Remember how crushed David Bowie fans felt when they heard he died? Remember how crushed Eagles fans felt when they heard Glenn Fry had died?
That’s how I feel right now. Paul Kantner of Jefferson Airplane died tonight.
With the rash of musical deaths over the past month, my fandom so far had been spared the great losses. Until tonight. Musically speaking, Paul Kantner is a giant in my eyes. This one hurts, bad.
Rest in pace, Paul Kantner.
(The photo comes from a rolling stone article)
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.
I had a hard time sleeping last night. I was out like a light as soon as my head hit the pillow, but then I was awake for good around 3:30am. Lucky for me we had that extra hour, eh?
There is an upside though. I have started song #1 for November’s National Solo Album Month. I can see how you’re all jumping around with glee.
I guess I’m playing along this year after all.
I have an uncontrollable urge to drive to Guitar Center and buy stuff. I think my step son would be up for it too.
My guitar playing at practice tonight was probably the worst it’s ever been when other people were in the room. I’m stunned they didn’t sack me on the spot. My hands hurt so much I just couldn’t make them do what I needed them to do. It was just awful. What if this never goes away? What if it gets worse? What if I can’t play anymore? When does it get so bad I have to see a doctor, and what if the doctor tells me I’m done for good? I am literally scared.
I just put new strings on the ES 335. I cleared a bit of space off of the MacBook Pro. All I have to do is clip my fingernails and then I’ll be ready for band practice.
For tonight’s recording, I need to lower the vocals on channel five, raise my mic on the PA, lower Mike’s bass on channel three, and raise Kevin’s drums WAY up on channels one and two. I think I’ll give the bass end on the drums a bit of a boost too. If all works well I’ll be sharing some music later this week.
More likely I’ll be listening to a recording with pretty much nothing but boomy drums.
Apple Music is missing something. I haven’t noticed until just now. Spotify lets you embed playlists into other social platforms. I can show playlists and albums here, or on Facebook, or wherever. Apple Music does not give you that option. There is a little share menu but it only sends links to a couple of places. Email, Messages, Twitter, Facebook. The usual. I just tested drove it with Facebook and the link didn’t even work. Also, in reference to my previous post, I referred to Apple Music as iTunes Music because I am dumb, dumb, dumb and have the memory of a twig. Urgh.
Anyway, just for fun lets test the link here too. Does this bring you to the latest Robin Trower record? I bet it doesn’t…
For your listening enjoyment, The Beatles at Shea Stadium.
We had our first band practice in about a month tonight. Much to everyone’s surprise it went really, really well. Are we ready to play out? No, but we are starting to feel close.
I forgot my notebook tonight, but amazingly I made it through without any train wrecks. Physically, it was hot and sweaty and there was some finger pain. By the time 8:00pm came I was definitely ready to go home and sleep. I also tore my finger tips to shreds. Other than all of that, it went fine.
Next up is Sunday. The mixing board recordings may begin at that time.
Yes formed in 1968. From then through last week there were approximately 746253647 different band members, but only one bass player. Chris Squire. He lost a fight with cancer back in June. When he first got sick the band had a tour booked. He had to back out and asked a former band mate to sit in for him. It sounds like his intentions were honorable. If the tour was canceled, all of the crew would be out of work.
When he died, I assumed the tour would be canceled after all. I was wrong. The shows started a few days ago. There are no original members left in the band. The one man who represents the band’s identity, Jon Anderson has been out for years. The most noted guitarist and drummer are there. The keyboard player spent a brief time with the band in 1980, but he’s more known for working with other bands. The keyboard player most fans want to see has been out of the picture forever. Now we replace the one constant with an ex-rhythm guitar player who probably had no business being in the band for the blink of time he was. It’s just not Yes anymore and anyone who shells out money to see them is deluded. They are nothing but a cover band that happens to feature a guy named White and another guy named Howe.
I can forgive the band for carrying on with this tour. It was Chris Squire’s wish that the show go on. Given that, sure let this tour happen. After its through though… Please oh please let Yes stop. Let it end mercifully. Let the cover bands take care of being cover bands. Alan White, Geoff Downes, Steve Howe, John Davidson (is that his name?), please put an end to this.
Still messing around with using Oggl to hipstafy some of my Rush R40 in New York pictures. Why? Because I’m one sentimental red head, that’s why. Also because as I clean the house I’m listening to R40 New York bootlegs. Why? Because I’m not ready to let go.
What was I talking about? Oh yeah, Oggl. Turns out I am the only Oggl user who used the tags R40 or R40Live. There are thousands of pics with those tags on friggin’ Instagram, but only the few I posted on Oggl. During the Periscope fun last night I tried to Google the number of active users on Oggl and the only numbers I found were for Hipstamatic users at the time Oggl launched in 2013. I don’t think that’s a good sign, do you?
Anyway, here are more hipsta-Rush pics.
Inside the Red Head's Head 