Have to make this quick, as I've been dallying all morning and haven't been able to get my thoughts down.
Had a good, mostly relaxing weekend. Hanging with Christy yesterday was really good. She's got the rest of the week off, which makes me insanely jealous. But it's a short week, and the holiday already promises to be a lot of fun. My friend Doug's fiancé is having a birthday on Saturday, which should be a good time. Doug's great people, and we haven't been able to hang out as much at work because, well, it's an oppressive environment as most environments are. I truly believe sometimes they want their employees miserable. We're not really allowed to talk, forbidden to play music from our computers without headphones, and can't really go to lunch together. I truly think they want their employees fearful of losing their jobs. It's times like this I thank God I'm a temp.
A temp, however, that has been at this particular assignment for almost a year now. This is what happens to me: I get on a supposedly two-week assignment, and then the client never gets rid of me. Had I known that was going to happen this time I would have asked for more money going in, because I'm making an absolute crap rate. Also, my temp agency is more than likely making as much as I am per hour. So I'm essential billing for twice as much as I make right now. That sucks serious balls. I should probably look for something else, but I do like what I'm doing right now and I like the people I work with. It gives me time to work on my personal projects, which hopefully I'll be able to make enough money from soon that I can leave the temp gig anyway. I just have to be patient and focused, and hopefully all will work out.
Have to wrap this up. I'll try to write another entry tonight. Not going to be too hard on myself because I got two entries in (one public) yesterday.
Hopefully going to see Wanted tonight. That should be fun.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Sunday, June 29, 2008
June 29, 2008 Evening Pages
Today was a great day. Slept in until about noon. Had champagne brunch with the wife (who's celebrating her vacation) at Pancho's. Meant to catch Wanted today, but we couldn't get anything before 4:30. So we opted for the beach.
This was probably the second time in the two years that I've lived here that I've enjoyed Manhattan Beach. And I actually got to get into the ocean, another thing I love to do that I never take advantage of. There's something about immersing yourself in the ocean and letting mother nature toss you around a bit. It really made me think a lot about how I deal with life. I've been spending a lot of time charging at the water, fighting the waves and struggling for my balance when they topple me. Sometimes the trick is to see the wave coming and let it pass over you. What began as a fight for dominance over the ocean eventually turned into a relaxing swim. Floating in the ocean off-shore watching my wife resting on the beach. Feeling the warmth of the water wash over me. It centered me, to a certain extent. I've been thinking a lot about what's gone on over the past few days. And I have to believe that the reasons I've done what I've done are right and good. There really is no way of taking back anything, going back to the way things were or mending fences that don't want to be mended.
I made decisions for myself. I can't hold on to the old notion of being responsible to a group that no longer wants my help. It's time to work towards my hopes and dreams and maintain the momentum of positivity that I've had going. I need to ride a new wave.
This was probably the second time in the two years that I've lived here that I've enjoyed Manhattan Beach. And I actually got to get into the ocean, another thing I love to do that I never take advantage of. There's something about immersing yourself in the ocean and letting mother nature toss you around a bit. It really made me think a lot about how I deal with life. I've been spending a lot of time charging at the water, fighting the waves and struggling for my balance when they topple me. Sometimes the trick is to see the wave coming and let it pass over you. What began as a fight for dominance over the ocean eventually turned into a relaxing swim. Floating in the ocean off-shore watching my wife resting on the beach. Feeling the warmth of the water wash over me. It centered me, to a certain extent. I've been thinking a lot about what's gone on over the past few days. And I have to believe that the reasons I've done what I've done are right and good. There really is no way of taking back anything, going back to the way things were or mending fences that don't want to be mended.
I made decisions for myself. I can't hold on to the old notion of being responsible to a group that no longer wants my help. It's time to work towards my hopes and dreams and maintain the momentum of positivity that I've had going. I need to ride a new wave.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
June 28, 2008 Afternoon Pages
Am late to my “morning pages” today because I've actually been taking care of personal business today and also, god forbid, enjoying life a little.
But I have to pause a moment to acknowledge the passing of a bright star in comics. I woke up to the sad news the Michael Turner died today from his long battle with cancer. Michael was actually younger than me, and it's sad to see someone so talented go at such an early age. I can't say I knew him well at all; only really through colleagues. And fan response varies depending on whom you speak to. But that doesn't change the fact that Turner was a major force in modern comics, and his work has graced the covers of many notable big comic events (most notable, Identity Crisis). He was an artist, a creator and a publisher. His company, Aspen, is one of the larger comic studios here in the Los Angeles area. Mike had been fighting cancer for about 8 years, having seemingly beat it at one time. It sucks to lose anyone in the biz, and I know that a lot of my colleagues felt this on personally. Rest in peace, Mike. You will be missed.
I'm getting to the age where I realize that I'm soon to have fewer days ahead of me than behind. And when things like this death, that of someone in seemingly good shape and even younger than me, makes me think I should probably get a check-up. I hate and rarely frequent doctors. But if I'm interested in sticking around for as long as possible, I'd better think about getting some things checked out. Even though I've cleaned up a lot recently, there was a time that I treated my body like a nightclub rather than a castle. Probably better to be safe than sorry.
Anyway, away from those more morbid topics. I ran into my friend Scott at the beach today. Scott's good people, and we run into one another enough that I should probably take that as a hint that we should probably hang out more. I was very close to distancing myself from my friends this week. I should probably open myself up some more and strengthen bonds with my newfound friends here in LA. No man is an island, no matter how hard he tries to be.
Am late to my “morning pages” today because I've actually been taking care of personal business today and also, god forbid, enjoying life a little.
But I have to pause a moment to acknowledge the passing of a bright star in comics. I woke up to the sad news the Michael Turner died today from his long battle with cancer. Michael was actually younger than me, and it's sad to see someone so talented go at such an early age. I can't say I knew him well at all; only really through colleagues. And fan response varies depending on whom you speak to. But that doesn't change the fact that Turner was a major force in modern comics, and his work has graced the covers of many notable big comic events (most notable, Identity Crisis). He was an artist, a creator and a publisher. His company, Aspen, is one of the larger comic studios here in the Los Angeles area. Mike had been fighting cancer for about 8 years, having seemingly beat it at one time. It sucks to lose anyone in the biz, and I know that a lot of my colleagues felt this on personally. Rest in peace, Mike. You will be missed.
I'm getting to the age where I realize that I'm soon to have fewer days ahead of me than behind. And when things like this death, that of someone in seemingly good shape and even younger than me, makes me think I should probably get a check-up. I hate and rarely frequent doctors. But if I'm interested in sticking around for as long as possible, I'd better think about getting some things checked out. Even though I've cleaned up a lot recently, there was a time that I treated my body like a nightclub rather than a castle. Probably better to be safe than sorry.
Anyway, away from those more morbid topics. I ran into my friend Scott at the beach today. Scott's good people, and we run into one another enough that I should probably take that as a hint that we should probably hang out more. I was very close to distancing myself from my friends this week. I should probably open myself up some more and strengthen bonds with my newfound friends here in LA. No man is an island, no matter how hard he tries to be.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
This isn't going to be a very long entry, because I didn't have a great day and don't really want to talk about it.
As far as the good things that happened: I got my “What It Is†box set today. 4 CDs of rare grooves and old school soul. Pretty much bumped that all day.
Christy sent me pictures of the puppies from her camera phone. That put a smile on my face.
Pretty much kicked ass and took names at work today. There's something to be said for pride in one's work. It's nice to be good at something and appreciated at one's job. Doesn't happen all the time, but it does feel good.
As far as the good things that happened: I got my “What It Is†box set today. 4 CDs of rare grooves and old school soul. Pretty much bumped that all day.
Christy sent me pictures of the puppies from her camera phone. That put a smile on my face.
Pretty much kicked ass and took names at work today. There's something to be said for pride in one's work. It's nice to be good at something and appreciated at one's job. Doesn't happen all the time, but it does feel good.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
June 25, 2008 Morning Pages
So I might was well talk about my very impressive day yesterday. I alluded to getting the Hollywood treatment yesterday, and sure enough I ventured out to Burbank to have my first ever pitch meeting with some movie producers.
And, before you ask, no I did not pitch QUANTUM. These guys were not looking for QUANTUM and made it clear they wanted different types of stories. It was kind of a cool challenge, because if this particular opportunity hadn't come up I probably wouldn't have ever come up with these ideas in the first place.
Note to self: I have more stories in me than I thought.
Anyway, back to the pitch meeting. The good news and something that definitely set my mind at ease was that I actually knew the guys I was pitching to. They are colleagues from my travels in comics, so part of the nervousness was alleviated by that fact. But I was still nervous. I've never done this kind of thing, and there are no hard-and-fast rules for pitching an idea to a publisher, producer, etc. The most notable thing about the experience itself was where I was actually going for the meeting. Ok, I'll just say it, it was on the Disney lot. This is the second time I've been on a studio lot, and I have to say Disney's is impressive. My friends have an office in the reputed animation building, which was a very cool place to be in having just recently seen “The Pixar Story.”
So after catching up on things (as we hadn't seen each other for some time), it was off to Studio City for lunch and the eventual pitches. I was introduced to the Artisan Cheese Gallery, a place I will definitely returning to, next time with the wife, and we proceeded to share several of their fantastic sandwiches. Then it was time for my pitches. I had brought one-sheets with the actual ideas typed out, but I decided not to use them. Fortunately I had a good enough idea of my concepts that I could basically summarize them and then also clarify certain point or address questions the client had.
And, by the end of the thing, they were actually interested in at least one of my ideas. We hammered out some more of the specifics of how they'd like to see that particular idea, and now it's in my court to knock out a treatment. If all goes well, my idea will hopefully be approved to be published as a graphic novel, and then, since it's Disney, it will be on track to become a feature film or series at some point.
And just like that, I'm in the movie business. I guess I'd hoped it would come to this point eventually. I assumed it would be with QUANTUM, but I'm glad I'm sitting on that one, actually. I'm not so attached to these other ideas that I'm not flexible taking notes or criticism. I will basically edit and cater these ideas for the folks I pitched to and build the IP. The good news is that if this doesn't go through for whatever reason, I'll still have two new concepts that I can shop around to other publishers or studios. And, with San Diego ComicCon quickly approaching, I'll definitely be in the mindset of putting illustrated one-sheets together for the ideas just in case Disney loses interest.
Oh, as an aside, I totally walked by Duane “The Rock” Johnson yesterday. Wanted to get a photo with him, but he seemed to be occupied with two smoking hot ladies, one on each arm. It would have been rude to interrupt him. Hoping I see him on my return trip.
Also, I owe a great load of thanks to my friend Denis, who set my mind at ease and talked me through what I could expect in the pitch process. Plus, a few Bendis boarders helped out, too.
So I might was well talk about my very impressive day yesterday. I alluded to getting the Hollywood treatment yesterday, and sure enough I ventured out to Burbank to have my first ever pitch meeting with some movie producers.
And, before you ask, no I did not pitch QUANTUM. These guys were not looking for QUANTUM and made it clear they wanted different types of stories. It was kind of a cool challenge, because if this particular opportunity hadn't come up I probably wouldn't have ever come up with these ideas in the first place.
Note to self: I have more stories in me than I thought.
Anyway, back to the pitch meeting. The good news and something that definitely set my mind at ease was that I actually knew the guys I was pitching to. They are colleagues from my travels in comics, so part of the nervousness was alleviated by that fact. But I was still nervous. I've never done this kind of thing, and there are no hard-and-fast rules for pitching an idea to a publisher, producer, etc. The most notable thing about the experience itself was where I was actually going for the meeting. Ok, I'll just say it, it was on the Disney lot. This is the second time I've been on a studio lot, and I have to say Disney's is impressive. My friends have an office in the reputed animation building, which was a very cool place to be in having just recently seen “The Pixar Story.”
So after catching up on things (as we hadn't seen each other for some time), it was off to Studio City for lunch and the eventual pitches. I was introduced to the Artisan Cheese Gallery, a place I will definitely returning to, next time with the wife, and we proceeded to share several of their fantastic sandwiches. Then it was time for my pitches. I had brought one-sheets with the actual ideas typed out, but I decided not to use them. Fortunately I had a good enough idea of my concepts that I could basically summarize them and then also clarify certain point or address questions the client had.
And, by the end of the thing, they were actually interested in at least one of my ideas. We hammered out some more of the specifics of how they'd like to see that particular idea, and now it's in my court to knock out a treatment. If all goes well, my idea will hopefully be approved to be published as a graphic novel, and then, since it's Disney, it will be on track to become a feature film or series at some point.
And just like that, I'm in the movie business. I guess I'd hoped it would come to this point eventually. I assumed it would be with QUANTUM, but I'm glad I'm sitting on that one, actually. I'm not so attached to these other ideas that I'm not flexible taking notes or criticism. I will basically edit and cater these ideas for the folks I pitched to and build the IP. The good news is that if this doesn't go through for whatever reason, I'll still have two new concepts that I can shop around to other publishers or studios. And, with San Diego ComicCon quickly approaching, I'll definitely be in the mindset of putting illustrated one-sheets together for the ideas just in case Disney loses interest.
Oh, as an aside, I totally walked by Duane “The Rock” Johnson yesterday. Wanted to get a photo with him, but he seemed to be occupied with two smoking hot ladies, one on each arm. It would have been rude to interrupt him. Hoping I see him on my return trip.
Also, I owe a great load of thanks to my friend Denis, who set my mind at ease and talked me through what I could expect in the pitch process. Plus, a few Bendis boarders helped out, too.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
June 24th Morning Pages.
Making this a quick one today. Getting the Hollywood treatment this afternoon. I'll post more tonight when I know more.
Oh, hey, I have a forum. You know?
Making this a quick one today. Getting the Hollywood treatment this afternoon. I'll post more tonight when I know more.
Oh, hey, I have a forum. You know?
Monday, June 23, 2008
June 23, 2008 Morning Pages
Slept really well last night, despite hearing the news that George Carlin died.
I don't plan to go into a long tirade or tribute on the guy. And I won't pretend that he was the be-all end all comedy and comedic geniuses. What I will say is that his work did have an affect on me; that his words and his style--no matter how raunchy or controversial--impacted my life to at least some small degree. Whether or not you liked Carlin's content, you can't dispute the fact that he is a comedic legend and a genius in so many ways. Not only as a performer and an innovator, but also as a writer and a thinker. See, the great thing about George Carlin's comedy wasn't that it made you laugh so much as think. And despite the barbs, profanity and anger he slung, Carlin did have one purveying message: be good to each other--for no other reason than it's the right thing to do.
I have very many favorite bits from him, but I think the one that really stuck with me was Carlin's examination of the Ten Commandments. It tore down all the walls of Judeo-Christian guilt and just cut to the chase of what it takes to be a good person. I'm paraphrasing, but it was like "don't do all this stuff because some old man the the sky has given you a set of supposed rules; do it because it's right." There were a lot of things I loved and hated about his comedy. But the man was wise. And he used comedy as a means of getting his message out and making you think in a way you probably hadn't considered before. That takes talent and genius, and for that reason I am very sad to see him go. But I have to say he had a fantastic go and earned every accolade and accomplishment he got. I admire him and strive to go out the same way. You know at the end of "Inside the Actors Studio," when James Lipton asks the same questions of all his guests, and I think the last question is something like "if there is a heaven, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive?" My internal answer was always, "nice job. Come on in."
Well, George, nice job. Go on in, brother.
In other news, let's do some goal setting this week while I'm thinking about it:
QUANTUM #7 lettering, new business cards, revise the press kit, and if I'm feeling really ambitious: the PC website. That should keep me busy for a good week.
Completely blew my pitch writing deadline yesterday. Gonna have to whip them up tonight. I have a good idea of what the concepts are. I just need to get them down on paper.
My elbow is still killing me. Don't know what's happened, but I'm probably going to have to get some professional help. I have no idea why it's in so much pain, but it's been a few weeks and I better get it taken care of before my arm falls off. That would be bad.
I don't plan to go into a long tirade or tribute on the guy. And I won't pretend that he was the be-all end all comedy and comedic geniuses. What I will say is that his work did have an affect on me; that his words and his style--no matter how raunchy or controversial--impacted my life to at least some small degree. Whether or not you liked Carlin's content, you can't dispute the fact that he is a comedic legend and a genius in so many ways. Not only as a performer and an innovator, but also as a writer and a thinker. See, the great thing about George Carlin's comedy wasn't that it made you laugh so much as think. And despite the barbs, profanity and anger he slung, Carlin did have one purveying message: be good to each other--for no other reason than it's the right thing to do.
I have very many favorite bits from him, but I think the one that really stuck with me was Carlin's examination of the Ten Commandments. It tore down all the walls of Judeo-Christian guilt and just cut to the chase of what it takes to be a good person. I'm paraphrasing, but it was like "don't do all this stuff because some old man the the sky has given you a set of supposed rules; do it because it's right." There were a lot of things I loved and hated about his comedy. But the man was wise. And he used comedy as a means of getting his message out and making you think in a way you probably hadn't considered before. That takes talent and genius, and for that reason I am very sad to see him go. But I have to say he had a fantastic go and earned every accolade and accomplishment he got. I admire him and strive to go out the same way. You know at the end of "Inside the Actors Studio," when James Lipton asks the same questions of all his guests, and I think the last question is something like "if there is a heaven, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive?" My internal answer was always, "nice job. Come on in."
Well, George, nice job. Go on in, brother.
In other news, let's do some goal setting this week while I'm thinking about it:
QUANTUM #7 lettering, new business cards, revise the press kit, and if I'm feeling really ambitious: the PC website. That should keep me busy for a good week.
Completely blew my pitch writing deadline yesterday. Gonna have to whip them up tonight. I have a good idea of what the concepts are. I just need to get them down on paper.
My elbow is still killing me. Don't know what's happened, but I'm probably going to have to get some professional help. I have no idea why it's in so much pain, but it's been a few weeks and I better get it taken care of before my arm falls off. That would be bad.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
June 22, 2008 Midday Pages
Slept in today. How awesome did that feel, despite the heat.
Yes, it has officially gotten hot here in the South Bay. It was even hot yesterday in Venice. Let me talk about that for a minute. I had probably one of the best times in a long time at Dysart's birthday bash/summer solstice party. Get in around 2:30 (would have been 2PM, but parking was a BITCH) to catch Jacaranda, a band which features my buddies Luis Reyes and Anthony Deniega. They're a lot of fun, not only doing upbeat originals but also some really fun, eclectic covers.
The whole thing was very California--which is to say, as someone who is recently moved here, that the whole block-party thing by the beach was very new to me. Especially when the band covered "Rio," I felt like I was in an eighties movie, that Anthony Michael Hall would just pop out of nowhere. But this party had it all, booze, bud, babes. It truly was a fantastic time. I only wish I'd gotten a chance to sit in with one of the bands. I'd brought my horn for just an occasion. Had to split early, otherwise I would have probably gotten my chance, but I have to say the entire experience was great. Mike and Carol from the Comic Bug also came out, and it was good to hang out with those guys and Luis and get to know more LA comic creators. Josh Dysart is a helluva guy, seriously blessed and really knows how to throw a party. I hope to hang out with him more often. He truly is quality people.
Have to say one of the surprises that completely saved my day was soaking my feet in the ocean in the middle of the hot, solstice day. If I hadn't done that, I would have been completely miserable. Also, I didn't drink too much, and I pretty much stayed hydrated with water between beers. Maintained a nice, light buzz; perfect for shaking off just before I had to drive home. Left the party feeling really good, like I was making new friends and enjoying life. Probably the first day since I've moved here that I really appreciated the California lifestyle. Maybe I just need to get down to Venice more. As prohibitive as parking is, I do enjoy the hustle and bustle down there. It reminds me of the East Village very much, only with a beach.
I'm going to repeat the foot soaking thing today down in Manhattan Beach. Gonna grab some brunch while I can and then hit the beach. It's something I don't do enough of, and now that I've gotten my plate to a reasonable level of business I can enjoy very brief pleasures like this. It truly feels good to be focusing on what's really important right now. After brunch and beach, I'll sit down and hammer out the pitches I'm drawing up for Christian and Kingdom Comics. Don't know if anything will come out of it, but it'll be good to see CB and Ahmet again, and it never hurts to be prepared.
Yes, it has officially gotten hot here in the South Bay. It was even hot yesterday in Venice. Let me talk about that for a minute. I had probably one of the best times in a long time at Dysart's birthday bash/summer solstice party. Get in around 2:30 (would have been 2PM, but parking was a BITCH) to catch Jacaranda, a band which features my buddies Luis Reyes and Anthony Deniega. They're a lot of fun, not only doing upbeat originals but also some really fun, eclectic covers.
The whole thing was very California--which is to say, as someone who is recently moved here, that the whole block-party thing by the beach was very new to me. Especially when the band covered "Rio," I felt like I was in an eighties movie, that Anthony Michael Hall would just pop out of nowhere. But this party had it all, booze, bud, babes. It truly was a fantastic time. I only wish I'd gotten a chance to sit in with one of the bands. I'd brought my horn for just an occasion. Had to split early, otherwise I would have probably gotten my chance, but I have to say the entire experience was great. Mike and Carol from the Comic Bug also came out, and it was good to hang out with those guys and Luis and get to know more LA comic creators. Josh Dysart is a helluva guy, seriously blessed and really knows how to throw a party. I hope to hang out with him more often. He truly is quality people.
Have to say one of the surprises that completely saved my day was soaking my feet in the ocean in the middle of the hot, solstice day. If I hadn't done that, I would have been completely miserable. Also, I didn't drink too much, and I pretty much stayed hydrated with water between beers. Maintained a nice, light buzz; perfect for shaking off just before I had to drive home. Left the party feeling really good, like I was making new friends and enjoying life. Probably the first day since I've moved here that I really appreciated the California lifestyle. Maybe I just need to get down to Venice more. As prohibitive as parking is, I do enjoy the hustle and bustle down there. It reminds me of the East Village very much, only with a beach.
I'm going to repeat the foot soaking thing today down in Manhattan Beach. Gonna grab some brunch while I can and then hit the beach. It's something I don't do enough of, and now that I've gotten my plate to a reasonable level of business I can enjoy very brief pleasures like this. It truly feels good to be focusing on what's really important right now. After brunch and beach, I'll sit down and hammer out the pitches I'm drawing up for Christian and Kingdom Comics. Don't know if anything will come out of it, but it'll be good to see CB and Ahmet again, and it never hurts to be prepared.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
June 21, 2008 Morning Pages
Well, it's officially my 21st day of morning pages. Looks like I've begun a constructive habit.
Wow, where to begin. It's been an interesting 24 hours. Got out of work to receive a phone call from my friend and musical comrade Jeremiah Roiko. I was planning on seeing him and band at the Grog last night for Michelle's birthday, but it turns out that Jeremiah was flying back from his work training in Oklahoma, was stuck at the airport in Phoenix and was running late. So I pick up the phone (actually, turned on my headset, as I was driving home from work) to this conversation:
Me: "Hello?"
Jeremiah: "Yeah, so I'm gonna need to you fill in for me tonight at the Grog."
Me (after a very brief pause): um...ok?
Jeremiah: I'm in Phoenix waiting for my flight, and they haven't been able to get the past 2 planes to start."
Me: Wow.
Jeremiah: So I'm going to be late getting there, if I make it at all. Right now I may not even be able to get a flight until midnight.
Me: Well, ok, sure. Is it just me tonight, or will your band be there?
Jeremiah: Oh, no. Son and Joe will be there. I just need you to fill in for me.
Good thing I didn't have any plans tonight other than actually cruising to sit in with those guys. So nice, I actually had a last minute gig. Got home, quickly packed my gear and made my way to the Grog. Things actually went swimmingly, consider I'd never played with Joe, the drummer, before. Nice guy. Tempos got a little quick, but that was mostly an adrenaline thing. We got through our first set to learn that Jeremiah actually did finally get a plane and that he wan en route. By the time the second set rolled around, Jeremiah arrived. My job was done, and everyone really seemed to enjoy the work we had done. We took a brief break to let Jeremiah set up, and I sat in for the rest of that set. I really miss playing with Jeremiah. He really is a phenomenal blues guitarist, and it's too bad that financial circumstances demand he only books a trio at this point. But the good news is that I've got an in with the Grog now, and I'll be booking my band there soon.
God, I love saying those words: "my band."
Also made the acquaintance of Candice from Hitt Music last night. Impressed her enough that she wants to get me into their roster of acts. Hitt Music is one of these agencies that shop you and your music to television, film, and labels. I'll need more info, will have to check them out. I'm not a big fan of services that request a fee for you to participate, but Candace seemed on the level. And, if it's legit, it could probably do some good things for my career. Will also have to see how that affects my working with Angela, as I want to keep her in the loop as well.
Have to cut this short, as I have to get to the bank and get to my day. Party at Dysart's house today. Hopefully it won't be too hot down there. It's pretty warm today, even in Redondo.
Wow, where to begin. It's been an interesting 24 hours. Got out of work to receive a phone call from my friend and musical comrade Jeremiah Roiko. I was planning on seeing him and band at the Grog last night for Michelle's birthday, but it turns out that Jeremiah was flying back from his work training in Oklahoma, was stuck at the airport in Phoenix and was running late. So I pick up the phone (actually, turned on my headset, as I was driving home from work) to this conversation:
Me: "Hello?"
Jeremiah: "Yeah, so I'm gonna need to you fill in for me tonight at the Grog."
Me (after a very brief pause): um...ok?
Jeremiah: I'm in Phoenix waiting for my flight, and they haven't been able to get the past 2 planes to start."
Me: Wow.
Jeremiah: So I'm going to be late getting there, if I make it at all. Right now I may not even be able to get a flight until midnight.
Me: Well, ok, sure. Is it just me tonight, or will your band be there?
Jeremiah: Oh, no. Son and Joe will be there. I just need you to fill in for me.
Good thing I didn't have any plans tonight other than actually cruising to sit in with those guys. So nice, I actually had a last minute gig. Got home, quickly packed my gear and made my way to the Grog. Things actually went swimmingly, consider I'd never played with Joe, the drummer, before. Nice guy. Tempos got a little quick, but that was mostly an adrenaline thing. We got through our first set to learn that Jeremiah actually did finally get a plane and that he wan en route. By the time the second set rolled around, Jeremiah arrived. My job was done, and everyone really seemed to enjoy the work we had done. We took a brief break to let Jeremiah set up, and I sat in for the rest of that set. I really miss playing with Jeremiah. He really is a phenomenal blues guitarist, and it's too bad that financial circumstances demand he only books a trio at this point. But the good news is that I've got an in with the Grog now, and I'll be booking my band there soon.
God, I love saying those words: "my band."
Also made the acquaintance of Candice from Hitt Music last night. Impressed her enough that she wants to get me into their roster of acts. Hitt Music is one of these agencies that shop you and your music to television, film, and labels. I'll need more info, will have to check them out. I'm not a big fan of services that request a fee for you to participate, but Candace seemed on the level. And, if it's legit, it could probably do some good things for my career. Will also have to see how that affects my working with Angela, as I want to keep her in the loop as well.
Have to cut this short, as I have to get to the bank and get to my day. Party at Dysart's house today. Hopefully it won't be too hot down there. It's pretty warm today, even in Redondo.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Weekend hasn't even started, and it promises to be hoppin'.
First off, tonight, is a celebration for my friend Michelle's birthday. Michelle is a very cool lady I met during my time with the Jeremiah Roiko Band. One of her hobbies is pole dancing (it's a sport, really), and it sounds like she'll have her pole dancing classmates out tonight in full force. The even goes down at The Grog on PCH, and Jeremiah will be providing the music. You can pretty much count on a certain funky white boy being there with his horn.
Tomorrow, a comic creating colleague of mine will be celebrating his birthday, and I have a feeling that will also be a helluva bash. I'm going to have to make sure to pace myself this weekend. I've cut down on my drinking, and I don't want to go too overboard. But hopefully I'll see some of my other comic creating brethren there and be able to hang out and enjoy the day and sunny Venice Beach. I never get down there, and it's the closest thing to the East Village I've seen since I left NYC.
Sunday will be for recovering and throwing together pitches for my lunch with Christian and Ahmet next week. I've been letting things slowly cook in the back of my head, and hopefully I can come up with some decent ideas that fall into their whole action/adventure mindset.
At some point I hope to hook up with Dave Ryan, who's recently relocated from the east coast. Dave is doing a big crossover book called "War of the Independents." I don't think I've ever met Dave in person, but we've crossed paths professionally several times. It'd be good to put a face with the emails and catch up on things.
Was finally able to get some work on QUANTUM last night. Man, it feels good to be back on working on my own book for a change. Made some pretty important decisions last night as well. It's been so long since I've worked on the book that my lettering style has actually changed. I wasn't planning on converting over to the new style until issue 8, but now that I look at it I realize that I need to switch over ASAP. I fixed the first three pages last night and have decided to post them to show you what's up and prove to y'all that I really am still working on the book.
This is one of those fun scenes where I get to inject a little of my real life into my story. The inspiration of this is when I used to temp for New York Life. I had two gigs there, actually. One was working as a production artists for their magazine (yes, they have a magazine), which I enjoyed. The other was working in the corporate office where they process all of their applications and determine who they insure and for how much. That job sucked. Balls. It was a horrible pit of mediocrity and despair where I had to spend 8 hours of my time every day. But I needed the money at the time, so you do what you have to. Worst part of the job what this little troll of a woman named Barbara who thought she could order around people that she didn't have the jurisdiction to. Barbara...Barbara...hell, can't remember her last name, and that 's probably a good thing. But the fight over the copier actually did happen as well as Barbara's line "I don't have to take that from some temp." I was so pissed off at the situation that I pretty much quit on the spot. Over the course of writing this book, I've had other little real-life segments from my life I wanted to throw in. It's cathartic for me to be able to throw Barbara to the blackness in these pages. And it's healthier than throwing her out the window of a high-rise office building, which I was tempted to do many times. That's the great thing about writing. It lets you get out your demons and revenge that you'd never execute in real life.
I even kill my high school music teacher in this next issue, but that's a story for another time.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
June 19, 2008 Morning Pages
So, what the hell you wanna talk about today?
Good news on the plumbing front: Jenkins Property's guy came out yesterday to snake the tree roots out of the clean-out. So my bathroom has returned to a state of normality. So glad I live in a place right now that has a fairly decent property management company overseeing it. I can usually get maintenance over here within 24 hours to take care of most problems. Plus, they mow and take care of my lawn and landscape every two weeks. We get a pretty good deal on renting this house, and I have to admit it's probably the nicest home I've lived in since I've lived on my own. Sometimes I miss the hardwood floors of our 2 bedroom in Queens, but I definitely don't miss the weather or my former landlord.
Already over half the week. This one went rushing by. It's been necessarily restful since the IE Jazzfest. Which reminds me, I need to reach out to the band today and just touch base. Have some things on the horizon, including some more gigging opportunities. I just want to pick the right ones. For the first time in a long time I chilled out for a night after work. I went to downtown Manhattan Beach and just enjoyed the evening; grabbed a volcano bowl at Wahoos and walked around for a bit. No one is more surprised to say that I actually really enjoy where Christy uprooted us to. As much as I miss NYC, I am beginning to love the South Bay a lot. Evenings by the ocean are pretty hard to beat. I must get out to do more of that.
Have been trying to get onto Kompoz.com this week to listen to Jim Clark's music and hopefully contribute some tracks. Kompoz is a site that allows people to collaborate electronically on music. It's not as cool as the LogicRocket stuff, but it does give musicians a place to compose and collaborate. If anyone knows of a platform that's similar to LogicRocket--where you could actually post your sequences and audio files directly online for people to edit, append, and record to--please let me know. Kompoz just seems a little clunky to me. It also doesn't help that Jim doesn't use a click track for his stuff. That makes it difficult (not impossible) to sequence to. I suppose it's good for Jim's music, which is ukulele-based, as it forces musicians to track live, organic elements on top of his basic tracks. But it makes it harder for me, because I want to add sequenced production elements. I'm hoping to spend some time this weekend tackling that particular challenge.
But one thing I can't let it get in the way of is QUANTUM #7 and also my meeting next week with Kingdom Comics. The powers-that-be over there have graciously invited me for a meeting, where I imagine I'll be able to pitch a few things. Have been mulling a few ideas over in my head for the past couple weeks, and over the weekend I'll commit some stuff to paper. The challenge here is to still give them something in this "National Treasure" vein that they want without it being too derivative or lame. As much as I enjoy movies like that and the Indian Jones stuff, it's not really my bag. I suppose that's a good thing, though, because then I can come up with an interesting spin.
Shoot, that also reminds me that I need to set up meetings with BMI and ASCAP before July. I'm in my window to end my BMI affiliation, but I want to be as informed as possible before I do. For the most part, BMI hasn't done squat for me. I hated (using the word HATE here) my New York rep, so if I don't get any sense of urgency from the LA guys I'm definitely switching to ASCAP.
Here's hoping the next two days at my day gig go by quickly. It's been a bit of a snoozefest of late.
Good news on the plumbing front: Jenkins Property's guy came out yesterday to snake the tree roots out of the clean-out. So my bathroom has returned to a state of normality. So glad I live in a place right now that has a fairly decent property management company overseeing it. I can usually get maintenance over here within 24 hours to take care of most problems. Plus, they mow and take care of my lawn and landscape every two weeks. We get a pretty good deal on renting this house, and I have to admit it's probably the nicest home I've lived in since I've lived on my own. Sometimes I miss the hardwood floors of our 2 bedroom in Queens, but I definitely don't miss the weather or my former landlord.
Already over half the week. This one went rushing by. It's been necessarily restful since the IE Jazzfest. Which reminds me, I need to reach out to the band today and just touch base. Have some things on the horizon, including some more gigging opportunities. I just want to pick the right ones. For the first time in a long time I chilled out for a night after work. I went to downtown Manhattan Beach and just enjoyed the evening; grabbed a volcano bowl at Wahoos and walked around for a bit. No one is more surprised to say that I actually really enjoy where Christy uprooted us to. As much as I miss NYC, I am beginning to love the South Bay a lot. Evenings by the ocean are pretty hard to beat. I must get out to do more of that.
Have been trying to get onto Kompoz.com this week to listen to Jim Clark's music and hopefully contribute some tracks. Kompoz is a site that allows people to collaborate electronically on music. It's not as cool as the LogicRocket stuff, but it does give musicians a place to compose and collaborate. If anyone knows of a platform that's similar to LogicRocket--where you could actually post your sequences and audio files directly online for people to edit, append, and record to--please let me know. Kompoz just seems a little clunky to me. It also doesn't help that Jim doesn't use a click track for his stuff. That makes it difficult (not impossible) to sequence to. I suppose it's good for Jim's music, which is ukulele-based, as it forces musicians to track live, organic elements on top of his basic tracks. But it makes it harder for me, because I want to add sequenced production elements. I'm hoping to spend some time this weekend tackling that particular challenge.
But one thing I can't let it get in the way of is QUANTUM #7 and also my meeting next week with Kingdom Comics. The powers-that-be over there have graciously invited me for a meeting, where I imagine I'll be able to pitch a few things. Have been mulling a few ideas over in my head for the past couple weeks, and over the weekend I'll commit some stuff to paper. The challenge here is to still give them something in this "National Treasure" vein that they want without it being too derivative or lame. As much as I enjoy movies like that and the Indian Jones stuff, it's not really my bag. I suppose that's a good thing, though, because then I can come up with an interesting spin.
Shoot, that also reminds me that I need to set up meetings with BMI and ASCAP before July. I'm in my window to end my BMI affiliation, but I want to be as informed as possible before I do. For the most part, BMI hasn't done squat for me. I hated (using the word HATE here) my New York rep, so if I don't get any sense of urgency from the LA guys I'm definitely switching to ASCAP.
Here's hoping the next two days at my day gig go by quickly. It's been a bit of a snoozefest of late.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
June 18, 2008 Morning Pages
God damn it. The plumbing's backing up again.
We have this phenomenon, about every 4 months or so, when tree roots begin to clog up the mainline (or "clean-out") of the house. When that happens, water begins to drain slowly and really fun things start happening in the bathroom; like flushing the toilet and having it all back up into the tub. I don't know what the deal is out here, as we had the same kind of problem in out Manhattan Beach apartment as well. That was a nightmare, because it would overflow all over the bathroom floor, and the whole room would look like something out of the shit-demon scene in Dogma. Worse yet, we had an absentee landlord, and yours truly was responsible for finding a plumber to fix the problem and even PAY for it. I did get reimbursed eventually, but it was a serious pain in the ass and nothing a tenant should be expected to deal with.
Fortunately we have a property management company at this place. They're pretty good for the most part, but I did ask them to come out 2 weeks ago as a preventative measure. Doesn't look like it happened, because lo and behold, the tub's filling up with crap again. This better be resolved today or there'll be hell to pay.
Posted more video of the IE JazzFest set on YouTube last night. This is footage from my little digicam and the sound isn't as clean as the stuff Tony uploaded. But Christy manned my cam and got some shots of everyone. Even moved it around so you could see folks dancing and stuff.
Which reminds me: I have to say how much more I enjoy playing in a group as opposed to the one-man-band hell I've been subjected to for the past couple years. It was also nice playing a venue OTHER than a sports bar. I truly believe God had sent me to musical hell for the past couple years, and that hell is called Texas Loosey's. Now, don't get me wrong. I love the staff of Texas Loosey's. They have always taken care of me, and I appreciate that they've given me a venue to perform. However, the actual circumstances of playing a place like Texas Loosey's is akin to the 9th ring of Dante's Hell. First off, NOBODY is there to listen to you play. They just want to eat their barbecue or chicken wings, drink a few beers and ogle the scantily-clad cowgirls that work as the waitstaff. Truth to tell, that's the best part of working for Texas Loosey's, the girl-watching. It's like Hooters, only with ass-less chaps. But I digress. Secondly, no one claps for the entertainment. I've spent set after set singing my heart out, only to be greeted at the end of a song with silence. It's seriously demoralizing for a musician. There were nights, at about 11PM or midnight, when I truly felt the creator was pointing down at me from on high and, like Nelson from the Simpsons, was going "Hanh-Ha!" But those solo gigs definitely kept my chops up and gave me an appreciation more for the kind of gig I played on Saturday.
It's just a world of difference when folks are actively LISTENING to you and responding to what you're doing. And, hell, if and when they get up and dance--that's just icing on the cake. It just makes me realize the kinds of gigging situations I would rather get into. No more solo dive-bar gigs for me. I'm going to be targeting the outdoor festivals and the venues that actually want to support soulful original music.
I mean, I'll probably have to play a few bar cover gigs locally, just to build the following and the mailing list. But I realize that I've got too good of an act, now, to bury it in dive bars. It's time to raise the bar and take this thing where it needs to go.
We have this phenomenon, about every 4 months or so, when tree roots begin to clog up the mainline (or "clean-out") of the house. When that happens, water begins to drain slowly and really fun things start happening in the bathroom; like flushing the toilet and having it all back up into the tub. I don't know what the deal is out here, as we had the same kind of problem in out Manhattan Beach apartment as well. That was a nightmare, because it would overflow all over the bathroom floor, and the whole room would look like something out of the shit-demon scene in Dogma. Worse yet, we had an absentee landlord, and yours truly was responsible for finding a plumber to fix the problem and even PAY for it. I did get reimbursed eventually, but it was a serious pain in the ass and nothing a tenant should be expected to deal with.
Fortunately we have a property management company at this place. They're pretty good for the most part, but I did ask them to come out 2 weeks ago as a preventative measure. Doesn't look like it happened, because lo and behold, the tub's filling up with crap again. This better be resolved today or there'll be hell to pay.
Posted more video of the IE JazzFest set on YouTube last night. This is footage from my little digicam and the sound isn't as clean as the stuff Tony uploaded. But Christy manned my cam and got some shots of everyone. Even moved it around so you could see folks dancing and stuff.
Which reminds me: I have to say how much more I enjoy playing in a group as opposed to the one-man-band hell I've been subjected to for the past couple years. It was also nice playing a venue OTHER than a sports bar. I truly believe God had sent me to musical hell for the past couple years, and that hell is called Texas Loosey's. Now, don't get me wrong. I love the staff of Texas Loosey's. They have always taken care of me, and I appreciate that they've given me a venue to perform. However, the actual circumstances of playing a place like Texas Loosey's is akin to the 9th ring of Dante's Hell. First off, NOBODY is there to listen to you play. They just want to eat their barbecue or chicken wings, drink a few beers and ogle the scantily-clad cowgirls that work as the waitstaff. Truth to tell, that's the best part of working for Texas Loosey's, the girl-watching. It's like Hooters, only with ass-less chaps. But I digress. Secondly, no one claps for the entertainment. I've spent set after set singing my heart out, only to be greeted at the end of a song with silence. It's seriously demoralizing for a musician. There were nights, at about 11PM or midnight, when I truly felt the creator was pointing down at me from on high and, like Nelson from the Simpsons, was going "Hanh-Ha!" But those solo gigs definitely kept my chops up and gave me an appreciation more for the kind of gig I played on Saturday.
It's just a world of difference when folks are actively LISTENING to you and responding to what you're doing. And, hell, if and when they get up and dance--that's just icing on the cake. It just makes me realize the kinds of gigging situations I would rather get into. No more solo dive-bar gigs for me. I'm going to be targeting the outdoor festivals and the venues that actually want to support soulful original music.
I mean, I'll probably have to play a few bar cover gigs locally, just to build the following and the mailing list. But I realize that I've got too good of an act, now, to bury it in dive bars. It's time to raise the bar and take this thing where it needs to go.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Was woken up by two very determined dogs this morning, and now the morning fog in my head is starting to lift.
Did I mention I sleep with three women in my bed? Ok, so two of them are canine. Ok, so one of them is only about 3.5 years old in dog years. Let me have my fantasy, ok? Bella actually does have her own bed, but a few weeks ago she had an accident in it due to her seizures, so we've let her sleep in the bed with us ever since. She does go back to it from time to time if the bed gets too crowded, but I can pretty much count on the fact that, in the morning, she'll be under the covers at our feet. Lucy is so small that she can sleep with us in the bed, and she actually likes snuggling with either Christy of myself. So, again, she may start the night in her own little bed, but by the morning she's in bed with us.
I shudder to think of what'll happen if we ever add a kid into the mix.
Not a lot to talk about this morning. Now that the big gig has passed, I can focus on booking more for the band. That and focusing on QUANTUM this week. It feels great to finally have the time to concentrate again on my own stuff. I know my focus now, and I know who my true friends are. I hate to say it, but at this stage of my life you're either with me or you're against me. It's time I stopped suffering fools gladly and it's time I kicked fair-weathered friends to the curb.
It's funny, a colleague of mine was commenting at how self-important comic book creators are. Didn't seem to be that way when I got into this business, but the more I see the profile of the comic book creator (and, more importantly, its place in Hollywood) raise, the more I'm noticing that some folks truly believe their shit don't stink. It's kind of sad, because if you told the average person on the street you made comics, they'd more than likely laugh at you. I don't understand why those same people expect the movie studios to bow prostrate like you're the second coming or something.
Which might as well be a segue into me talking about The Incredible Hulk, which I finally saw last night. That was more how the first movie should have been, but couldn't be. Miles above the first Hulk movie in casting, writing, scope and execution. Norton makes a way better Banner than Bana ever did. Bana was too hunky for the role. Folks don't realize that Banner needs to be the puny, scrawny Jeckyl to the Hulk's massive Hyde. CGI was miles better in this version, and it was GREAT to hear the Hulk speak. When he mutters "leave me alone" in the first battle scene, I nearly leapt out of my seat. The only problem with a Hulk movie is that the CGI is so important to the film that sometimes it goes over the top, even into video games proportions. I mean, I get it, two huge, hulking monsters duking it out to the bitter end. But it's a lot to follow and it's sometimes exhausting to watch. But overall, I have to say it was a step in the right direction. Since Marvel has the reigns to its own projects now, the quality and respect to the original concept and fanbase has really shown.
Before I close I also have to rave, briefly, about the 2 season premieres I caught on Showtime. "Weeds" was pleasantly solid, and I was stoked to see Albert Brooks join the cast. I'm not a huge fan of his, but this was inspired casting. Also, "Secret Diary of a Call Girl" looks to be very good. I enjoyed Billie Piper in Dr. Who, but I think this is going to be a breakout role for her. And it's now got me following the actual blog that the series is based on.
I'm not a big blog follower, but now there are two I'm following: Belle Du Jour's and Terry Moore's. Go check 'em out when you get a chance.
Did I mention I sleep with three women in my bed? Ok, so two of them are canine. Ok, so one of them is only about 3.5 years old in dog years. Let me have my fantasy, ok? Bella actually does have her own bed, but a few weeks ago she had an accident in it due to her seizures, so we've let her sleep in the bed with us ever since. She does go back to it from time to time if the bed gets too crowded, but I can pretty much count on the fact that, in the morning, she'll be under the covers at our feet. Lucy is so small that she can sleep with us in the bed, and she actually likes snuggling with either Christy of myself. So, again, she may start the night in her own little bed, but by the morning she's in bed with us.
I shudder to think of what'll happen if we ever add a kid into the mix.
Not a lot to talk about this morning. Now that the big gig has passed, I can focus on booking more for the band. That and focusing on QUANTUM this week. It feels great to finally have the time to concentrate again on my own stuff. I know my focus now, and I know who my true friends are. I hate to say it, but at this stage of my life you're either with me or you're against me. It's time I stopped suffering fools gladly and it's time I kicked fair-weathered friends to the curb.
It's funny, a colleague of mine was commenting at how self-important comic book creators are. Didn't seem to be that way when I got into this business, but the more I see the profile of the comic book creator (and, more importantly, its place in Hollywood) raise, the more I'm noticing that some folks truly believe their shit don't stink. It's kind of sad, because if you told the average person on the street you made comics, they'd more than likely laugh at you. I don't understand why those same people expect the movie studios to bow prostrate like you're the second coming or something.
Which might as well be a segue into me talking about The Incredible Hulk, which I finally saw last night. That was more how the first movie should have been, but couldn't be. Miles above the first Hulk movie in casting, writing, scope and execution. Norton makes a way better Banner than Bana ever did. Bana was too hunky for the role. Folks don't realize that Banner needs to be the puny, scrawny Jeckyl to the Hulk's massive Hyde. CGI was miles better in this version, and it was GREAT to hear the Hulk speak. When he mutters "leave me alone" in the first battle scene, I nearly leapt out of my seat. The only problem with a Hulk movie is that the CGI is so important to the film that sometimes it goes over the top, even into video games proportions. I mean, I get it, two huge, hulking monsters duking it out to the bitter end. But it's a lot to follow and it's sometimes exhausting to watch. But overall, I have to say it was a step in the right direction. Since Marvel has the reigns to its own projects now, the quality and respect to the original concept and fanbase has really shown.
Before I close I also have to rave, briefly, about the 2 season premieres I caught on Showtime. "Weeds" was pleasantly solid, and I was stoked to see Albert Brooks join the cast. I'm not a huge fan of his, but this was inspired casting. Also, "Secret Diary of a Call Girl" looks to be very good. I enjoyed Billie Piper in Dr. Who, but I think this is going to be a breakout role for her. And it's now got me following the actual blog that the series is based on.
I'm not a big blog follower, but now there are two I'm following: Belle Du Jour's and Terry Moore's. Go check 'em out when you get a chance.
Monday, June 16, 2008
June 16, 2008 Morning Pages
Still sort of recovering from the weekend. As much as I didn't think the heat got to me on Saturday, I think I actually got a little heat exhaustion. Yesterday's Father's Day was pretty decent, though, as I also scored presents for my belated birthday. Christy's mom even got me a GPS navigator, which'll definitely come in handy in the future. The thing is also an MP3 player which is also pretty mad cool.
Pretty happy with Saturday's gig, all things considered. There were only a few hiccups that I wish we could have foreseen. First of all, the entire production was running late, and before we hit the stage they were asking us to cut our set short. And it's funny, too, because the band that was following us tried to cop a deal with me: "hey, we're going to be cutting our set short, so if you do the same we can get this back on time."
Which taught me another important lesson in showbiz: NEVER fall for this line of bullshit, ever. I did end up cutting one song out of my set, shortened a few solo sections, and basically did what I could to not run too long. Then the next act proceeded to play as long as they fucking wanted to. I wasn't happy, because my bandmates and I trekked out to this festival, in BFE Moreno Valley, to play this gig for free for a good cause. I didn't schlep out from the South Bay and go to all this trouble of throwing this band together to only play 30 minutes. The lesson for me next time is to not let bad organization on someone else's part alter what I'm doing. Feeling the pressure of the clock definitely affected my soloing. Plus, we were so rushed we didn't get a decent line check, and as a result the bassist was not heard through the main system. I found that out after the fact. Bass is crucial to my music and knowing that only the folks close to the stage could hear it did not make me a happy camper.
But other than that the show went off pretty well. My voice was a little dry from the heat, but since I cut "Twenty Days" out of the set I didn't spend it. Tempos were pretty solid after we got settled in. The crowd really seemed to enjoy the show. The sales table I negotiated for never came to be, so I went grass-roots and walked through the crowd selling CDs and comics. I'm glad I ordered a new batch of CDs, because people were very receptive and interested in buying it.
I did have some of my friends from LA come out. And it was good to hang out with my friend Doug and his fiancé Jen afterwards. It's really nice to get to know another couple and also see Christy make new friends since she has so few out here.
Anyway, the whole experience was a definite success. Now I just want to do it bigger and better. I think Jazz Festivals are a good fit for my music, and I'll be actively looking to do more of those. That, street festivals and soul-music friendly venues in LA are my target right now. Got to build the buzz for the next record. It's going to be a great second half of 2008.
Pretty happy with Saturday's gig, all things considered. There were only a few hiccups that I wish we could have foreseen. First of all, the entire production was running late, and before we hit the stage they were asking us to cut our set short. And it's funny, too, because the band that was following us tried to cop a deal with me: "hey, we're going to be cutting our set short, so if you do the same we can get this back on time."
Which taught me another important lesson in showbiz: NEVER fall for this line of bullshit, ever. I did end up cutting one song out of my set, shortened a few solo sections, and basically did what I could to not run too long. Then the next act proceeded to play as long as they fucking wanted to. I wasn't happy, because my bandmates and I trekked out to this festival, in BFE Moreno Valley, to play this gig for free for a good cause. I didn't schlep out from the South Bay and go to all this trouble of throwing this band together to only play 30 minutes. The lesson for me next time is to not let bad organization on someone else's part alter what I'm doing. Feeling the pressure of the clock definitely affected my soloing. Plus, we were so rushed we didn't get a decent line check, and as a result the bassist was not heard through the main system. I found that out after the fact. Bass is crucial to my music and knowing that only the folks close to the stage could hear it did not make me a happy camper.
But other than that the show went off pretty well. My voice was a little dry from the heat, but since I cut "Twenty Days" out of the set I didn't spend it. Tempos were pretty solid after we got settled in. The crowd really seemed to enjoy the show. The sales table I negotiated for never came to be, so I went grass-roots and walked through the crowd selling CDs and comics. I'm glad I ordered a new batch of CDs, because people were very receptive and interested in buying it.
I did have some of my friends from LA come out. And it was good to hang out with my friend Doug and his fiancé Jen afterwards. It's really nice to get to know another couple and also see Christy make new friends since she has so few out here.
Anyway, the whole experience was a definite success. Now I just want to do it bigger and better. I think Jazz Festivals are a good fit for my music, and I'll be actively looking to do more of those. That, street festivals and soul-music friendly venues in LA are my target right now. Got to build the buzz for the next record. It's going to be a great second half of 2008.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Have to make this quick as I'm heading out the door for Father's Day/my belated birthday fun with the in-laws. I'm still pretty pooped from yesterday and will elaborate on that later tonight when I get back.
One thing I can say is that it was a complete, unadulterated success. The band performed as well as I could have expected given we only had 4 rehearsals, and a lot of people were impressed and newly turned on to the funky white boy.Also, my friend and work colleague Doug came out with his fiancé and her brother to support which meant a lot; as well as south bay's Mike Holmes and wife Kathy. I know it was a serious trek out there, and it was a honor to have even those folks come out to hear my LA debut.
Ok, gonna wrap this up, but I'll pick it up tonight. Feeling good and will continue my full report later.
One thing I can say is that it was a complete, unadulterated success. The band performed as well as I could have expected given we only had 4 rehearsals, and a lot of people were impressed and newly turned on to the funky white boy.Also, my friend and work colleague Doug came out with his fiancé and her brother to support which meant a lot; as well as south bay's Mike Holmes and wife Kathy. I know it was a serious trek out there, and it was a honor to have even those folks come out to hear my LA debut.
Ok, gonna wrap this up, but I'll pick it up tonight. Feeling good and will continue my full report later.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Well, this is it.
The culmination of the last month's worth of preparation for myself and the past two weeks for my band. Today we make our debut at the I.E. Jazz and R&B Festival. Have to say I'm feeling pretty prepared for this, and I anticipate we'll be one of the highlights of the show. I can definitely speak for myself when I say: I intend to kill it. And I'm going to instruct the lads to do the same thing.
Due to the location of the event, I sadly won't have as many of my friends coming out to support. And I was really bummed to find out not even my in-laws can make it out. They're really the only kind of family I have out here, so I'm not happy about that. Have to put all that out of my head though. For one brief, ugly moment I started projecting that negativity, and it was not a fun place to be. I'm not letting anything or anyone ruin this moment for me. It's a big deal to me, and I only plan to shine.
I can't believe it's been about 4 years since I've performed my own music live with a band. This gig is the beginning of the next phase of my music career. I've come back, free from burnout and doubt. I know exactly what I want to do in this business again, who I believe my audience is, and what the game-plan should be for the foreseeable future. It also seems like I've got some good people on my team. So there's really no where to go but up at this point.Am happy to report that for those folks that can't be at the actual event, the show will be broadcast live online. Simply go to http://www.museark.org/musearktv.html and tune in around 2PM Pacific time for my set. I'll be the funky white boy with the saxophone.
For those that attend the festival I will be manning a sales table afterwards, selling CDs and comics. Hopefully I can make enough cash to at least cover my gas out to Moreno Valley, because with that and the money I'm paying the fellas with it promises to be an expensive day. But worth it in the long run, I hope.
Mental checklist to make sure I don't forget to pack the car properly. Synth, sax, amp, stands, cables, CDs (both free previews and full-length for sale), comics, media stands, camera, laptop (just in case), boombox (also just in case), business cards, set-list, cash. Pretty sure that's about it. The fellas have directions to the venue and Angela's phone number so they can get loaded in properly. Guess all we need to do at this point is show up.
Here's to a great day.
The culmination of the last month's worth of preparation for myself and the past two weeks for my band. Today we make our debut at the I.E. Jazz and R&B Festival. Have to say I'm feeling pretty prepared for this, and I anticipate we'll be one of the highlights of the show. I can definitely speak for myself when I say: I intend to kill it. And I'm going to instruct the lads to do the same thing.
Due to the location of the event, I sadly won't have as many of my friends coming out to support. And I was really bummed to find out not even my in-laws can make it out. They're really the only kind of family I have out here, so I'm not happy about that. Have to put all that out of my head though. For one brief, ugly moment I started projecting that negativity, and it was not a fun place to be. I'm not letting anything or anyone ruin this moment for me. It's a big deal to me, and I only plan to shine.
I can't believe it's been about 4 years since I've performed my own music live with a band. This gig is the beginning of the next phase of my music career. I've come back, free from burnout and doubt. I know exactly what I want to do in this business again, who I believe my audience is, and what the game-plan should be for the foreseeable future. It also seems like I've got some good people on my team. So there's really no where to go but up at this point.Am happy to report that for those folks that can't be at the actual event, the show will be broadcast live online. Simply go to http://www.museark.org/musearktv.html and tune in around 2PM Pacific time for my set. I'll be the funky white boy with the saxophone.
For those that attend the festival I will be manning a sales table afterwards, selling CDs and comics. Hopefully I can make enough cash to at least cover my gas out to Moreno Valley, because with that and the money I'm paying the fellas with it promises to be an expensive day. But worth it in the long run, I hope.
Mental checklist to make sure I don't forget to pack the car properly. Synth, sax, amp, stands, cables, CDs (both free previews and full-length for sale), comics, media stands, camera, laptop (just in case), boombox (also just in case), business cards, set-list, cash. Pretty sure that's about it. The fellas have directions to the venue and Angela's phone number so they can get loaded in properly. Guess all we need to do at this point is show up.
Here's to a great day.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Ok, have to make this one super quick, and I've agreed to go into work early today. I've got about five minutes to get my thoughts down and then it's shower time.
Final rehearsal the the IE JazzFest gig went spectacularly. Only hangup was that "Anything" is not going to be included in the set. As seemingly simple as the song is, there are too many cues to be missed and tightness that needs to be in place to just throw it in the set for the sake of "here's something you haven't heard yet." Most likely none of these folks have heard me anyway, so differentiating between old album and new seems a moot point.
I am so very proud of the work done by my rhythm section of the past two weeks. I've thrown a lot of curve balls and demanded much perfection out of them in a very little time. Considering the band's only been together for only two weeks, we will be laying some serious soul on the folks in the Inland Empire tomorrow.
So today, I want to think about it as little as possible. I may end up practicing the piano solo stuff at the end of "Thinkin Bout You" just to tighten things up (boy, have I got a great surprise on that song). And I'll also probably whip up another 10 preview CDs to either sell or give away at the show, as the T-shirts probably aren't going to happen this go-around.
And so I go into this day feeling leaner, funkier, more confident and accomplished than I did even two weeks ago. I really feel I've turned my life around in some pretty big ways, and I think tomorrow will be the beginning of something wonderful.
Final rehearsal the the IE JazzFest gig went spectacularly. Only hangup was that "Anything" is not going to be included in the set. As seemingly simple as the song is, there are too many cues to be missed and tightness that needs to be in place to just throw it in the set for the sake of "here's something you haven't heard yet." Most likely none of these folks have heard me anyway, so differentiating between old album and new seems a moot point.
I am so very proud of the work done by my rhythm section of the past two weeks. I've thrown a lot of curve balls and demanded much perfection out of them in a very little time. Considering the band's only been together for only two weeks, we will be laying some serious soul on the folks in the Inland Empire tomorrow.
So today, I want to think about it as little as possible. I may end up practicing the piano solo stuff at the end of "Thinkin Bout You" just to tighten things up (boy, have I got a great surprise on that song). And I'll also probably whip up another 10 preview CDs to either sell or give away at the show, as the T-shirts probably aren't going to happen this go-around.
And so I go into this day feeling leaner, funkier, more confident and accomplished than I did even two weeks ago. I really feel I've turned my life around in some pretty big ways, and I think tomorrow will be the beginning of something wonderful.
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