Whoops, life and this blog got away from me.

Played thru the set today in prep for The Mother Truckers tomorrow @ Threadgill's World HQ. Have one of those little bass Pocket Rockit's, very handy little device. Made the set into a playlist on iTunes, put that onto my iPod and can play along to it. The guitar ones are kinda meh. But I highly recommend the bass ones as a warmup and learning tool. Just don't put the battery in wrong, that will destroy them...



Last night ETB played our Wednesday Maggie's slot. Parked out front, loaded in my bass, got my gear onstage and ready to go, ran upstairs to catch my friend Amber Lucille drumming for an all-girl cover band The Guilty Pleasures, back downstairs for another beer, lit a smoke and stood by the door with Michael who says, "Are you gonna park?" OOOPS!!! Goldie Hawn still out front with hazards blinking. Boy that would have sucked. Woulda walked out at the end of the night and wonder "Where the hell did I park" and wandered aimlessly before realizing I got towed for being a dumbass. *whew*

Show went really good. Didn't realize until few songs in that this is my last gig w/ETB til this time next month. They are doing BD Riley's on Saturday and Friends on Monday with Spanky on bass, who's filling in for me on their tour and needs the prep time. The money from those gigs would have been nice but I totally understand. And will be nice to have a Saturday off as well. Will probably stop by BD's and say Hi to everyone.

Tuesday caught Adrian and the Sickness and Blue Bonnets at Continental Club. And actually went on the CORRECT day this time, heh. Showed up last week Tuesday w/o checking the schedule online and OOPS. Wrong night. So went in and grabbed a beer anyway. But what a fun night.

Bluebonnets (feat. Kathy Valentine of The Go-Gos) played a long set of girl-fueled rock n roll. As they went on the energy level of the drummer was really getting my attention. Just kept building and building such that I often found myself watching the sweaty older guy rather than the three lovely ladies up front! In conversation with some girl out back afterwards she informed me that is Clem Burke, who drummed for The Ramones and Blondie back in the day. Holy shit! Didn't know who he was, but could tell he was somebody by his playing.

Adrian and co of course tore the roof off the place. They have AJ from Thunderosa et al. filling in on drums, and he is a bad motherfucker and fits right in. Killer set despite the late timeslot. Got lots of pics which I will post when I get around to it. Adrian is always inspired and inspiring, the kind player that always makes me go home and step up my own game. Heather is a more solid bassist every time I see her, and she's already solid. Lots of old friends from Adrian's crowd in attendance, good to see them. As well as Clara working the back bar! She got up to go-go dance briefly during Bluebonnets' set and let me borrow her camera to get some pics of Adrian \m/, Good times, and a great night of great bands.

Monday at Friends w/ETB wasn't too shabby as well. Richard was misfiring on a few things, but so was I last Friday so no big deal. Happens to the best of us. Fun night that I don't recall much of at this point.

Last Saturday in College Station I will probably write a separate report on.

5 days left before I leave for the West Coast with The Mother Truckers. Trying to get my affairs (and bills) in order before heading out. Will post full day-by-day reports of that tour as well so this blog isnt the same boring old shit ;)

About to refresh some Mother Truckers tunes for a radio appearance on KUT-FM today at 2pm. Then meeting up with ETB at Michael's place to head out for gig in College Station.

Wed at Antone's w/ETB was a bit of a bust. Crowd a bit thin and continued to thin, and Eric was playing with a concussion that he was about to seek medical attention for. Cut our set short tho we were playing pretty good. Tessmer spent most of Thursday in the ER getting checked out. He's fine now, after paying $500 to be sent home with Tylenol...

Woke in a deep funk Thurs AM, bummed about the show and life kind of weighing on me right now. As a result barely ate at all that day. Stress makes me not want to eat, even if I feel hungry. Eating is a chore rather than a means of refueling. Believe I felt more like mowing the lawn in the Texas summer heat than preparing a meal. Weird. Plus, out running errands stopped for a Chipotle burrito but the line was out the fuckin door so blew it off. That didn't help. Felt fine by yesterday morning, thank God. Hate feeling that way.

BD Riley's last night with ETB was good but not great, not the riot those shows usually are. I was def misfiring first several songs, missing really easy shit I shouldn't be missing. That fucking stage, man. I have to set up my bass amp in usual position, but to fit onstage have to stand in front of Eric's amp and be on the opposite side of Richard's drums, which can be a little discombobulating. But finally locked in and stayed locked, other than having to take a piss 30 minutes in to a 90+ minute set with no break... But ran for the bathroom during Richard's 2nd drum solo so was all good.

Also yesterday morning JRAB texted asking my availability for a King's X tour opening for Accept from about Sept 20 to Oct 13-ish. Totally doable, but the Truckers will be returning from Europe on or about that date. May have to make arrangements to miss first show or 2 and meet them along the way. Then Truckers still have a tentative tour for Oct-Nov, so could very well be gone from first part of September until more or less mid-November. Bring it the fuck ON.

That, and got a call from Jason from Velvet Brick the other day, says there's a student using the studio he works at and looking for a band or 2 to record, free studio time! So small chance I might be in studio next week re-recording some of the Red River Day Care songs, 2-3 of them. Have Brandon Burke (Son of Fire/Jackson Taylor Band drummer) on standby in case my drum skills are lacking, so that is cool. But if that will happen will have to happen next week, and I am already playing Mon/Wed/Fri/Sat, then leaving early in week after for the Truckers West Coast tour.

Feels good to be busy, and better too much on my plate than too little.