Wow, what a year. Not even sure where to begin.
So here is a bunch of noteworthy events and accomplishments, in no particular order.
There was a huge sea change in my professional and personal life, with resulting tremendous ups and downs, as I moved on from Eric Tessmer Band and ended a relationship, both of which started around the same time and ended the same time. Weird parallel there.
Was voted #5 Bassist for the Austin Music Awards in March. That was definitely a high point.
Did not complete the RPM Challenge this year as February was so busy for me. And didn't even come close either. Only the second time that's happened in the 5 years I've participated.
I have no idea how many shows I played, but it was a lot. But I was able to count the number of bands I performed with this year, which was 15. That has to be a record for me, listed as follows:
Eric Tessmer Band
Shandon Sahm
Forever Town
Adrian and the Sickness
Rick Hornyak
Planet Casper
Diesel and Dixie
Amber Lucille and the Selfless Cover Band
Aaron Navarro
Vine House
Thunderosa
Shannon Lee Nelson
Skyline Drive
Sean Evan and His Very Handsome Band
Deann Rene
I was able to finally put together a line-up for Ocean of Stars, which I have been trying to do for the last 4-5 years. THAT is a huge accomplishment. Have almost scrapped the idea repeatedly over the years out of frustration. Glad I stuck to my guns.
I got to jam improv with the legendary Greg Ginn (Black Flag) for 90 minutes with his drummer, and from a Craigslist ad no less. That was awesome.
Despite still not having a full-time project I am able to still keep myself in business and pay my bills and support myself and my lil dog. THAT is a huge accomplishment as well. September was the leanest month money-wise in the last 5 years. I made it through tho.
I played a lot of great music with a lot of great people. Recorded the Patten album with legendary producer Chet Himes, have yet to hear it but I was very proud of my playing on it.
Got to do another last minute one-song session with Dead Oak, and work with J Yeunger again. That was a pleasant surprise.
Went to a lot of towns in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania that I'd never heard of with Rick Hornyak. Got to go to New Orleans again with Forever Town.
Had a typically negative experience during SXSW, but that is no surprise and not exactly an accomplishment. Just happened.
Trying to think of other things that have happened but as my head currently feels like a cinderblock, I am drawing a blank.
So this is me signing off for 2013.
My resolutions are much the same as every year: (1) Kick Ass, and (2) Not Die.
Take care of yourselves, and each other. Follow your heart. Love more, live more and see more live bands.
Danny G
11:06pm CDT
Dec 31, 2013
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Another cool night (and day) in a much more literal sense
SO this past weekend had my first gig with Deann Rene Band, my last gig filling in with Sean Evan and his Very Handsome Band, and a photo shoot with Forever Town yesterday.
And now I have a cold.
Deann Rene set went great, considering the last rehearsal was a full week previous and I didn't have much time to go over the music while on Christmas vacation. Deann was happy, Ric and Kyle were happy, the sound guy at Baker St Pub was happy, I was happy. Good times with good people playing good music.
Tho my van left a huge pool of coolant in their parking lot.
My heater core went out while heading back to Austin from Corpus and I would be taking it in the following morning. Had I found out before I left town, or while I was down there, I may have either missed my nephew's first Christmas trying to find a mechanic on Dec 23, or missed the gigs trying to find a mechanic in Corpus Christi on Dec 26...
So while the drive back was nerve racking, everything worked perfectly.
Saturday night was Sean Evan at Pat O'Brien's in San Antonio. Had never been there. The unseasonable chill is still going on, this has already been a weirdly cold winter down here, and has been going on for a month. Had I known we were playing outside, I would have worn long johns and bundled up more...
Rode down with Johnny Glass, who is a a huge history buff. Apparently the location where Pat O'Briens sits is where General Santa Ana addressed and readied his troops to begin the seige on The Alamo, which is a few blocks away. I found this fascinating, as I love history.
And driving into downtown San Antone, I came to a realization: I really like downtown San Antonio. It has so much more history than Austin, The Alamo being a pivotal historic location for one, but also rounding the corner to park in front of the venue and suddenly most of the buildings are easily 200 years old. I love that.
An old church, taken on my iPhone from the window of Johnny's truck
The fountain on Pat O'Briens patio. Fire and water
Tried to get a shot of The Alamo, but no dice.
The gig was fun, cool night for first part of set but they had lots of those big butane heater things. The Dietz cab only spit my speaker cable out three times this gig (and I am totally fixing that this week...). But during the last third of the set I played in my thermal hoodie, hat and fingerless gloves. Have never needed to play in fingerless gloves and didn't know if it would even work. It did, and my hands were very happy about that.
After the show, I had to retreat into the venue a few times to get warm. Felt like I was coming down with something. Shit.
Didn't feel too bad on Sunday, fighting something off but not anything worth complaining on Facebook about, hahaha! Got a ride from a friend to Guitar Center (van still in shop, and I had a gift card) so I could fix the problem with my bass cabinet. While they did not have the actual jack, I did get a 1/4" to Speakon cable and some guitar strings. Laid low other than that.
Monday had a photo shoot with Forever Town in Wimberley TX at Pioneer Town, this weird wild west movie set looking place. Tho I was prepared and wearing long johns under my jeans and black pearl snap, it still wasn't enough. Was about 42 degrees and overcast (GREAT for the lighting). But as I am skinny, thin-blooded and have lived south of the Mason-Dixon line all my life, it got to me and went straight to my bones. While my body was not amused by the chill on Saturday, now it was pissed. The Ramsay brothers took it in stride, and in short sleeves...!
Pioneer Town, Wimberley TX
Driving back to Austin from the FT compound in San Marcos, I was planning on driving straight home and getting into bed, but opted to go to Home Depot as I don't know where my drill bits are. I may have replaced them, my ex may have took them. Probably the former, but who knows. I needed them to work on my bass cab.
GLAD I DID. The thick layer of stratus clouds had started to move off to the south, allowing the sun to peek through just before it set. Cast a gorgeous amber/gold light on the top halves of any buidling over two stories, and had washed the sky in orange and purple by the time I was leaving the store. Just WOW. One of the most breathtaking sunsets I've seen in awhile!
Not music-related. But fuck you, it was beautiful!
And now I have a cold.
Deann Rene set went great, considering the last rehearsal was a full week previous and I didn't have much time to go over the music while on Christmas vacation. Deann was happy, Ric and Kyle were happy, the sound guy at Baker St Pub was happy, I was happy. Good times with good people playing good music.
Tho my van left a huge pool of coolant in their parking lot.
My heater core went out while heading back to Austin from Corpus and I would be taking it in the following morning. Had I found out before I left town, or while I was down there, I may have either missed my nephew's first Christmas trying to find a mechanic on Dec 23, or missed the gigs trying to find a mechanic in Corpus Christi on Dec 26...
So while the drive back was nerve racking, everything worked perfectly.
Saturday night was Sean Evan at Pat O'Brien's in San Antonio. Had never been there. The unseasonable chill is still going on, this has already been a weirdly cold winter down here, and has been going on for a month. Had I known we were playing outside, I would have worn long johns and bundled up more...
Rode down with Johnny Glass, who is a a huge history buff. Apparently the location where Pat O'Briens sits is where General Santa Ana addressed and readied his troops to begin the seige on The Alamo, which is a few blocks away. I found this fascinating, as I love history.
And driving into downtown San Antone, I came to a realization: I really like downtown San Antonio. It has so much more history than Austin, The Alamo being a pivotal historic location for one, but also rounding the corner to park in front of the venue and suddenly most of the buildings are easily 200 years old. I love that.
An old church, taken on my iPhone from the window of Johnny's truck
The fountain on Pat O'Briens patio. Fire and water
Tried to get a shot of The Alamo, but no dice.
The gig was fun, cool night for first part of set but they had lots of those big butane heater things. The Dietz cab only spit my speaker cable out three times this gig (and I am totally fixing that this week...). But during the last third of the set I played in my thermal hoodie, hat and fingerless gloves. Have never needed to play in fingerless gloves and didn't know if it would even work. It did, and my hands were very happy about that.
After the show, I had to retreat into the venue a few times to get warm. Felt like I was coming down with something. Shit.
Didn't feel too bad on Sunday, fighting something off but not anything worth complaining on Facebook about, hahaha! Got a ride from a friend to Guitar Center (van still in shop, and I had a gift card) so I could fix the problem with my bass cabinet. While they did not have the actual jack, I did get a 1/4" to Speakon cable and some guitar strings. Laid low other than that.
Monday had a photo shoot with Forever Town in Wimberley TX at Pioneer Town, this weird wild west movie set looking place. Tho I was prepared and wearing long johns under my jeans and black pearl snap, it still wasn't enough. Was about 42 degrees and overcast (GREAT for the lighting). But as I am skinny, thin-blooded and have lived south of the Mason-Dixon line all my life, it got to me and went straight to my bones. While my body was not amused by the chill on Saturday, now it was pissed. The Ramsay brothers took it in stride, and in short sleeves...!
Pioneer Town, Wimberley TX
Driving back to Austin from the FT compound in San Marcos, I was planning on driving straight home and getting into bed, but opted to go to Home Depot as I don't know where my drill bits are. I may have replaced them, my ex may have took them. Probably the former, but who knows. I needed them to work on my bass cab.
GLAD I DID. The thick layer of stratus clouds had started to move off to the south, allowing the sun to peek through just before it set. Cast a gorgeous amber/gold light on the top halves of any buidling over two stories, and had washed the sky in orange and purple by the time I was leaving the store. Just WOW. One of the most breathtaking sunsets I've seen in awhile!
Not music-related. But fuck you, it was beautiful!
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