I know it's been awhile since I posted. And there's no decent excuse, although I'll more than likely try to make some up. To be honest, I needed to take some time to recharge and relax. And, it's official, I am on hiatus until 2009.

But I wanted to let everyone know things have actually been going better in my life and pursuits. Let's just get to the health thing first. A couple months ago I let my friends know that I'd had some bloodwork done, and my triglycerides (or fatty acids in the blood) were off the chart. Thanks to some medication and a complete change of diet I'm happy to report that I've gotten than number back down to a reasonable level and my risk of heart disease as significantly reduced. Also, as a matter of not having a physical exam in a long time, I also got a chest x-ray (mainly because I've been an occasional social smoker). That, also, came up negative. So that's the good news on the health front.

Also glad to report that my full-time job is going very well. After more than a year of championing my own cause to be brought on board full-time at the day gig, they finally did it. Have had a good couple month, feel a lot more financially secure, and even got a generous bonus from my bosses. In a time when things are on the downturn for the country, I thank my lucky stars I was able to pull this out of my hat. It made my Christmas a lot easier to handle.

Had a nice Christmas Eve with the wife. Ate lots of awesome cheeses and meats, drank lots of champagne and watched some holiday classics on the tube. The dogs enjoyed their presents and Beggin Strips. It was a nice way to cap off the holiday season. Today we head down to the in-laws and open our gifts. Ham and tri-tip on the menu. I'm so going off diet. I'm also taking Tom & Jerrys down with me.

HERE'S THE FREE MUSIC PART:

Since I'm feeling particularly jovial and generous today, I've decided to make my first record, The State of Blue-Eyed Soul, a free download. This is a limited offer until Christmas is over. Whether that's later tonight or through the weekend remains to be see. I guess it all depends on if the word spreads. So without further adieu, here is the link to the file:

http://ping.fm/kWdyS

Enjoy the music and tell your friends a really cool record is online for free.

Lastly, I want to thank some people who were instrumental in keeping me from totally offing myself this year. I honestly don't know what I would have done if you all weren't in my life.

Christy - We've gone through hell and back this year. I know it's been tough, but there is really no one on earth I'd rather do this with. I love you and look forward to making next year our best ever.

Doug Logan - Your friendship has been a welcome gift this year. I wish you all the luck possible through this difficult time in your life and will ever be there when you need a friend.

Scott Ludwig - In the brief time we've been friends, we've had a lot of fun and great conversation. It's so refreshing to have someone to lay all of the shit no one else understand upon. I appreciate having a kindred spirit, and I'll stop now before I start sounding too gay.

Michael and Donna De Lepine - Although we haven't seen much of each other of late, your continued support and friendship are never lost on me. I hope we all get a chance to hang out soon, and I wish you much luck with your future plans. I know I'll miss you deeply when you guys head out to the island.

Christian Beranek - We've had such a tumultuous journey, you and I. I'm very proud of your success and look forward to seeing what's on the horizon with you. Thank you for keeping me in your arsenal and giving me the opportunities you have--and for being a good friend.

Mike Wellman - Hey Daddy-O! Thank you for being about the most positive person I've ever met. If life ever gets to you, you never show it. And I wish I had that kind of grace and composure. Thanks for your continued support of my musical and comic book endeavors, and for showing me a great example of a new father.

Michael Ashanti - It's going to break my heart knowing that you're an ocean away now. I'm so glad you found a companion in life and I with the two of you all the love and joy I can muster. I can't wait until we're both in a place when we can work together in the same room again. For now our careers have sent us on opposite sides of the planet, but you will always be my musical soul brother.

Christopher North - What a crazy year for you! I'm so glad you have been able to set down the roots for not only a great family but a respected career. I'll try no to be so much of a stranger next year. You always have my well wishes and support.

Chris Woodward - Can you believe we've been friends for 29 goddamn years? When the hell are you going to move to LA??

James Rodriguez - I miss my artist and partner more than I ever let on. I'm ready to get the ball rolling again, and it seems like you've got some time on your hands. Let's talk.

Raquel Griffiths - Thank you for believing in me, championing me to S&B and being a class act of a boss and lady. I don't think I ever express how much you teach me. Just know it's greatly appreciated. I promise not to screw up on your watch.

Lauren Perry - You are a true friend to me and understand me in ways no one else does. I'm sorry you have to see all that. :-P

Denise Scanlon - For letting me in so deeply into your family I can only say thanks. Thank you also for being there for both Christy and I when times are tough. You're the coolest mom-in-law I've ever had.

The Band - Guys, I promise this coming year is our year. Thank you for the fantastic gig this past summer, your talent and professionalism. I'll be in touch very soon with my plan for '09!

Southbay Bob - Thanks for being a continued staple in the music scene here and always letting me know when there's an event I need to be at. You're one of my California friends that I really need to get to know better, and I'll make a point of that in 2009.

Jeremiah Roiko - Can't believe I almost forgot you. That would have been tragic, as you are an amazing  talent, a welcome colleague and a good friend. I truly love sharing the stage with you and hope we get more chances to do it in the coming years.

Keith Murphey - Thank you for continuing to be a valued friend and colleague despite whatever differences we've had. You are the reason I continued my comic book career, and that fact will never go undisputed. Best of luck with whatever you choose to pursue.

I'm sure I missed a lot of folks, and hopefully I'll get to them before the new year starts. Until then I say “Merry Christmas to All!” Have a great one!

Blogged with the Flock Browser

November 25 Midnight Pages

It's been a good minute.

Figured I was due to take to some time off of blogging. That and I've been very busy with other projects. And there was a certain amount of drama swirling around me that I decided I needed to shake. The one big problem with the internet is that it's very easy to have things misinterpreted and misconstrued. As a point of fact: I was right, everyone else was wrong, and I think history will, in the end, agree with me.

But enough of that. Things are proceeding apace. I spent a good few weeks drafting a treatment for Kingdom Comics, and while I'm still waiting for word from the Disney execs, the initial feedback was favorable. Even if I get rejected from the Magic Kingdom I have a decent IP that I can shop to other studios and/or publishers. It's probably high time to get a rep. A real one, this time.

Have decided to take a creative hiatus until after the holidays. I'll be milling around a few personal projects (read: the next record and QUANTUM), but my main focus will be on enjoying my family and friends and chilling the fuck out for a change. I've been busting my ass for a long time, and I think I've earned a respite.

That said, I'm ready to recharge. I have big plans for my musical endeavors, which I won't go into great detail about here. Suffice it to say the next Philip Clark record is icing on the cake. I'm ready to kick some musical ass in '09.

Speaking of, I've been hitting the Pro Blues Jam in Playa Del Rey at the Prince O' Whales. Good bunch of guys, and I feel welcome and appreciated on their stage. It keeps my chops up and puts me in good contact with other musicians. I'll try to repeat this as much as I can.

Anyway, I'm just filing a quick report before I nod off to beddy-bye. Two more days of work and then my first paid holiday since God-knows-when. I'm gonna be chillin' like a villain this weekend.

More later,
PC

Reposting this: 2+ years ago, my LA statement of purpose

From March 16th, 2006:

An open letter to the Los Angeles creative community

Hello all. My name is Philip Clark. I self-publish QUANTUM: Rock of Ages, and I'm a very active member in the NYC and independent comic book community. I'm writing this letter to let you know that I am coming your way, moving to the left coast, and I have some great things to bring to the table in the City of Angels. That is, if you'll have me.

I know it's pretty forward for me to just bust in on your sandy plane brimming with new ideas and all, but if you'll bear with me for a moment, I'll show you what I hope to contribute to the scene out there.

The first thing I propose to do is set up an LA chapter of the Comic Art Guild.

http://ping.fm/CoGiF

We are an organization of comic book writers, artists, inkers, letterers, publishers, and enthusiasts, united in networking and educating ourselves in the way of the industry. I will be hosting meetings in LA for anyone interested in getting into comics as a hobby or career. I'd also like to network with any such existing organizations and like-minded professionals.

Secondly, I will be setting up my publishing and production operation in Manhattan Beach, and I invite all LA area creators to contact me if they need any consultation regarding comic book pre-press or music production. I have published several successful comics, flyers, banners, and web ads. And I have an extensive music industry resumé and discography. I've been in the trenches, not only as a commercial producer, but also an art director, publisher, and an accounts/personnel manager. I will be posting my resume and portfolio online within the next week. If you'd like to read my comic book, you can do so at http://quantumcomic.net

Third, I will be forming a new band, recording a new Philip Clark record, and playing several live shows. Any musician who truly wants to flow with the funk should contact me. I will immediately be looking for a rhythm section (drums, bass, guitar) and possibly an auxiliary keyboard player. In addition to being a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, I'm a two-time winner at the Apollo, and I plan to bring my brand of Soul to Los Angeles. Feel free to listen to the first record at http://philipclark.com

I wish to meet and connect with all of my fellow independent artists, writers, musicians, and creators. I truly feel that if you help enough people, you eventually help yourself. As such, it is my goal to be an asset in any professional venture I undertake. If you have a gig for a guy who will put the team first, I'm you're guy.

At the end of the day, I simply want to have fun. I'm hoping to find a position that will feed that desire and still be productive.

I'm hoping you've read these words, and will contact me if you feel I'm the quality of person you'd like to associate with. It's my belief that positivity breeds positivity, and that's where I'm coming from.

My Cali residency begins April 1st. I'm hoping I meet some folks who might be willing to show me around town.

Look forward to hearing from you,
Philip Clark

WEB RADIO FEATURE

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September 23, 2008 Midnight Pages

Wow, sorry it's been so long.

I literally haven't had a minute to write. Ok, lame excuse. But I guess I've been doing a lot of living and took an accidental break from journaling. Shouldn't happen again. It also shows a lack of discipline, and that's the kind of thing I'm trying to break.

I've been all over the map, truth to tell. Been nabbing one-man music gigs just to stay fresh. It's annoying that I'm still too cash poor to rehearse with the band, much less publish QUANTUM #7. Sucks having a book in the can and not being able to publish it. It's starting to piss me off.

The good news is that I'm being creative. Pre-production on the new record is proceeding apace. Working out the kinks and building beats for stuff. It's all really rough, but it's reassuring me that the songs themselves are pretty solid. There is going to be a decision soon, however. The record is a lot poppier (as in more pop-sounding) that the last. A lot more songs feeling like “Twenty Days,” which I suppose is a good thing, because that song's a fan favorite. And although I have a tendency to try to program the drums to sound more live, I think I'll be doing R&B drum mixes simultaneously. That will give me two arrangements of every tune, and then when it comes time to decide to Urban I wish this record to sound I can pick and choose by song.

That will also give me alternate remixes that I can release at another date. It's something I played with on SOBES and never implemented. Since I can't find any remixers right now, I'll just do it myself.



Logic Pro is some serious shit. I'm still learning it, and I've been a power user for years. I wish I could find a diagram of ProTools key commands so I could customize Logic appropriately. It'd be great to just take a couple days to really get it under my fingers. That may be my weekend project. But the features are completely out of this world. It really makes MIDI instruments superfluous. Still have to get the audio interface so I can start tracking acoustic stuff.

Lots to catch up on. Will try getting up early enough tomorrow to continue morning pages.

Peace and chicken grease,
P

Standby...

I know it's been a while since I've posted. I'll more than likely get something up tonight. Stay tuned.

September 10, 2008 Morning Pages

I have so little time to crank this out, so I'm going to type like the wind. Lots on my mind, no real organization, but want to get it down simply because that's what morning pages are for.

First and foremost: glad to be alive. Guess the Large Hadron Collider didn't destroy the planet after all. Crisis averted. Can we all move on now?

Item. Woke up this morning taken out of a fantastic dream I was having about being on stage with The Purple One by a hungry, impatient beagle. I love having dreams about simply being in the same room as Prince, as I realize that the likelihood of it actually happening is pretty nil. One part I vividly remember was him playing a huge 6-string bass, surrounded by scores of hot women who were also thumping on the bass in various places. Made for such a great visual. I must have been playing in the band in some capacity, because I was on stage and not watching from the crowd. God, I love a good dream.

Item. Got to give it up for the new iTunes. Two very significant improvements to the software, most notably the new “Genius” feature. iTunes now studies your music library and besides giving you recommendations on what music you may be missing (which it's done for awhile in its “mini-store”), it can craft you a custom playlist using your library based on any song in that library. Just to give it a good test, I plugged one of my songs into it and was pleasantly surprised at what iTunes chose to pair my music with. Also updated is the visualizer. It looks pretty amazing as well.

As long as were talking about amazing looking things, let's move on to TV. Caught two premieres last night. Ok, actually one and a half. I watched the full pilot for Fox's FRINGE and stumbled into SONS OF ANARCHY about halfway through. It amazes me at how much good drama doesn't take long to seep in, because I got more enjoyment out of the 30 or 40 minutes I saw of ANARCHY than the nearly 90 minutes I sat through FRINGE. And I wasn't even all that interested in catching this new FX series. It wasn't on my radar. I'd heard passing things about it from a couple friends at work. And it's definitely not my usual cup of tea. But there are so many great things about this show so far, that I think I'm instantly hooked.

First, it's like The Sopranos, but on Harleys. How brilliant is that?

Second, it's impeccably cast. Ron Perlman made a phenomenal choice taking this role hot off of Hellboy. And, prediction time:

KATY SEGAL IS EMMY BOUND. MARK MY WORDS.

There are so many other great aspects of this show that I haven't gotten hip to. I must see the pilot in its entirety. The set-up and premise to this drama is pretty engaging. I may have found a new favorite for fall.

...which means that I'm going to have to cut something else I was planning on watching, and that will more than likely be Fringe. For all the wait and hype, it got a serious “meh” from me in the end. I think, perhaps, because it really just picks up from where the X-Files left off, and I really wasn't that into the X-Files. Sorry, JJ Abrams. Sorry Joshua Jackson. I love you both, and I'll give this series a couple more chances, but I have a feeling I'm just not going to be that into you.

Ok, that's good for today. Off to the exciting world of graphic design.

September 9, 2008 Morning Pages

Wow, it's been a minute.

Have been so tied up personal health concerns lately that I've been missing my journaling routine. Today, fortunately I woke up early enough to correct that.

But, to be honest--and I won't say I was blocked because I don't buy into block--but I do believe that a great deal of my own creative engine is also tied to my confidence. And that, as of late, has been hanging pretty low. The good news is that I've spent a great deal of this past week focusing on the new record and pre-producing much of the material therein. The recently-puchased G5 runs like a top even without the audio interface, so at the very least I'm able to get basic sequencing and music demos cranked out. I'm actively working on 3 songs this week alone. Have very good demo-able versions of “All 4 the Love of U” and “Big Blue Sky” nearly out of first draft stage. “November Rain” looks to be a lot more challenging, however, and I'm going to have to take a long hard look at how it's going to be produced. On a songwriting level alone it's a early fan favorite, and I want to make sure I do it justice.

With the new Thicke record looming on the horizon, it's led to me think a lot about how my new record is going to sound. The answer hasn't really changed: it's going to sound like it's going to sound. This project has been gestating for the better part of six or seven years. It's material that's been back-burnered since “State of Blue-Eyed Soul,” and I need to get it out of my mental queue. Depending on how things sound when I've really got some finished songs done, we'll see how much makes it on the record. But I've got a good 12-14 songs that could come out of this. There is also the temptation to start fresh with some new sounding things as well. My main fear is that I've already dated these songs before they even see the light of day, but that's really going to be a production issue. The songs, in and of themselves, are solid enough in my opinion. And at the end of the day I can't be bothered by what the Robin Thicke's or Justin Timberlakes are doing. I can only make the best music I know how to make. That's all I've ever done.

But already this record is going to be a lot more pop-y, which may be a source of concern to me. I kind of wanted to lean more toward R&B, but at the same time didn't want this record to sound as self-produced. It is a goal to make sure this record sounds more like other, live musicians participated. So, again, I have to divorce myself from the status quo and just put out the next great Philip Clark album.

Anyway, it sounds like if worse came to worse, I would grow out my facial hair and make a killing as a Robin Thicke impersonator. I hear there might be some money in that.

Ha. There would have to be.

Continuing from yesterday, here is the rest of my tribute to my favorite Blue Eyed Soul artists:

David Pack



Probably one of the most under-appreciated of his era. As Ambrosia's lead singer, Pack's style and voice were absolutely genre defining. He also did a number of solo stints in the 80's that were totally overlooked. This guy gets many props in my book.


Paul Carrick



Another under-appreciated gem. But you'd know him if you'd heard him. Just go to Ace's “How Long Has This Been Going On,” Squeeze's “Tempted” or “Silent Running” by Mike and the Mechanics--not to mention his own solo work. A Blue Eyed Soul powerhouse.


Phil Collins



Phil had a soul, charm and sense of song-craft and rhythm that was truly his own and pushed him to the forefront of the 80's music scene as a member of Genesis. But album tracks off his solo outings will really show this guy had a deep love for old-school soul.


George Michael



Hitting with a massively luscious voice, good looks, and steady hooks, this brit took the best elements of his Stevie Wonder influence and ruled the late 80's and early 90's. His solo debut, “Faith,” is still ground-breaking to this day.


Annie Lennox



A complete soulful vocal powerhouse. I don't know many people funkier than this woman. She's outright dangerous with how much passion and soul she has. It's actually kind of scary.


Robbie Nevil



“C'est La Vie” indeed. This phenomenal singer, songwriter and producer is vastly under-appreciated. Go find his music and absorb it.


Richard Marx



Probably best known for 80's soft-ballads, Marx is a songwriter's songwriter and a hell of a vocalist. All commercial success aside, he is a prime example of all things true and blue.


Robert Palmer



How could this guy leave our planet so quickly and suddenly. This guy had pipes and pizzazz. A Blue Eyed Soul great.


Peter Cox



Most people will gloss over Peter as the frontman of Go West. But dig deeper and you'll find a fantastic solo career, lyrical vocal range and fluidity and a deep rooted passion. Singers, do yourself a favor and study this guy.


Jon B.



An absolute force to be reckoned in modern R&B, I truly can not believe this guy is white sometimes.


Jamiroquai



Pooling his own quirkiness with a huge Stevie Wonder influence, Jay Kay helped bring Acid Jazz to the masses.


Justin Timberlake



As a member of NSYNC and eventually a massive solo artist, you can't deny that JT is probably the epitome of what Blue Eyed Soul has become today. At times, I feel he does a better Michael Jackson than Michael Jackson.


Remy Shand



Unfortunately, this guy only had a couple of hits a few years back. But this one-man production and music prodigy has some serious chops--as both a multi-instumentalist and singer. You can hear Marvin's ghost coming out of this kid. Gives me chills.


Robin Thicke



Although probably the closest thing I'll ever have to a nemesis, you have to give the guy credit. He's a capable singer and songwriter who's paid his dues and struck a chord with the mainstream. His ground-breaking “Lost Without You” is as smooth as hot butter. Very much looking forward to the upcoming record.


Tomi



An overlooked Blue Eyed Soulster of this era. Go out and buy this guy's debut album NOW! Tomi mixes the best of what you'd expect from Justin or Robin, spins with a heavy Prince influence and then puts his own mark on it. Highly recommended.


Marc Broussard



What little I've heard of this guy I very much enjoy. Looks like he's very well on his way to helping usher in the next level of Blue Eyed Soulfulness.


Jamie Lidell



A relatively new voice in the genre, but one that's gotten high critical acclaim. Keep an eye out for this one.


Philip Clark



What kind of list would this be without...ME? Yes I'll keep the tooting of my own horn to the minimum, but be assured that you'll see great things coming up, and I'll hopefully earn my place on this list of legends.

September 3, 2008 Evening Pages - Philip's Blue Eyed Soul Hall of Fame, Pt. 1

Gonna take this morning to talk about “Blue Eyed Soul.” Now, some folks love the term, others hate it. Myself, I find it makes it a lot easier to effectively tell people what kind of sound I have. Yes, of course, it's all Soul Music. But “Blue Eyed” is a distinction that only a few of us can truly pull off well. Here's my quick tribute to the best of the best:

(I started this list, and I know I'm forgetting someone. I also realized this is going to be a 2-part blog. Forgive me.)

Elvis Presley



Got to give it up for the first. Elvis was really the first white guy to fool the masses into thinking he was black. His voice gave him the huge crossover it took the pioneer a whole new sound.


Jerry Lee Lewis



Taking the best of what Elvis had and adding his own sass and, more importantly, piano to the mix.


The Righteous Brothers



The original Blue Eyed Soul duo. Bill Medley's voice alone is about a dark as they come.


Teena Marie



One of the first Blue Eyed Soul divas. You can't deny how sultry and funky this girl is.


Bobby Caldwell



Just take a listen to “What You Won't Do For Love” and tell me this guy doesn't have soul.


Daryl Hall



Probably one of my biggest influences. Hall took vocal smoothness and combined it with keyboard elegance and sharp songwriting. A soul god in his own right.


John Oates



Not to be ignored but rather highlighted as his own entity. John Oates was more than simply the quiet half of a legendary duo. He composed and produced for several acts in the 80's and 90's to leave a strong legacy of his own.


Michael McDonald



More than likely my single biggest influence in this genre. Michael McDonald's voice took smooth to the same kind of level that Hall's took agressive. But what really separates Michael Mc Donald from the pack is this sheer brilliance as a songwriter. His songs evoke passion, change, heartache and romance all at the same time. No one writes like this guy these days.


Bobby Kimball



Possibly overshadowed due to the fact that he's with a group. But this, the original Toto lead singer, has a range and a mastery of voice that very few have. Bobby was probably one of the first guys I heard that could truly “riff” like a black vocalist but still keep the edge of a rock star.


Gino Vanelli



This Canadian Soulster stuck a resonant chord with smash hits like “I Just Wanna Stop” and “Living Inside Myself.” But the best gems from this guy are ones that never hit the airwaves. And songwriting! Don't even get me started. Take a listen to “Lucky Man” and tell me this guy isn't coming from somewhere uniquely genuine.


Boz Scaggs



Smooth, elegant, with a very dark soulful voice. Boz is undeniably someone you immediate go to for solid 70's soul, of any color.

END OF PART ONE. STAY TUNED FOR PART 2!

Blogged with the Flock Browser

August 31, 2008 Morning Pages

Slowly dragging myself out of the funk I've been in. It was nice to have a good day out in the sun with the wife and mom-in-law yesterday. The Hermosa Beach Festival was a lot less insane than last year; actually manageable. I just remember last year it being hot, muggy, crowded, and impossible to traverse. Not only were we able to sample a good variety of food, we were also able to easily get table space, walk to whole festival with ease and even listen to some of the bands down there.

As much as I'd like to eventually be one of the bands to play this event, I fear it'll probably never happen simply due to the fact that most of the acts are tribute bands. And though I think a Toto/Hall & Oates tribute would be well received, it's just something I intend to put on my plate in the near future.

(Actually, I would love to have a Toto tribute band. It would absolutely kick ass, and I would have an absolute ball doing it. If Led Zepagain can be the toast of the South Bay, I'm pretty sure my Toto band would clean house. But 1) it's hard enough to find musicians for my own project let alone a cover band, and 2) I need to be making my own bloody music right now. This would be too easy of a distraction. But, as an aside, they are one of the best bands ever. If anyone out there ever does form a tribute band in the LA area, please give me a call. I'll sing and play the shit out of that stuff.)



Day 2 of my “vacation.” Hopefully the agenda today is brunch and a movie with the wife, and then I have a few personal things to take care of. There's a phone call I've been putting off for some time now, and I think this weekend is the time to take care of it. It's not something I'm looking forward to, but it's necessary. A friendship is resting on it, and so is my self-respect.

When I first sat down to write this today, I had contemplated doing a review of Blue Eyed Soul over the ages. And though it sounds like a lot of fun, I think it's actually going to take a little more forethought than a simple stream-of-consciousness rambling in this forum. But with the upcoming release of the new Robin Thicke record (translated: Philip severely needs to get his shit together), it might be appropriate to educate the masses that there are several other artists out there (translated: ME!) that are putting out this kind of excellent music. I do have to admit, I was impressed by Mr. Thicke's interview in Billboard, and I hope his calling Vibe magazine out for not putting a white artist on the cover (except Eminem, where the fuck is the logic?) doesn't backfire on him.



I haven't decided if aping the visual motif from his last record is lazy or brilliant, and it looks like the release date's been pushed from Sep 9 to Sep 30. I hope to God they don't cram that duet version of “Magic” featuring Mary J. Blige on this record. These last-minute duets are obviously sales ploys and really piss me off. Here's hoping Thicke's release is a solid one but obviously not a brilliant as what's coming up from yours truly.

Well, I'm back on a reasonable clip with the writing again. Took me long enough. Hopefully I'll be back tomorrow with even more brilliance. Peace.

August 30, 2008 Noon Pages

Right.

This is the essence of the whole principal of the morning pages. I have absolutely no idea what the hell I'm going to write here today. As per previous entries, I've been pretty lethargic, depressed, and pretty much uninspired for the better part of a week or two. My creative drive has been reduced to squat, and my confidence is about non-existent. I really don't feel like I've got anything to give lately. Which is a real drag, because it's not like I don't have plenty of ideas brewing or on the back-burner.

But it's also Labor Day weekend, and probably the last best hope for me to have any kind of break or vacation before the holidays. I've got 72 hours to try to recharge, relax, and find some way to look forward to the months to come.

So today I'm heading out with the wife and mom-in-law to the Hermosa Beach Festival. This is something they do every Memorial Day and Labor Day weekend. It's got vendors, artists, and bands, and it's generally a pretty cool vibe.

Well, mom-in-law just arrived, so I'll try to make a serious entry tomorrow. It's really time for me to get back into my groove again.

August 28, 2008 Morning Pages - Crawling out from under the rock which I'm hiding

Not a lot of time to journal today, but I wanted to begin getting my creative momentum back. Truth to tell, I've been a little lost, lonely and confused about a lot of things and I've shut up just about completely in an effort to deal with them. I've felt lethargic, depressed, nearly sick. What a terrible way to spend August--generally one of my favorite months.

I've also been caught up in the middle of a whole hot mess of drama that seems to be getting worse rather than better. And that makes me sad.

The good news is that the wife and I had a pretty encouraging talk last night, and it's made me think about what's most important in my life.

But first things first: time to crawl out from under the rock I've been hiding the past few days. Apologies to any of you that have wondered where the hell I was. I'll work on getting right soon.

August 21, 2008 Morning Pages - I have talented friends

Not a lot of time to blog today, and since most of the time all I do is talk about myself in these pages I thought I'd go for something a little different.

The great thing about the internet is how accessible content is nowadays. Combine that with some of the talented people I know and that makes for hopefully a pretty exciting entry. So here's a taste of some of the gifted folks I call friends.

First up is my friend Tony T. I played with Tony in a couple bands back in NYC. Tony is one serious cat. His probably most notable claim to fame was being a part of the "Late Night" band in the early David Letterman days, before Anton Fig. A true gentleman and all around nice-guy, Tony comes from serious old-school drumming, siting influences like Buddy Rich and Gene Crupa.



Next up is Lydia. Now, I've never had the privilege of actually meeting her, but I feel like a kindred spirit with her because the girl is so fundamentally FUNKY. Looks like she's played with the likes of Candy Dulfer and Marcus Miller, and that's good enough to win much respect in my book. Plus, she can SANG. Check this.



Another drummer friend of mine. David Penna is a product rep for Korg. He's also a great songwriter and producer. And I didn't know this at all, but he has a deep love for Jungle Music and Drum and Bass.



I'll wrap this up with Carla Lynne Hall, the DIY Diva. Besides being probably one of the coolest people I know, Carla is a veru talented singer/songwriter in her own right. She also has a great blog for musicians called Rock Star Life Lessons. Pay attention.



That's it for today. I'm gonna be so late for work.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Drummers, looking to improve your chops? Check out my buddy Tony T's videos. http://ping.fm/fCgUH

is checking out Ben Lazar's awesome article on Imani Coppola http://ping.fm/1ThIK

is cranking out PDFs.

is giving his friends serious love. It sucks to be on my bad side right about now.

download my record for FREE at Aime Street! http://ping.fm/idHIL

New morning pages are up. http://ping.fm/wWn1h or http://ping.fm/6roKO