Thursday, February 21, 2013

RPM Challenge 2013 update

Well, not much of an update but here's what's going on.

I've been so swamped this February that it's only been the past few days I've been finally working on some music. Yeah. So an entire album by next week Thursday will be a stretch, but I'm not sweating it.

With my trusty ole digital 8-track being nearly full from music going back to 2006, it is time to upgrade to a USB interface and use the Mac.

Planned on spending $150 on my credit card (this month has been unfortunately lean), but went for the gusto and got a lower-grade interface than what I wanted, but it came with Pro Tools 9. So basically I got a killer deal on the software with a free USB interface.

However, we will need to update the OS, add more memory and clear off many gigs from the hardrive. So it will still be awhile before its up and running. But in the meantime I have been using GarageBand with decent results.

My first official recording project with it was almost a re-working of "Great Divide", a song from my 2009 RPM album. Been talking to a friend working on an independent movie as Music Supervisor and submitted several works. Said I could re-record "Great Divide" if need be, but turns out the original was not used for the film so glad I didn't burn a weekend trying to rush it.

However, the film will be using part of "House of Leaves pt. 1" for a scene, from my unfinished 2011 RPM album. Sweet! Unreleased music from an independent artist with no record deal or management getting into a film. Something I've been wanting to get more involved in, as a vehicle for getting my own music out there.

In the meantime Ocean of Stars is slowly taking form. Have gotten together with Derek the Sax Player individually to go over parts which went very well. Then got him and Ric Furley (drums) together and it also went very well! Slowly but surely, this is a band which has been years in the making, and bout time too. Been so busy with other projects and bill-paying that I just needed to carve out a dedicated chunk of my time to pursuing my own thing.

And another busy weekend (bring it on): Eric Tessmer Band playing BD Riley's tonight (9:30pm), Friends tomorrow early (7:30pm), and BD Riley's again Saturday (10:30pm).

And I still need to recap the last 2 weekends: Forever Town and Burning Avalanche in NOLA, and ETB at Saxon and in Dallas.

Coming soon.

Friday, February 8, 2013

Hit the streets a-runnin

Reporting from Ocean Springs MS

Doing a weekend run with Forever Town playing bass, here at the Squeaky Lizard tonite and New Orleans tomorrow at Hangar 13.

Busy fucking week, to say the least.

Got back into town from visiting family Monday afternoon. Played the ETB Monday residency that night. Went very well! Mixed the set up, lots of jamming too. Fun.

Tuesday spent the afternoon doing a Stanley Man video shoot at this weird Wild West ghost town movie set some guy built on his land out by Manor TX, east of Austin. Fun to "jam" with Josh Zee, Trinidad Leal and Cize. Good times. Faking playing/rocking out takes a lot out of you, heh! Was sore for a few days.

Tuesday morning got a response from Greg Ginn of Black Flag fame. He is putting a new project together called Good For You. He was getting in touch for a bass player audition. We agreed on Thursday. Received the soundcloud link of the music he sent but no further instructions until now. So little time to learn the music.

Tuesday night rehearsed with Forever Town in prep for this run. Went well! Tho pretty beat from the vid shoot.

Wednesday spent most of the day finally learning the Good For You music. Wasn't sure which songs to focus on so tried to learn all 11. Which paid off.

Thursday drove out to his studio in Taylor TX. All my prep was not in vain however. Wound up jamming with him n the drummer for an hour and a half. No material, just improv. Fine by me! Was hella fun. Turns out my prep came in handy to play some baselines similar to the material where applicable. Seems we all had fun! Keep y'all posted what happens.

Felt damn good to jam with a legend and hold my own.

Spent rest of Thursday relaxing from playing most of the day past few days.

Today met up with Forever Town and Burning Avalanche at the FT compound in San Marcos at 9am. Had to get up a little part 7. Wow. Not usually up by then, at least not if I can help it.

My first out of state trip in a year and a half. 11 hour drive here to MS uneventful save for length of time.

Burning Avalanche onstage right now, so I gotta go!