Wow been awhile.
Not even sure where to begin.
Arrived home safe and sound from the Rick Hornyak tour, as you can probably gather from this post. That was a lot of fun, good to get out of town/state/timezone for awhile and make some good music with some good people.
Got back and started putting my life back together, as well as looking for work.
I'll just come out and say it finally. Triniti and I are no longer together. Split up after the first week of the RH tour. All I have to say about it is it was mutual, and the best thing for both of us. Will discuss no other details of it, tho much to tell, here. This is a music journal, not Facebook.
So the Hobbit Hole is all mine now, just me and Nacho. Have not lived alone in 10 years. Settling in to that just fine. My time is my own to spend in whatever fashion I deem fit and I am free to wake up, sleep, come and go as I please. Kinda nice.
So have been spending much of my new free time working on music (gigs with Planet Casper and Forever Town this weekend) and going to shows, to network/stay visible and reconnect with friends.
The networking hasn't panned out the way I was hoping but damn it is good to see old friends, old bandmates and be able to watch shows instead of play them.
And have so many people in the crowd know who I am, which has led to many catching-up conversations, complimentary drinks and getting in to some reputable venues for free \m/,
I'm am on a very thin budget right now til my calendar fills up...!
Since officially getting back the first week of August, have seen The Whiskey Sisters finally (old Mother Truckers bandmates), a few Eric Tessmer Band shows, got to see Matt Brooks play with Two Hoots and a Holler (tho left a few songs in as it was really crowded and crowds get to me now), Melvins and Honky (with Dale Crover drumming for Honky and Pinkus on bass with Melvins), Adrian and the Sickness and many others whom I can't even remember now.
Had some work offers from Diesel & Dixie and New Mystery Girl fall through, but that fortunately has freed me up to focus on the Planet Casper show and prep for Forever Town.
VERY MUCH looking forward to the Planet Casper Matinee tomorrow (Sunday) at The Continental Club. It is an amazing opportunity to have that fall into my lap, the kind of high-profile show I would like to do more of.
The legendary Casper Rawls has been doing these matinee shows for 6 years with a weekly rotating cast of A-list players. You never know who you are going to see onstage with him. To be asked to do one of these is a huge honor to say the least.
Casper had played some guitar on one of Rick Hornyak's albums, and they've kept in touch. So Casper asked Rick to be a stage guest for an upcoming show, asked if he had a band too. "Why yes I do, I'm in the hotel with them right now!" This was first weekend of August and Rick, myself and Ric Furley were down in Corpus Christi area for two shows.
Since then I've been learning 10 songs on bass and harmony vocals that Casper picked. Had a refresh rehearsal for RH originals with Rick and Ric at the new Hornyak house in Buda, then a rehearsal with Casper himself. Went great, he's very laid back and likes to keep the Planet Casper gigs loose. Was very much an honor to be part of only the second rehearsal Casper has had for a PC gig in the 6 years he's been doing them \m/,
That and been refreshing the Forever Town material for a show with them tonight at Headhunters.
Had two rehearsals with them at the Ramsay compound in San Marcos. First went great. Second was awesome as well: they have my old Ironclad bandmate Tim "Tank" Casterline on bass for the Red Eyed Fly show they have Sunday, which I was unavailable for due to Planet Casper gig.
Second rehearsal was really fun, rode down with Tank, and brought my guitar rig this time. They had me on second guitar duty to see how it sounded, and I was also acting as bass consultant to Tank. He only had one day to learn 5-6 songs, and the FT music is not easy.
So he did have many questions about parts, most of which I probably answered with, "Uhhhhh let me think... the the hell DID I play there?!?"
Upon getting back the rough mix of the FT album I realize why I had such a hard time remembering some of the details: there were a lot of little things that changed in the studio takes as opposed to what I used to do live pre-studio.
Learning songs to play live and learning to record are two different beasts. My memory retention for live is much better, as studio sessions are usually a blur of getting 90% of the basslines in the first 2 takes, then going back and fine tuning the details (where a lot of things will change). So yeah, I did the best I could to help him, heh!
Was also very fun to play some guitar for once, I need to do that more often...
So yeah, my first shows in Austin since the middle of May are this weekend!
Good to be back onstage.
