Got a burn of the new Mother Truckers album "Van Tour" last night!!!

It sounds effing amazing, and no you can't hear it yet ;) Check out samplers on the Truckers page. I think we are officially a rock band now, you know what I mean when ya hear it! Met up with Josh and Teal at the Saxon Pub last night, listened to a few tunes in Goldie Hawn then went back inside to check out Deadman and hang with friends.

And Deadman is fucking amazing, you need to check them out. Most of the crowd last night were musicians, if that says anything. And one of the many reasons to love Austin TX, that you can go see a musical act of that caliber on a fucking Tuesday night.

Just got back from the Post Office, printed up a bio and one-sheet and sent "Ocean of Stars" CD's to the All That Is Heavy store and Hellride Music for review and possible online distro. It is time to get the ball rolling on the solo album, want to get some reviews and land some possible distro before I officially unveil it. So spent this morning online getting contact info for aforementioned websites as well as Low Desert Punk Records, Small Stone Records, Arclight Records as well as Brainticket Records, who awhile back expressed interest in selling the Ironclad "American Dream" EP on their website. Doubt it will be picked up, but selling it online via reputable channels is good enough for me.

Have I mentioned that the Marcus and Mike from MASTERY (Billy Milano's new project) have been staying here past few weeks? Sometimes I forget to write about really obvious shit. Billy brought them down from Toronto to record an album with him (very VERY technical metal), and praised their work ethic before they arrived.

Just gotta say they have been MODEL house guests. When not at the studio writing/rehearsing/recording, they are either (A) in their room tweaking guitar riffs I can barely wrap my head around, (B) cooking/eating (quite an appetite on those boys, heh) or (C) showering. Really nice guys, Billy was spot on re: how hard they will be working while down here, and the dogs love them. Although Brutus did do a number on one of their shoe insoles right now while I was gone...

ETB's gig Monday night at Friends was effing dead. Severe Thunderstorm watch, thunderheads building at all corners of the sky, and as the saying goes there was "one heck of a light show" driving downtown. I mean holy shit, it was like Lord of the Rings lightning. At one point multiple bolts arcing across the entire sky from East to West, spawning offshoot bolts that shot groundward and others that continued on like spiderwebs. Just, wow.

So yeah, was raining but stopped which didn't help the crowd, at all. A few people here and there really digging it but other than that just a paid practice. The few enthusiastic new fans sending rounds of shots to the stage such that I had to switch to water by the end of the night. We made $8 in tips per man, and Michael alone had a $12 bar tab. Livin the dream.

And I say "Living the Dream" as a two-meaning term of endearment. Being a working musician is every bit the adventure you think it is, but can also suck in ways you can't possibly even imagine.

ETB tonight at Maggie Mae's, 9pm, flying to Florida with the Truckers this weekend to play a wedding. I need to invest in a high-quality gig bag to take my bass on the plane WITH ME, as only time I've ever flown with an instrument (in a heavy duty hardshell case) was put in with the luggage and the goddamn headstock was broken. NOT LEAVING ANOTHER GUITAR WITH BAGGAGE HANDLERS EVER EVER AGAIN.