, can you tell me some of the artists that helped inspire you to be a musician, can you tell me some artists that have inspired/influenced your style of writing and production along the way, and can you tell me some new artists you listen to?<br />
<br />
Russell- "When I was in 2nd grade a classmate told me I was an accident. When I got home I asked if that was true and Mom said “nooo… you were a blessing”. Mom was certainly quick on her feet. My brother is 15 years and my sister is 13 years older than me. The opening of Cameron Crowes “Almost Famous” reminds me of my childhood. Here is this young kid being brought up on great music. My brother and sister brought me up on the Beatles, Dylan, Rolling Stones, Who, Hendrix; the music definitely influenced and inspired me as a child and still does to this day. Lately I have been digging listening to Blackberry Smoke, Civil Wars, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Eric Erdman, and the Pollies.<br />
<br />
Eric- "See the Light" is the new album. Describe how this collection of songs and the production came about. <br />
<br />
Russell- "It has been a lot of fun for me. We wanted all fresh material so Rob and I sat down and wrote together for this one. We have usually brought things in written by ourselves in the past. I had the honor to write with You, Dale, and Rob on a couple songs for this record, I got to write a song with Donnie Fritts and Scott Boyer, and one with you and Dick Cooper. On top of that you guys all came in and played and sang. Corey Hannah is making a film to go with the release which is something new for us. There will be a CD listening party on October 29th at the Shoals Marriott Conference Center in Florence. "<br />
<br />
<br />
Eric- How do you feel "See the Light" fits into the Fiddleworms anthology? <br />
Is it a departure from previous albums? <br />
<br />
Russell-"We are continuing to grow as human beings and musicians. I hope that shows on this record."<br />
<br />
Eric- I've always loved the fearlessness with which the Fiddleworms (and producer Jimmy Nutt) approach recording. Your last album "Volkswagen Catfish" has audio clips of a shotgun on one song and a fishing reel in another. I love not only THAT non traditional ideas were used to enhance the recording but also HOW they were used artistically. Are there any sonic surprises on "See the Light" or are y'all sticking to the instruments only this go around? <br />
<br />
Russell-"Plenty. I wanted this record to flow seamlessly from start to finish. My wife, Allison, gave me a Zoom hand held recorder which allowed me to record sounds as I stumbled across them. The theme is loosely based on a cicada radio show. Sounds from our present and past interwoven into the music. Bugs, busses, radio static, the University of North Alabama “Pride of Dixie” Marching Band, chickens, dogs...."<br />
<br />
Eric- After the release of "See the Light" what is on tap for the Fiddleworms? Touring? Writing another album? <br />
<br />
Russell-"To keep following the song wherever it takes us."<br />
<br />
Eric- Can you list all the places people will be able to get "See the Light" and all other Fiddleworms stuff?<br />
<br />
Russell- “See the Light” listening party Monday, October 29th, 6pm at the Shoals Marriott Conference Center in Florence, Alabama. Admission is free. “See the Light” available October 30th. The record will be available locally at Pegasus records and http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/Fiddleworms and on itunes http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/fiddleworms/id127827534 Like us and get band info at www.facebook.com/fiddlewormsmusic<br />
<br />
<br />
Eric- Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. I'm a huge fan of your music and I can't wait to hear the new album in its entirety. <br />
<br />
Russell-"I love you Eric. Thank you for sharing your talent and shining a light on us Worms!"<br />
<br />
<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3AULgXlubKsqPNMRW-KEJQWsZf9lAZrapLa9pOEPcfSyitmPf0Fj8X6suSd1eP_YQWlhtoBtgoDev9lPBzuApkmJ2JNbSO8k4jq1a-wsAbpQEqrAynWhd90omOQvYhAOsSMkTN6Qn6sE/s640/blogger-image-504997936.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3AULgXlubKsqPNMRW-KEJQWsZf9lAZrapLa9pOEPcfSyitmPf0Fj8X6suSd1eP_YQWlhtoBtgoDev9lPBzuApkmJ2JNbSO8k4jq1a-wsAbpQEqrAynWhd90omOQvYhAOsSMkTN6Qn6sE/s640/blogger-image-504997936.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_mDVNoWBCJFRrleMGlbbuHZczJVuhHKJyjrz0PRuZwm8xbH2_cYkLFS_Z4vhiDYfb2Sh81OYF4UyHEe07YoOsmiYu4a67EFoEET9pR4WMiFpYyvZFnRdvAuWMnk1PAbYTfSgIwzHfsY/s640/blogger-image--1549564167.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_mDVNoWBCJFRrleMGlbbuHZczJVuhHKJyjrz0PRuZwm8xbH2_cYkLFS_Z4vhiDYfb2Sh81OYF4UyHEe07YoOsmiYu4a67EFoEET9pR4WMiFpYyvZFnRdvAuWMnk1PAbYTfSgIwzHfsY/s640/blogger-image--1549564167.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl3BVMyCf0zhcZHo3KnNllwiHDfHvi4Rcdd2-AUSGa8rz8Ng1HCewZ_RZS4UWaranhGxBGFJNKTZ0qGq0clVtcaLuBNLaUi68BrxdNUtFqvK5rchJ2xC-Ni7EVYb3R2tLACWsGkckuPsQ/s640/blogger-image--1090856868.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl3BVMyCf0zhcZHo3KnNllwiHDfHvi4Rcdd2-AUSGa8rz8Ng1HCewZ_RZS4UWaranhGxBGFJNKTZ0qGq0clVtcaLuBNLaUi68BrxdNUtFqvK5rchJ2xC-Ni7EVYb3R2tLACWsGkckuPsQ/s640/blogger-image--1090856868.jpg" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Thanks For Reading
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<br />
These attributes of the huge cathedral are not there by accident. They are there to exact an emotion of reverence and calmness in anyone who enters. The church and church designers may be the first experts in human psychology. <br />
<br />
I'm confident that the builders knew that ANY person (atheist, agnostic, or devoutly religious) who walks into a place like Notre Dame would feel humbled and insignificant. Anyone that enters a place like that would feel an instant reflex to be still and quiet. (side note: to me singer/songwriter performances in small listening rooms have the same effect. I'd say most people feel this subconsciously. See this post (http://ericerdmanmusic.blogspot.com/2012/08/songs-arent-as-strong-as-you-may-think.html?m=1) for my description). There is a subconscious reaction that happens in these situations. No one can fight it. <br />
<br />
Well today I walk out of the hotel room and I am in a cathedral of a different kind. <br />
<br />
Today I am staring at the Rocky Mountains. This sight had a similar but more profound effect on me than Notre Dame did. When I look at these mountains I also feel small and insignificant and I feel a calmness and stillness fall over me but it's different. It may be my Native American heritage but the feeling I have in the presence of these mountains is more powerful than any feeling I will ever have from being in the presence of man made things (no matter how huge the man made structures are or how perfectly designed and aimed at my psychology they are). Nature wins. <br />
<br />
The difference is the emotion I feel when looking at these mountains. The feeling is natural and uplifting. The Cathedral of Notre Dame made me feel small and insignificant, but in a contrived, man made way. It is a beautiful structure that had a powerful effect on me. I highly recommend seeing it. You will not regret it. <br />
<br />
But as powerful and beautiful as it is , it still didn't do for me what these mountains are doing right now. it simply can't. <br />
<br />
The cathedral is aimed at making us feel small , insignificant , and in need of something to complete us. The mountain makes us feel small , insignificant , and part of nature. <br />
<br />
It's a subtle difference. In both scenarios I felt small and insignificant, but in one this was intended (by some men) to make me feel incomplete, broken or in need of assistance, where as in the other scenario this simply makes me appreciate my place in the universe. <br />
<br />
Looking at mountains like the ones I am currently looking at makes me appreciate my breathing. I am an organism. I am not a god. I am simply a part of the whole. But that doesn't make me broken or incomplete. It actually makes me feel powerful and important. I am one little thread in this huge expansive fabric. But I'm on the team. We are all on the team. <br />
<br />
And it is from this nice natural place that I feel at peace and I feel like I should help other people (because they too are part of the whole) and I should be more conscious of the enviornment (because it is part of the whole). And just as I am insignificant compared to the mountain, there are microbes and tiny organisms that are insignificant in size compared to me. However these things are also part of the whole. Therefore in my current scenario, the smallness and insignificance I feel isn't a negative thing, it makes me more conscious of how I act with regards to the tiny organisms in the air, water and soil around me. <br />
<br />
And I don't want you thinking I smoked a bag of Colorado "medicinal" marijuana or got so caught up in the Colorado Native American culture that I let my heritage talk me into eating peyote. I'm not spacing out into hippiedom. I just love nature and I feel its power gives me more incentive to live right than any building can. <br />
<br />
Feeling a connection with nature makes me more aware of life. It makes me focused on treating other people, plants and animals more properly. The world wasn't built for me alone. I am part of the whole. <br />
<br />
Now I will stop rambling, go to church (meaning: climb the mountain). <br />
<br />
I'm going to a spot with lots of wildlife. <br />
I hope to SEE a bear. Although I'd prefer that I not become his lunch. <br />
<br />
I like being part of nature but not quite to that extent. <br />
<br />
Have a great day, people. <br />
<br />
Go outside. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ks5HiasQ95YO1JzRAAFdEdW4n5eWv5KcBdwX4LnSaUwdmQBJlixUR4HNmfYX8p3cYEf6bDRWFCFVUSoVlPS2st8jkKFaDD9ByRVMKqaLsE9joMYOguRC9ph1bn7-C3mYWKRHtNSjlY4/s640/blogger-image--1575023735.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ks5HiasQ95YO1JzRAAFdEdW4n5eWv5KcBdwX4LnSaUwdmQBJlixUR4HNmfYX8p3cYEf6bDRWFCFVUSoVlPS2st8jkKFaDD9ByRVMKqaLsE9joMYOguRC9ph1bn7-C3mYWKRHtNSjlY4/s640/blogger-image--1575023735.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6UaU1vedt6i1fJInRssvK0aC7sQ_LyJtcwSp_tz-V9prs9Jofu-dhSz8NKwFzBOrfXro5hNmoz7mbED4oDOdjhMZaxdaffPH2t2fuRRwx4eRcYp2ypE4QqSCh-H4c-d4WHe9RdsT-aE/s640/blogger-image-1046834743.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6UaU1vedt6i1fJInRssvK0aC7sQ_LyJtcwSp_tz-V9prs9Jofu-dhSz8NKwFzBOrfXro5hNmoz7mbED4oDOdjhMZaxdaffPH2t2fuRRwx4eRcYp2ypE4QqSCh-H4c-d4WHe9RdsT-aE/s640/blogger-image-1046834743.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtS3Qk1XE2lrWDRigeEoxlaZsO2WtMHgdw0V9IINsBbOJj-uUnjAoJoNqLI7mSTPXIDJ3X9l2gZrtzpHDDmViHwhWVWA-mDwRm294nx3g-Ir6epPL2UWLfooP1pXOfELeb_1zG8P9Mp54/s640/blogger-image-1523943344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtS3Qk1XE2lrWDRigeEoxlaZsO2WtMHgdw0V9IINsBbOJj-uUnjAoJoNqLI7mSTPXIDJ3X9l2gZrtzpHDDmViHwhWVWA-mDwRm294nx3g-Ir6epPL2UWLfooP1pXOfELeb_1zG8P9Mp54/s640/blogger-image-1523943344.jpg" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Thanks For Reading
www.ericerdmanmusic.com
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www.twitter.com/ericerdmanmusic</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434836978049681966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171748340837625464.post-14396107345742485932012-08-29T17:37:00.001-07:002012-09-07T15:02:59.743-07:00Deja MooOne day a group of people were standing on a river bank. All of a sudden they hear a baby crying. They searched frantically and then saw a baby drifting down the river, gasping, crying and about to drown. One person instinctively sprang to action. He jumped in the river to rescue the infant. <br />
As the rest of the crowd moved toward the river to help, they noticed to their horror that ANOTHER baby was coming down the river. This baby was also fighting to stay afloat, while gasping and crying. This drowning infant was followed by another and another.<br />
The people jumped in and frantically swam to save each of the children when they notice something. One of their group wasn't jumping in. As a matter of fact, he was walking away.<br />
Amazed and appalled, the rescuers yelled back at the man leaving and they screamed with disdain, "Where are you going? How could you leave?" To which the man responded, " I'm going upstream to stop who ever is throwing babies in the river."<br />
===========<br />
<br />
<br />
This little story shows how lateral thinking and trying an unconventional way to solve the problem at hand can often meet resistance from peers, but in the end may prove to be vastly more effective.<br />
<br />
Today I am still on the cross country trip with my mom and stepdad, Leon. We drove from Wichita up to Salina. The Kansas countrysides roll on and on. We saw cow after cow after cow. Actually it began looking like the same cow after a while.<br />
<br />
Deja Moo<br />
<br />
I watched the cow fields and thought that Kansas may have more boring maize fields and cows than I-65 has boring pine trees (and that is an impressive feat). The only things for hundreds of miles are fields. These fields are planted with corn, maize or soy and they virtually all have a few dozen rusty old oil wells, some pumping away, some rusted to a stand still.<br />
<br />
I've driven through Kansas a few times so its repetitive landscape no longer surprises me. Its flatness and more flatness can be mundane. Luckily for me my little warped mind loves to find complexity in the simplistic and simplicity in the complex. Therefore I haven't been bored despite having had plenty of simplistic to complexify (and now pontificate about). <br />
<br />
Leon and I fantasized (surely to mom's dismay) about how Native American life must have been. We imagined some poor hunter being sent out by his squaw to hunt. How long would he have had to ride or walk to find any wildlife? Once he found them how was he going to sneak up on them? There is no sneaking up on anything out here. You can see 20 miles across the flat land. <br />
<br />
Subsequently we discussed different elements of what we believe the pioneers lives to have been like. Surely it was a hard life, but how wild it must have been to be pushing the frontier. How exciting it must have been to be the first your culture to explore this vastness.<br />
<br />
Leon and I let our imagination run free and told our stories for a couple hours, mixing fact and fantasy with humor and absolute absurdity (to see when exactly mom was tuning us out).<br />
<br />
Once we got to Salina we were getting a little stir crazy so we decided to break up the monotony by visiting a random roadside attraction. We saw signs for Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure so we thought we would try it. We were pleasantly surprised to find this place to be an incredible museum and zoo (I saw a multitude of animals and thankful that repetitive cow wasn't there). If you ever get to the middle of Kansas for God's sake stop there. It's great. It is great inherently and not only because it is the only thing for 4 hours in any direction. I highly recommend visiting Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure if ya get the chance. <br />
<br />
After we spent a couple hours in Salina we again hit the road. We were now heading West toward Colorado. A new direction meant……..same old scenery. Cows in Corn fields, maize fields, and old oil wells. Every so often we would pass a soybean field and the shorter darker green plants would alter the view by .0001%. But that is little to get excited about.<br />
<br />
Not too far out of Salina we entered Lincoln County. For the entire trip I have used the Wiki Hood app on my iPhone to scout cities and towns before we enter them searching for ANY information that might spice up the adventure. Well Wiki Hood told me that Lincoln County had a big Wind Farm (Smoky Hills Wind Farm) that generates over 250 Mega watts of power (enough to power 88,000 Kansas homes). That's definitely something more interesting than cows, corn and oil wells.<br />
<br />
Before I even finished telling Mom and Leon about the Wind Farm we began seeing the enormous turbines on the horizon. We had all seen wind farms on our last road trip but it was still impressive nonetheless. Hundreds of these huge 3 bladed fans spinning as far as the eye could see. Harnessing the power of the wind.<br />
<br />
The thought of wind power replacing fossil fuel isn't new but it made me think of a time when it was. Suddenly it felt like this orchard of turbines filled my skull with all 250 MW. <br />
<br />
My imagination went wild. <br />
<br />
I could see the first guy in Kansas telling his neighbors he was devoting millions of dollars to farm the wind. Surely they must've thought he had lost his mind. <br />
<br />
Potential investors must been even more skeptical. <br />
<br />
While the potential "wind tycoon" gave his "Wind is the new fuel" spiel he must have been not only laughed at but also chastised and ridiculed by his peers. As he decided to abandon the old methods and take a fundamental change of approach, I can imagine his peers yelling, "Where are you going? How could you leave?" just like the baby rescuers at the river bank.<br />
<br />
<br />
===========<br />
<br />
PS- I am not saying wind power is the answer to all the world's energy problems. Wind power has drawbacks, for instance It's rather expensive to implement. It also can't supply enough energy for all our needs. But I definitely know that thinking outside the box IS the answer. Using the old methods forever will not work. We know for a fact that burning oil is not going to work forever. I doubt wind energy will ever be the be all to end all but it may thrive and continue to be a small portion of the newer cleaner energy.<br />
<br />
The message is: even if wind energy becomes an archaic, antiquated energy source in a decade or so, I applaud the "wind tycoon" for thinking outside the box. <br />
<br />
Oh and I applaud him for giving me something to look at other than that same cow AGAIN.<br />
<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCa0Ep5LHWRJ0gAy_K_HdKIhJPH07vlpazGhNz9L8llm-8kZIJfdGzQ0fnpa38YkWivMQMeqFTQW6V6tamdakkmsQeXJtOf6tVuGAlxTotQS36tL4iL2Lsoz7r90fwGj7sKWVBioFzY64/s640/blogger-image-327291874.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCa0Ep5LHWRJ0gAy_K_HdKIhJPH07vlpazGhNz9L8llm-8kZIJfdGzQ0fnpa38YkWivMQMeqFTQW6V6tamdakkmsQeXJtOf6tVuGAlxTotQS36tL4iL2Lsoz7r90fwGj7sKWVBioFzY64/s640/blogger-image-327291874.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoEQLVYcPzhEuMVeca7HUJeqc61ojZT_JVO9u9kiOG7AeDLmBvwEGee6OLq5PAKgLOc5VQhOdDC05gNWJ3gVp1Ew1JKaw5VS4OwMCig2xVC72gP2CEEp7dB6qY_nzdRRfRXU73-yAKOWo/s640/blogger-image-1261636702.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoEQLVYcPzhEuMVeca7HUJeqc61ojZT_JVO9u9kiOG7AeDLmBvwEGee6OLq5PAKgLOc5VQhOdDC05gNWJ3gVp1Ew1JKaw5VS4OwMCig2xVC72gP2CEEp7dB6qY_nzdRRfRXU73-yAKOWo/s640/blogger-image-1261636702.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOKWUKA2OQOnbcsZTIYfklf7LVVEDcnffggglLReHJ5_8NUxQNVyy6Wp6J6P38kY6Mgt6L_fopU5mcE7dyvPsI6HpbRSoxgdxwbFuGEOVJC_kKK8rh1XuVtrmmBeYVVTxXRGKpPwfjVHU/s640/blogger-image--832244520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOKWUKA2OQOnbcsZTIYfklf7LVVEDcnffggglLReHJ5_8NUxQNVyy6Wp6J6P38kY6Mgt6L_fopU5mcE7dyvPsI6HpbRSoxgdxwbFuGEOVJC_kKK8rh1XuVtrmmBeYVVTxXRGKpPwfjVHU/s640/blogger-image--832244520.jpg" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Thanks For Reading
www.ericerdmanmusic.com
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">An old hill farmer trudges several miles through freezing snow to his local and very remote chapel for Sunday service. No-one else is there, aside from the clergyman.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">"I'm not sure it's worth proceeding with the service - might we do better to go back to our warm homes and a hot drink?.." asks the preacher, inviting a mutually helpful reaction from his audience of one.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">"Well, I'm just a simple farmer," says the man, "But when I go to feed my herd, and if only one beast turns up, I sure don't leave it hungry."</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">So the preacher, feeling somewhat ashamed, delivers his service - all the bells and whistles, hymns and readings, lasting a good couple of hours - finishing proudly with the fresh observation that no matter how small the need, our duty remains. And he thanks the old farmer for the lesson he has learned.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">"Was that okay?" asks the clergyman, as the two set off home.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">"Well I'm just a simple farmer," says the man, "But when I go to feed my herd, and if only one beast turns up, I sure don't force it to eat what I brought for the whole herd..."</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">================</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">Or as Leon would say,</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">"Some people don't have the sense that God gave a billy goat." </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"> This morning Mom, Leon and I got up and had the continental breakfast at the Best Western in Conway, AR. (it's right near Toad Suck Park in case you were wondering). After our biscuits and gravy ( and non brand fruit loops) we hit the highway. </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"> Again mom wanted to drive (she's may be a pretend sound engineer but she's the real deal when it comes to cross country driving). So again Leon and I passed the time enjoying the scenery.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"> We saw a long ridge of the Ozark mountains. We began talking all about the Ozarks when we passed a sign that said "Aux Arc". I had a crazy realization that made me feel dumber than a billy goat.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">The word Ozark is OBVIOUSLY a linguistic bastardization of the French words Aux and Ark (which means of/at Ark. Where Ark is an abbreviation of Arkansas). How had I never noticed that before? I'm a Francophile and a word nerd. This type of thing is right up my alley. In retrospect it seems ridiculously elementary.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">Anyway, we continued down the highway. As we did, I marveled at this revelation about the etymology of the word Ozark and I laughed at my own ignorance for not realizing it earlier.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">I don't have the sense God gave a billy goat apparently.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">Well after a little more travel it was time for a gas stop, leg stretch stop, a drink stop and a bathroom stop. We took care of all these needs at a Love's Truck Stop.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">I grabbed a few Monster Energy drinks (I intended on getting one but the price was $2.59 for one or $2.99 for 3. I may be dumber than a billy goat but I do have a Math degree and I think I chose wisely to get 3 instead of one.)</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">Mom had gotten a coffee and a few diet cokes for the road. She got to the register and the girl says, "That'll be $6.49". At this point mom says, "Dang, I wanted to get one of those cookies but forgot….Don't worry about it."</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"> The girl was very helpful and said, "Thats no problem." She walked over and grabbed a cookie then she return to the register with it. She handed the cookie to mom and began calculating the new total.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">She said, "That'll be $6.32"</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">I was thinking, "Damn. And I thought I got a good package deal on my energy drinks. Mom added a cookie and it subtracted 17 cents from the total."</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">Mom tried to correct the cashier but the girl wasn't budging. She insisted, "It's $6.32.". Well….What could mom do?</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">Mom eventually gave in and paid $6.32 and we headed back down the road.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">Sometimes it takes some one else's stubbornness and ignorance to make us feel better about ourselves.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">That cashier's insistence on being wrong made me feel so much better about my sub-billy goat I.Q.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">=======</span></span></span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Thanks For Reading
www.ericerdmanmusic.com
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www.twitter.com/ericerdmanmusic</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434836978049681966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171748340837625464.post-48561604081027210172012-08-27T19:38:00.001-07:002012-08-27T20:15:09.374-07:00Why don't tribute bands have tribute sound engineers?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I virtually never have the time to take a family vacation. The touring musician's life can be lots of fun but the fun usually has to be woven into the tour schedule. I can't even remember the last time I went on a vacation the was totally unrelated to my job. The good news is my job takes me to some of the most amazing places on Earth. So I'm not complaining. I am simply saying any family vacations involve the family coming along with me to gigs and finding fun stuff to do between.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Well this week is one of those family vacation weeks.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I have three gigs with the Ugli Stick around Boulder, CO at the end of the week. The last time we played these festivals mom and Leon came along and we had a blast. Therefore, once the Ugli Stick booked the festivals again, we started planning our family vacation around the trip.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We packed up and left this morning before dawn. (Side note: It just so happened that our leaving coincided with the mandatory evacuation of both my house and my parent's house in the city's preparation of Hurricane Isaac''s arrival. I truly believe all will be well in our area due to the westerly turn it took earlier. I hope New Orleans fairs well).</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Anyway, we road tripped all day. Mom insisted on driving. So Leon and I did Sudoku puzzles, discussed the different crops we passed and generally bugged mom. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We found some cool places (my favorite was "Jehovah Java" in Lake Providence, LA. Very nice staff and good strong coffee. Even though the entire time I was there I could not stop imagining Bart Simpson repeatedly writing on a chalk board "I will not say 'This coffee is strong enough to wake the dead' at Jehovah Java' . I will not say 'This coffee is strong enough to wake the dead' at Jehovah Java' . I will not say 'This coffee is strong enough to wake the dead' at Jehovah Java' ….)</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We saw a lot of fun scenery along the way but our goal destination for Day 1 was Little Rock. I knew mom and Leon had never spent much time there and I thought they would enjoy seeing the Riverwalk Market and the nice park they have along the Arkansas River. We made it to Little Rock in the evening time and the weather and sky looked like something off of a postcard.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We went into a couple cool shops, then we explored all up and down the large river front park. We saw the walking bridge, the playground, the historic plaques, the beautifully manicured foliage lining the walk ways, I even showed them the actual little rock that the city was named for (Le Petit Roche). We all three enjoyed our adventure and I was proud to have been able to play tour guide a little bit. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">After all the walking we began getting hungry. We were really close to a Restaurant/Music Venue I had played at multiple times a few years back, so I suggested we eat there. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The place is called Stickyz (The Rock n Roll Chicken Shack). It has a very very House of Blues type vibe to it. The walls are covered in music themed folk art, the food is spicy but great, and they tend to have good music all week long.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">If you make it to Little Rock I highly recommend it. Try the Stickyz Fingers Sammich with Voodoo sauce. Strong.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">As I was scarfing down the Fiery Voodoo drenched Chicken, I decided to check out the music calendar. It just so happens that Touch: the Grateful Dead Tribute Band is playing there later tonight. Of course we aren't staying until the band cranks up (all though I am sure they are good if they are playing Stickyz), but the thought of Grateful Dead reminded me of a story from long long ago.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">When I was a very young solo artists I played at a couple of places in downtown Mobile, Al. At the time I was in college and I had a good sized "following" which basically just consisted of my friends from school. Well because a local bar owner realized I could account for an extra 20-30 warm bodies in his club he asked if I wanted to be the musical entertainment for his weekly "Drinkin with Lincoln" night. This night would be set up so the patrons would pay $5 at the door then be able to buy $.01 draft beer all night. My college buddies thought this was great. They could listen to me and drink the cheapest beer in town. Well every other drunk person in town knew a good deal when they saw it too so eventually the club was packed. Week after week. Packed. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(NOTE: I am definitely not too proud to admit or too dumb to understand that I was there for background music. The reason for the party was cheap cheap beer. The good news is the people were very nice and supportive and a lot of my longest friendships and fanships started on those "Drinkin with Lincoln" nights.)</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Well the club at which "Drinkin with Lincoln" was going on was named Southside. Well Southside (like Stickyz) was a fairly renowned music venue in the South East. I saw many serious touring acts play there over the years. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The reason I tell you this is because I want you to understand that the bar was set up around live music. It had a nice stage, great view of the stage from most anywhere in the bar (upstairs or downstairs), and it had a full sound booth. The club had the premier sound guy in town as the house sound guy for the weekly concerts. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"Drinkin with Lincoln" was not concerts. They were more like back yard, frat house, parties. There was no need for the sound guy on my nights. There would be a DI and a mic already run when I got there. I just had to plug in and play. The board was left covered (so drunken yahoos didn't mess with it).</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Well my mother has always been my biggest fan and she has always been my best supporter. She loves to hear me play and she gets to every gig she can get to. Since I was just getting started at that time and not touring much at all, she was at virtually EVERY gig. I loved having mom there (I still do), but I'm always worried about her being in a bar and far away from me on stage (in case a fight breaks out or something like that). </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Well people tended to get more out of hand at "Drinkin with Lincoln" than normal so I was even more concerned for Mom's safety. Great news: Southside has the sound booth. It was perfect. I could get mom a Diet Coke, have her sitting in a comfortable chair behind the sound board, she would have the best view of the stage, I'd be able to easily keep my eye on her and most importantly she would be a safe distance away from the rowdy drunk folks.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I played that gig weekly for months and months and months. Mom sat in her sound booth perch and enjoyed the show every time. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I never gave that arrangement a second thought...UNTIL...</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I was playing a completely unrelated gig and venue. At this gig mom was just sitting at a table. During the middle of my show I notice mom involved in a conversation with some people I had seen at many of the "Drinkin with Lincoln" gigs. I could tell something was not quite right but I obviously couldn't hear what they were saying. I could see mom being polite but confused meanwhile the guy was seeming to get more and more frustrated. He was almost mad. At this point I began to get down from the stage and go see what the problem was but luckily the guy cooled down and he and his girl left.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I gave mom the "Are you ok?" look. She nodded and smiled as if to say, "Boy, I can't wait to tell you about this one".</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I played a couple more songs but my curiosity got the better of me. I took an early break and went to interrogate mom.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">What had happened was the guy mistakenly thought that mom was running sound for me at every "Drinkin with Lincoln" gig simply because she was sitting behind the soundboard all the time. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">With the idea in his mind that mom is a sound guy, at some point he misheard someone else, or totally fabricated it in a drug or alcohol induced state, that mom had run sound for the Grateful Dead years ago. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It should be said here that although I'm sure my mom would have been a great sound engineer had she put her mind to that, she has never turned one knob or pushed one fader in her life. She is definitely in no way a sound guy.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This guy had brought his girl up to my mom and introduced her to mom thusly, "This is Eric's mom. She used to run sound for the Grateful Dead. Now she runs his sound."</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">At which point mom laughed and then explained to the guy and girl he must be mistaken because she has never run sound for anyone. This must have embarrassed the guy. He thought she was being modest or didn't want to toot her own horn. Therefore he got more insistent. Understandably this confused mom further as to what to do next. The guy got more emphatic and more emphatic until mom eventual just gave in and said, "Ok."</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The guy took this as some what of a validation and a victory and left with his girl.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Ever since that time, my mom and I get a kick out of every time we see or hear the Grateful Dead. I'll be like, "Hey mom it's your band". Or she'll say, "Hey, Isn't this the band I used to run sound for?" </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Well tonight in Little Rock , I had an epiphany. When tribute bands tour why don't they bring tribute sound engineers also? The band playing Stickyz tonight should have asked my mom.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I mean wouldn't be cool to have someone who never mixed the original band's sound, mix for the band that is emulating the original band's songs.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I think so.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I asked mom if I could tell the band that she was in the building. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I am sure they would be honored to have her guest mix tonight's show. After all she </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">has been mistaken for running sound for the Dead.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I would think a tribute band would love a tribute sound engineer.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">But again she was too modest. She said that we needed to get some rest before the drive tomorrow. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Damn that Juanita. Too humble for her own good.</span></span></div>
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