This week we go classic old school Les Paul, 1958 Gibson Les Paul Special nice little dot inlays, twin P90 soap bar pick-ups - and just enough scratches and dings to make it well worth the $22,000 asking price. Someone needs to purchase this little bit of our Rock n Roll Heritage and keep it in the USA.
9/27/07
Guitar of the Week: 1958 Gibson Les Paul Special
O.J. Simpson's Girlfriend Stands by Him...
O.J. Simpson's Girlfriend Stands by Him... No shit? She knows whats happens to naughty little girls who don't.
aSOFTERworld...
A friend showed me A Softer World yesterday - the comic strip is amazing. I thought I would share...
CLICK ON THE STRIP TO SEE IT BETTER...
9/26/07
9/25/07
Is Sally Field the best choice for portraying crazy women?
"The recent best actress Emmy winner (ABC's 'Brothers & Sisters) is attached to play Mary Todd Lincoln in Steven Spielberg's long-gestating biopic 'Lincoln.'
I think she will make a great "crazy" first lady. First she was the crazy "flying nun" then "Sybil" then she played the crazy run-away-bride in the "Smokey and Bandit" classic films. She then went on to television to play the crazy mother of Dr. Abby Lockhart on "E.R." (Abby played by the super foxy Maura Tierney, pictured). I'm sure she has played other crazy people - I just don't have the time or desire to look Sally's profile up on IMDB.
Halo 3 was released last night...
With the release of Halo 3 this morning at midnight, record numbers of college students will not be getting laid until mid to late winter.
Bookmark This...
CRACKED.com
Cracked.Com is one of my favorite sites I check daily. They usually have a very funny list of some sort everyday, this one (from yesterday) made me chuckle. The 10 Most Disastrous Saturday Morning Cartoon Adaptations.
"We have no Homosexuals in Iran"
- President Hank Ahmadinejihad
That is because BOTH Iranian Homosexuals are currently in New York.
Best part of the Ahmadinejihad speech is when he went into his stand-up routine:
"Let me tell a joke here, I think the politicians who are after atomic bombs, or testing them, making them, politically they are backward, retarded."
Let's start "zingin the Retards" right away - it's a sure way to get the crowd behind you... If things don't work out with this whole Puppet dictator thing - I'll bet he could get a job on Stern.
Oh yeah, NOW I get it, "Retards" are executed in Iran, and not publicly humiliated on the radio... Scratch what I said about Stern.
9/24/07
9/21/07
Jim Carrey, the 'Autism Whisperer'
When I first saw the headline to the story, Autism Whisperer, I immediately reached for my mocking guns (I have a conceal carry permit for my mocking guns). Once I read the story I holstered my weapons - I can totally see Jim Carrey relating to a kid with autism or rather a kid with autism relating to Carrey.
The world of Autism is filled with a lot of isolation, separated by moments of complete chaos. For a man who is not the birth father of a child with autism to have that kind of connection is very touching to me. I'm not going to talk any shit about Jenny McCarthy - she is in the public eye and is focusing on my family's cause... So go get em slugger.
My wife could be called an Autism Whisperer - I prefer the title, "Super-Hero".
Guitar of the Week: 1967 Gibson J-45
This week I'm going to go acoustic on you with this beautiful, 1967 Gibson J-45. $3900.00
Talk about an axe with some character.
9/19/07
Jackson: Obama is TOO White
Jesse Jackson says Obama is “acting like he’s white"...
What does that mean? Does he own more than 3 Rush CDs? Play hockey? Hunt? Fish? LISTEN TO Ted Nugent?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
NOTE: I only say these things because I am the whitest person I know, and these are things that came to me off the top of my head... And I'm actually listening to Ted Nugent right now (the one with stormtroopers and snakeskin cowboys, I believe it is called Ten Nugent).
I am not a big Obama supporter, but Jesse needs to have a coke and smile and shut the f up.
Perhaps he coudn't meet with Condi because he was having his Golden Thrown Buffed
Oh well, "Pope'in Aint Easy, Rice gettin no face time with God's road manager.
"good girls go to Heaven - Bad girls go backstage!!!!"... Ahhhh Yeah!
I just want to know why this is a big deal. The Pope us unable to meet with Condi in the gold plated room at the gold plated table to have some wine and bread in the gold plated "Pope'in Glass" and the Gold Plated... um Plate.
She should have just said she was a child molester, then she could have stayed in the golden condo overlooking Vatican city.
Mother Goldstein saw Oprah's Autism show...
I just watched the Oprah show on TIVO - I have counted to ten...
Here is what I have taken from the experience, Jenny McCarthy has a kid with Autism...
Oprah: But tell us about Jim Carrey
Audience: Ooooooooo
It would have been nice if Oprah had one expert guest on the panel, instead we got Holly Robinson Pete, and Jenny McCarthy giving us the "411" on "What a girl should do".
I am happy when Autism gets a nod, because Autism is my cause... Unfortunately, a celebrity face is needed for your cause to be noticed. This week, it's Oprah, Holly, and Jenny... Thanks girls.
I have to say, Holly Robinson Pete was more informative than Jenny... count to ten... think positive...
Jenny did have one bit of advice I think is great for ANYONE who knows ANYONE with a child with autism... Offer to babysit! it sounds so simple but it's the BEST advice I have EVER heard.
Let's Talk About Speaker Cabinets!
Lately, I have been exploring the idea of downsizing my speaker cabinet.
Currently, I'm using a slant 4 x 12 Marshall JCM 800 1960a with the 75 watt Celestians. Great cabinet - too damn heavy and bulky for my need.
Looking for 2 x 12 or even a 1 x 12 - not sure exactly what I want to do, that is why I have started the exploration team... YOU, READER (all 6 of you).
1 x 12 may well do the trick, especially if the cabinet is a convertible (ability to make run open back or closed back).
Cabinets without speakers can run over $100 - add a speaker and the next think you know your $200 plus into a small speaker cab.
Craig's list has not been a big help as everyone is selling 4 x 12.
Here are my options as I see it...
Option 1
Epiphone makes solid 1x12 extension cabinet for the Valve Junior. The cabinet sounds great with the 16 ohm Eminence Lady Luck 70 watt Speaker.The open back design can be easily modified to put in a removable cover for the open back. At around $100 it is almost impossible to find a better deal on a brand new speaker cab, especially one that sounds this good.
Oh did I mention it is weighs less than my 4x12?
Option 2
Find someone who can build me a 1 x 12 speaker cab Cheap (and by cheap, I mean I will buy the wood and a 12 pack of beer... I have someone in mind for this project) - then pop in a Eminence Texas Heat Speaker (for less than $70) - add wiring and input (Another $20). When it's all said and done I be paying more than I would with Option 1.
Option 3
Craig's list... I have seen 2x12s on craigslist for as little as $175 - but craigslist can sometimes be a real crap shoot.
Option 4
HEY, DOES ANYONE OUT THERE HAVE AN OLD 2X12 OR 1X12 CABINET YOU WANT TO GET RID OF?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
9/18/07
Twang, Twang, Twang..... Twang of FOOLS!
The past couple of weeks: Been Listening too...
Jason Isbell: Sirens of the Ditch
80% of this cd was produced by fellow Drive-By Trucker, Patterson Hood. 20% of the CD is self produced.
Truley a great record, don't make the mistake like me and think you are going to get a stripped down DBT CD. Even though DBT bassist, Shonna Tucker, and DBT drummer, Brad Morgan play on it. Patterson Hood even plays piano on the song "Shotgun Wedding" and his father the great, David Hood plays bass on a couple tracks. This CD celebrates Jason Isbell - you can hear every little nuance he adds to the DBT all wrapped up in this CD.
I found it interesting he thanked The Black Crowes, and Bobby Bare Jr. in the liner notes... and if anyone out there knows of any CDs where Jason teams up with Bobby or the Robinson Brothers, please let me know.
Songs like "Brand New Kind Of Actress", and "Try" (which sounds like an old Eagles song) immediately got my attention, soon to follow was the song, "Hurricanes and Hand Grenades" (a great little bluesy number).
After about the 3rd or 4th time I listened to Sirens in the Ditch, other songs started to become favorites. "Dress Blues" where Jason writes about a high-school classmate who lost his life fighting in Iraq. "Chicago Promenade" a tribute to his late Grandfather (bit of DBT trivia, Jason also wrote the song "The day John Henry Died" about his beloved, grandfather).
This is a great record and I highly advise you to go purchase it.
Run C & WINTO THE TWANGY-FIRST CENTURY
Bluegrass versions of Motown classics! No need to say any more. If you like bluegrass AND motown and your busy schedule does not allow for you to take time to listen to both separately - go get this CD in the Bargain bin.
Jim Photoglo formed this band in the 90's with: Russell Smith of The Amazing Rhythm Aces, Bernie Leadon of the Eagles (often referred to as the Forgotten Eagle) and hit-songwriter Vince Melamed.
I like to play this band as well as the next one on set breaks. It's funny to see someone's reaction to these cover tunes.
Hayseed Dixie - Any or All CDS are worth it.My drummer, Shawn turned me onto Hayseed Dixie - The first song I ever heard from Hayseed was Shoot the Thrill by AC/DC. After that I was hooked - I went out and bought everything they had.
WARNING: BLUEGRASS MUSIC CAN BE ADDICTING - IF YOU START LISTENING TO RUN C&W OR HAYSEED DIXIE IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND -
**THESE ARE STEPPING STONE DRUGS. BY LISTENING TO RUN C&W OR HAYSEED DIXIE YOU WILL START ON THE HARD STUFF... LIKE: David Grier, Del McCoury, Earl Scruggs, Gary Williamson, Gene Wooten, Glen Duncan, Larry Perkins, Leroy Troy, Alisa Jones, Alison Krauss, Andrea Zonn, Ron McCoury, Terry Eldredge, Benny Martin, Billy Rose , Vassar Clements and MORE!
SO BE CAREFUL AND LISTEN IN MODERATION.
Here is a list of Hayseed Dixie records:
A Hillbilly Tribute to AC/DC
A Hot Piece of Grass
Kiss My Grass: A Hillbilly Tribute to Kiss
A Hillbilly Tribute to Mountain Love
And most recent release:
Weapons of Grass Destruction
Autism News
Ok I've said this before and as long as she does shows about Autism I will say it again... Watch Oprah Today.
Celebrity mothers of Kids on the spectrum - Holly Robinson Pete, from 21 Jump Street and Jenny McCarthy's Breasts from Playboy will be on the show. Both mothers advocate the biomedical approach to treatment.
My wife and I employ the behavioral approach.
Check it out and also check out the video, Finding the Words...
9/17/07
LET'S
PLAY
HOCKEY!!!!!
This is my second consecutive season of NOT watching ANY professional football - Fuck em - No more Football! The NFL has now became the same "shit fest" as the NBA (Both of which I used to truly love)..
I will NEVER be a soccer fan (I can't wrap the old cranium around that one).
Now, I get my football jones with College football - I'm digging Ohio State these days, My wife is only half excited about my new football policy. If I was a Gopher Football fan... Well, I may as well be a Vikings fan... a disappointed, drunken, angry, broken man.
In Minnesota, we are born into this world with hockey sticks in our hands - and after a LONG, HOT, SUMMER *** THIS STORY *** made my day! It truly shows the passion we have for "stick" in Minnesota.
Gretsch Guitar's Electromatic Pro Jet with Bigsby
This is NOT the guitar of the week, just something I played this weekend...
For $500 you can't go wrong - they come in Jet Black or Silver like the picture.
9/12/07
Hey Obama - What don't you like?
Apparently, Obama Doesn't Like Iraq Hearing on 9/11.
Like many Americans, Obama does not like Bush, BUT DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE GENERAL?!?!?!?!?!?!?
9/10/07
Guitar of the week...
This week My GUITAR OF THE WEEK includes a cool little amp.
So get out your checkbook... Here we go!
1967 Rickenbacker 310 $10,500
This is a VERY clean '67 with the Fireglo finish. Check out the sexy as hell duel toaster top pickups. At $10,500 it's quite a bargain.
Now for the bonus piece...
1987 Marshall Silver Jubilee 2554 $1550
A very hard to find Marshall Silver Jubilee 1x12 50/25 watt combo. These were made in '87 to commemorate Jim Marshall's 50th year in music and 25 years in the amp business.
Gotta love that silver "mister roboto" tolex.
Hometown News
Twin Cities mugging victim gets a surprise when the mugger Licked Her Toes.
Note: Thankfully, this is not a picture of the woman's toes.
Let's talk about Volume Pedals Man!
I am in the market for a Volume Pedal - mainly for slide / bend fills - and... well.. the ability to control volume with my foot.
The following VPs make up my short list of acceptable units, under $100...
Ernie Ball VP Jr. Passive Volume Pedal
This is the VP of choice of all the country dudes out there. Sexy design with a nice wide foot pedal. The Ernie Ball also has a nice tuner out feature, (Ernie Ball came up with the idea - other VPs are following). The tuner out allows the player to turn the volume all the way down (using the pedal) and the tuner still gets a signal...
This pedal reminds me of a skate board with all the grip tape on the surface. Remember those old Banzai skateboards???
Boss FV-500H Mono Volume Pedal - This does everything the EB VP JR. does for about $15 cheaper. The dimensions are slightly smaller, still the expression pedal itself is nice and large.
Jum Dunlop GCB-80 High Gain Volume Pedal. Can't go wrong with a Dunlop - built to last like all other JD pedals, and this one goes for around $60. Plus no power needed for this model.
Morley Little Alligator Volume Pedal - Great for the price (around $50) but seems a little flimsy. Being a big fat guy I worry I would break this thing.
There you have it, I am leaning toward the BOSS - I have had great luck with all my BOSS pedals over the years.
I think this will make a great addition to my gear. I have been working on my slide playing and use my volume pot (to sneak up on a note) - the pedal will make that a lot easier. It will also add to my control when I switch guitars - My SG is much louder than my LP.
If anyone out there who has experience with any of the above VPs let me know - I'm mainly going by pedals I have actually tried.
9/8/07
scream yell and yodel
week of 09/08/07: Been Listening to:
The Distillers: Sing Sing Death HouseI could listen to Brody Dalle's sexy voice all day long - her scream is like a slice of heaven.
This CD was originally released in 2002 so it's nothing new, go buy it in the used bin. Brody is now in the band Spinnerette with former Distiller, Tony Bevilacqua and Alain Johannes from Queens of the Stoneage.
Favorite song: City of Angels
Drive-By Truckers, "Dirty South"Drive-By Truckers was co-founded by Patterson Hood (son of legendary bassist David Hood of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section) and longtime friend and musical "partner in crime", Mike Cooley in Athens, Georgia, in 1996.
8 records later they are still going strong. Dirty South is one of the best records I have owned in the past 10 years. 3 singer/songwriter/guitarists in the band, the songs never sound the same: "Where the Devil don't go" and "cottonseed" show off Mike Cooley's "GangstaBilly" style.
"Tornadoes" and "Putting People On The Moon" show the storyteller side of Patterson Hood.
"The Day John Henry Died" and "Goddamn Lonely Love" Show that Jason Isbell's country style is a perfect match for the band (his slide steel work is pretty damn nice too).
There are two ANTI-Buford Pusser songs on the CD (remember Buford from the "Walking Tall" Movies? One in 1973 the other in 2004 with THE Rock) - "Boys From Alabama" and "Buford Stick" are songs about "The other side of the story".
Favorite song:If I have to choose one... it's impossible. Carl Perkins Cadillac and Danko/Manuel are pretty awesome.
Hank 3, "Straight to Hell"Hank Williams III, Grandson of the great Hank Williams, Son of the crazy Hank "are you ready for some football" Williams Jr.
Hank 3 is an interesting cat - He looks and sounds exactly like his grandfather (He has that signature yodel down pat). He is backed by an incredible group of players.
His songwriting has no limits, just when you think he may be a "one trick pony" he surprises you on the next song.
To make Hank 3 even cooler... He fronts a death metal band called ASSJACK. Whenever you see Hank 3, ASSJACK always gets the last set.
I dig anyone who's name sounds like either an action movie or video game.
Favorite Song: Thrown Out of the Bar, Country Heroes , and Pills I Took
laser printer
one of my favorite comics is Toothpaste For Dinner - I thought I would share...
toothpastefordinner.com
9/7/07
Duke Lacrosse Prosecutor Reports to Jail
Just hours after Mr. Nifong moved into his new crib he started complaining of a strange pounding sensation in his arse.
Nifong always promised justice, and justice has finally been served.
In a twisted sort of irony, I hear they actually hired strippers for the "soap on a rope" party.
Hometown News
News from Lake Wobegon, Bloomington woman accused of giving gin to grandchild This is like the ghetto version of "home alone".
I guess the only way she could go "git her drank on" without worry is to make sure the child is nestled in her bed sound asleep.
THE DUI DUO
Only in Wisconsin does one gain celebrity for being a drunk... Hold on there is something wrong with that statement, If you became a celebrity for being a drunk then 99% of Wisconsin residents would be household names.
9/6/07
Craig supporters call for boycott of Minneapolis airport
Does this mean I can go the bathroom without worry of being cruised by a Craig Supporter?
I say this only because I tend to have a wider stance than most when using the bathroom.
Dan Barreiro and Mr. Fun, had a great idea on the show yesterday. Instead of using all these toe taps, hand reaching, and well all those confusing "signals" - they should just whistle "Somewhere over the Rainbow" when they want to gain the attention of the person in the stall next door. Message delivered loud and clear.
9/5/07
Gay / not Gay
Larry and Howard - NOT GAY!
Larry Craig - NOT GAY!
Jerry - NOT A FA--- UM I MEAN NOT GAY!
Tom - NOT GAY!
Eddie - NOT GAY!
Rev. Fred Phelps - DEFINITELY GAY!
WOW Hillary - I never knew you were such a foxy little thing
pictured: Hillary Diane Rodham from the 1968 "Wellesley Honeys" calender. Miss November says she firmly stands strong in her positions of: Peace, equal rights for women, and the Reverse Cowgirl.
Get over here you dirty little minx, I want to introduce you to my staff...
Show me more skin and I'll reconsider "backing" you.
9/4/07
Top 5 things that happen at almost EVERY Gig...
5. I'm beat at 2:15am - getting too old for this shit. I offer to drive home from gig. 99.9% of the time I drive to the show with my Drummer, Shawn. This gesture allows Shawn to swill booze without the worry of DUI. I think Shawn likes number 5 more than I do.
4. While loading / unloading my 4 X 12 Marshall slant cab, Me or Shawn will make the following statement - "Hue needs to get a 2 X12 or smaller, The coolness of the Marshall is starting to wear off". WE PLAY BARS NOT SOME CONCERT HALL!!!
3. At least half of the people in the bar will be watching television - I am so tired of competing with baseball or IFC. HEY BAR OWNERS MAKE UP YOUR MIND ON WHAT KIND OF BAR YOU WANT!
2. Drunk person in crowd will come up to the stage in hopes of getting their (even drunker) friend on stage - because he or she "has the best voice you will ever hear". This person will bother you all night until you let their drunk friend sing - or tell them to f-off.
NOTE: if drunk person does not have a friend they want to get on stage to perform, they will request old and obscure songs we don't do. (i.e. Some drunk idiot who says, "PLAY HANG ON SLOOPY!" they repeat this request all evening or until you kill them). HANG ON SLOOPY????
1. Someone will come up to you and give you a complement, then follow it up by saying, "hope you guys make it"... Huh? Shit I thought we did make it, I mean we get paid to play music. Being in our 40s, we're not trying to get signed to a recording deal. Even if we were trying to get signed, thanks to MTV - music is about being cute - not talented (and I'm neither). Nobody is going to sign a 40-ish year old "husky" fellow to a contract. Meat Loaf and John Popper were the last "husky" fellows who fronted bands - those days are over.
Fat rappers (not to be confused with Phat rappers) are exceptions to the rule, especially if the paunchy poets have the word "fat" or "Big" in their name (see Fat Joe, Big Pun, or Notorious B.I.G. for examples).
Rodeo Clowns
Words for all young women to live by.
The disco ball spinning all the music and the women
And the shots and tequila man they say that they need ya
What they really need
Is just a little room to breathe
Teeny boppin disco queen
She barely understands and dreams of belly button rings
And other kinds of things
Symbolic of change
But the thing that is strange is that the changes occur
And now she's just a part of the herd yeah yeah yeah
Man I thought that you heard yeah yeah
The changes occurred yeah yeah yeah
She's just a part of the herd yeah yeah
9/3/07
Jamming with my Daughter
Here we are on a labor day afternoon. Notice her Ibanez Micro (complete with Hello Kitty stickers) and her first Marshall...
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