Experienced...

The new Radio Moscow album sounds freaking fantastic.  Listen to Hold On Me.  

You don't need to change - the future's with us....

I got tix to a show that I SWORE was sold out when I checked last week. Tokyo Police Club @ the Slowdown!! Its become one of my favorite venues to see music and I'm VERY excited to see these guys live for the first time. I've got albums, and I've got a few live tracks, and they sound like a party. Really looking forward to this one.

Be Good:

------------------------------------------------------------
I'm going to be a wreck the week of St. Pats....
-Playing live at the Emerald Isle on Saturday, St. Patricks day celebration in Imogene.
Party.
-Going to Tokyo Police Club on Monday.
Party.
-St. Patricks Day on Tuesday. Maybe I should lay low while I've got the chance.
-Ben Folds @ the Val-Air Ballroom on Wednesday...

Czar Power

Thank you, President Obama, for having the intelligence to reject the moronic trend in using 'czar' as a suffix for a point-man. I've mentioned it here before how much I cringe when people try and use this. First off, the saying doesn't make any damned sense. The Czars weren't exactly well liked. They pissed off their subordinates so much that they rose up and murdered them all in their homes then burnt said homes to the ground. Is this really your business model? No? Oh, you had no idea that's what happened to the Czars? Hmm. Which leads me to point #2: Why people ACTUALLY use it. They don't use the phrase because it applies to the situation - they use the phrase because it's hip. Or to be more accurate - because their LEADERSHIP think that it's hip. Then it trickles down so that some dumbass Manager leading an all-associate meeting gets to bust it out in front of his VP, only to get to a point in his presentation where it becomes evident that he/she can't actually spell the word Czar. Or my personal favorite - appointing a TEAM of people to a task and calling them 'expense czars.' Okay, place-where-i-work, you're hitting all new lows. If you're going to incorrectly use the title Czar, at least use it incorrectly RIGHT. Even if you don't know a damned thing about what a Czar was (which it is obvious that you do not), know this: The whole point of using the term 'Czar' is that ONE person has all the authority in a situation. Applying the name to a TEAM of people is like counting with letters. And about as intelligent.

What is a B.A.? What does a B.A. do? Are there any horse socks?

I like that my job title is ambiguous. People don't have a CLUE what I do. Juice did an article on defining the position of 'Business Analyst.'

Singles Awareness Day (S.A.D.)

I have a crush on a YouTube girl.  Ridiculous.  But she's really, really good.  And very creative in the way she pulls off some of these songs.  Plus she plays a bunch of instruments.  And has an AMAZING voice.  And she's cute.  Julia Nunes.

Cover of Say Anything's Alive with the Glory of Love:



And coming to People's Court April 22nd - New Found Glory



And one last cover song:
Back In Your Head


Happy Valentine's Day <3

Songs for St. Pat's Saturday

Tom and I are going to be playing at the Emerald Isle on the Saturday before St. Patricks Day in Imogene, IA. I'm sure there's multiple bands as there are every year, but we're told it'll be afternoon/evening and ~1hr long. If I know the Isle, we'll have people miss it and make us play a second set late in the evening anyways.

Here's the setlist we're tossing around, we've been practicing these songs and we'll probably drop a few of the sloppy ones. Does anybody have any good suggestions of songs from the '90s that aren't CRAZY popular, but if people heard it, they would definately know it? My submission was "Banditos" by The Refreshments ('well I got the pistols, so I'll keep the pesos, yeah and that seems fair.') I also thought Champagne Supernova would be a crowd pleaser, and a break from every other band in the world playing Wonderwall. So - if you can think of a '90s anthem or a song that maybe you heard on 89.7 The River when you were in high school, leave me a comment.

1. Set you Free - Black Keys**
2. Consoler of the Lonely - Raconteurs
3. Thickfreakness - Black Keys**
4. Take the Money and Run - Steve Miller Band**
5. Cissy Strut - JM3**
6. Who Did You Think I Was? - JM3**
7. Bron Y-aur Stomp - Led Zepp
8. Wastin Time - Jack Johnson**
9. I Got Mine - Back Keys**
10. Do You Right - 311**
11. Magic Potion - Black Keys**
12. Lies - Black Keys**
13. Taylor - Jack Johnson**
14. Cookie Jar - Jack Johnson**
15. D'yer Maker - Led Zepp
16. Instinct Blues - White Stripes
17. What I Got - Sublime**
18. Rock N' Me - Steve Miller Band**
19. Champagne Supernova - Oasis**
20. Kilburn High Road - Flogging Molly
21. Crossroads - Cream
22. Beautiful Disaster - 311
23. Banditos - The Refreshments**
24. Down Together - The Refreshments**

**I could probably kick these out no problem. The others might need some practice.

Downer

The saddest part about being alone is forgetting that you're alone. I know that sounds strange, but its true. Seeing things that you would normally get excited about, then remembering. Its happened twice this week, both times a similar scenario.

"Ben Folds at the Val-Air?! Sweet! Oh, wait."
"Tokyo Police Club @ the Slowdown?!?!? That will be a great show... which I have no one to go to with."

"One ticket for ______, please" gets old fast.

If you're going to San Fransico...

Big Brother and the Holding Company is awesome. Or, rather, WAS awesome.

It was the band that got Janis Joplin famous. But she's not why I like them. The category is "Acid Blues" and the guitarist was insane. The live album Cheap Thrills is great stuff.

Sometimes we forget what we got...

...who we are

and who we are not.

Amos Lee - Keep it loose, keep it tight

G.A.S.

Musicians know exactly what GAS means. And its not from eating beans.


I just got a new guit-box! I've been jones-ing for something bluesy for a while now. Something hollow-bodied. Something with humbuckers. What I ended up getting was a new Epiphone Dot in cherry. It's based of the famous Gibson E-335 model ($2k cheaper though). I got to take it to band practice the same day I got it to put it through the ringer. And it sounds GREAT. I can't wait to play with Tom using this thing. It sounds great clean, but kick on some overdrive, add a little gain, and its got great blues tones. Add some fuzz to that mix and its perfect for Black Keys-style blues rock. Feedback is so easy to get with a hollow-body! No more moving around the room, trying to find the 'sweet spot' for the amp and strat to get feedback. Just turn around to face the amp and prepare yourself....


Here a picture of a guitar like mine: