Category: Generic

Nerd Alert

I often make a Google Document for keeping notes on my RPM Challenge progress. Start a new idea, add it to the doc. Write some lyrics, add them to the doc. I just sometimes need something to help me keep my thoughts in order. Sometimes I use a Google Spreadsheet to keep track of which guitars I use on each song, or which amplifier patch, or beats per minute, or really anything you can think of.

Today I upped my nerd game. I created a Trello board to keep track of this year’s project. There is a list for songs that are just in the idea phase, songs that are in the recording instruments phase, songs in the vocals/lyrics phase (lyrics and melodies are always the last thing I write), and songs that are in the mixing phase. Each time I start a new idea I will add a card to the idea list. Then as I add to it I can make notes on what I did in each card, and move it between lists as it progresses.

I’m waiving my nerd flag high this year.

Inspiration/motivation

I’ve probably shared this before. It’s the RPM Challenge Video from 2012.  Yes it’s four years old, but it still applies.  If you are thinking of trying it, let the words of a bunch of participants convince you.  I know some of the people you will hear, and some of the people you’ll see in the pictures.  I don’t know the guy who recorded his album in his car, but I clearly remember him writing a blog post on the site saying he did all of his work while parked in the same parking lot I sat in when I made all of the phone calls to put together my brother’s bachelor party.  It’s a small world.  Here’s hoping the link works…

 

Jimmy Bain

Jimmy Bain died.

No, this isn’t on a cultural par with David Bowie or Glenn Fry.  Not even close.  It still sucks though.

Jimmy Bain was a bass player.  He played with Ronnie Dio’s band in the 80’s.  For me, the really important gig he had was with Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow.  He, along with Ronnie Dio, were part of the line up that recorded Rainbow’s second record.  Rainbow Rising.  In the grand scheme of things, it’s not that big a deal.  To me though, it was a great line up that made a great record and followed it up with a pretty great live record.  Blackmore, Dio, Bain, Tony Carey, and the late great Cozy Powell.  Three of those guys are dead now.

Getting old really sucks.

Something I Miss

There are things from the ancient 1990’s that I kinda miss.  Every once in a while one of them will pop into my head and I’ll think, yeah let’s do that!  Then I’ll remember there’s no place around that will let you do that.

Today it’s used book stores.  I had this image pop into my head of the four of us purusing a big used book store, like the basement of the Harvard Bookstore near Harvard Square (which isn’t the university bookstore, that’s the Coop).  I had a clear picture in my head of both kids eyes lighting up with wonderment at the treasure trove of mostly forgotten literary thrills that suddenly were available to them.

Of course, they would probably both just been bored to tears because they wouldn’t be interested in anything other than new releases.  A 44 year old red head can dream though, can’t he?

Two seconds after having this thought the reality set in that there are no used bookstores around here.  There was one in Salem for a while but it’s gone.  I tried using Google to find more, but the only ones I saw were in Boston and I’m not sure any of them are still open.

I sort of equare used book stores and used record stores.  I can’t think of any shops from my Boston wanderings of the past that sold both, but when I went looking for used records I almost always stopped in used bookstores too, and vice versa.  There is a used record store in Methuen, but I haven’t had a lot of luck there.  It’s tiny and I’m huge, so just browsing is tough for me.  Also, they don’t take credit cards.  That kinda sucks.  The last time I was there the one guy working actually kept all the lights off when there weren’t any customers… and I was the only customer I saw.  So I’m not so sure that shop will be around indefinitely.

So that’s the sort of thing that gets into my head early on a Sunday morning.  Back in the grungy 90’s I used to go to used book stores and used record stores a lot.  I kinda miss them.

Of course, having instant access to almost any book on the market via Kindle or iBooks, and having access to what seems like the majority of the entire music industry via Apple Music and Spotify is pretty freaking unbelievalby awesome too, ya know?

Weight Watchers 2016 – Week 1

Jen and I just had our week one weigh in at weight watchers.  I know, I know, I go in and out of weight watchers so much that it must feel like a revolving door.  Lay off, would ya?  Think this is easy for me?  Right.

Jen was first in line at the scale.  Her week one loss was HUGE.  I am so proud of her!  Then I stepped on the scale.  My week one loss was nearly double Jen’s.  Huge times two.  In all seriousness, I dropped 2.8% of my weight in one week.

We both came out of the weigh in feeling great.  We knew we had a good week, but this?  No, this is ridiculous.  We’re pumped, we’re stoked.  We’re also in agreement that there was probably something wrong with a scale.  We’ve weighed in twice, at two different centers.  We’re both feeling that maybe one of the scales was not calibrated correctly.

Who cares!  We’ll take it!

Note: The following statement is meant as a joke.  I don’t really believe this.  I don’t need a lecture on reality.  Okay?  We’re clear?

Hell, at this rate I’ll be skinny as can be by next year!