not much time
but enough to
keep you informed.
june star plays
10th anniversary show
on november seventh
a decade ago
the band started
strumming singing plateauing.
we are so
fortunate in our
history to share
with many others
the creation and
delivery of songs.
new songs though
are not showing
up in a
timely matter, true.
scary darkness where
ideas used to
live and "become"
now only the
dirt is there.
dirt and water
there's a combination
that strikes at
the essence of
every life and
form. we need
that dirt. we
do. we need
that water. we
do. don't ask
me why or
how, but the
something inside me
needs to speak.
dirt and water
love and loss
fire and sulfur
sun and earth
up and over
around and still
bad poetry is
as bad poetry...
is.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
checking in
shows comin' up
galore galore galore
the songs aren't
flowing like they
used to, now.
working up some
new material for
some expression i
am quite scattered
today. yes, today.
tommorrow will be
better for me.
i swear so.
reading some hawthorne.
he is great
really was, interesting
life and times.
blahg got me
grimm
galore galore galore
the songs aren't
flowing like they
used to, now.
working up some
new material for
some expression i
am quite scattered
today. yes, today.
tommorrow will be
better for me.
i swear so.
reading some hawthorne.
he is great
really was, interesting
life and times.
blahg got me
grimm
Monday, October 27, 2008
Ego and CMJ
Carla wrote: "I don't know, but I keep thinking of a word you brought up earlier. Ego. I am not sure how it fits in."
ego is my
enemy and I
know this to
be so true.
never can I
seem to function
as the musicians
I have read
about or seen
in person. they
are into themselves
because that is
a part of
the business. there
is a musician
in baltimore who
warned me of
playing shows with
bands that aren't
altogether there, yet.
pick and choose
who you play
with, he said.
interesting advice, indeed.
small ego small
success? correlation please!
Lou Reed huge
ego, Paul Westerberg
huge ego, no
doubt. if we
keep paging through
the catalog of
my influences ego
is probably a
main factor in
success. ego is
tough and slowly
I build mine
like some monolithic
tribute to my
superior artistic ability
swinging full golden
measures, vanquishing ignorance
and captivating the
masses, them swooning
and swaying lithely
to the thumps,
skips, scrapes, and
plinks of my
instruments plucked wildly.
Carla then wrote: "It is no fun to not have an audience especially when you and Timothy are such good musicians. You two play together really well and are both talented."
yes it is
true I do
think that we
will be the
underground band that
no one will
know nor discuss.
my ego is
resolved on that.
it does not
change my music
it does not
change my person.
id does not
hurt my ego
id does not
say my name
louder than ego.
Carla finally says, "In the meantime, there is also that old trick called ADVERTISING which can increase audience size."
oh time and
money you are
not my friends
both leave the
party as it
starts getting good.
street team, huzzah!
CMJ Marathon
we had a
nice crowd
attentive and listening
timmy and me
went through about
twelve tunes, altogether.
made a couple
friends and fans.
googies is a
nice place to
play. we enjoy
the crowds and
will work on
another show there.
the new york
times did an
article on cmj.
we were not
mentioned but Wye
Oak and Arboretum
were talked about.
we are under
the radar's radar.
hugs and kisses.
ego is my
enemy and I
know this to
be so true.
never can I
seem to function
as the musicians
I have read
about or seen
in person. they
are into themselves
because that is
a part of
the business. there
is a musician
in baltimore who
warned me of
playing shows with
bands that aren't
altogether there, yet.
pick and choose
who you play
with, he said.
interesting advice, indeed.
small ego small
success? correlation please!
Lou Reed huge
ego, Paul Westerberg
huge ego, no
doubt. if we
keep paging through
the catalog of
my influences ego
is probably a
main factor in
success. ego is
tough and slowly
I build mine
like some monolithic
tribute to my
superior artistic ability
swinging full golden
measures, vanquishing ignorance
and captivating the
masses, them swooning
and swaying lithely
to the thumps,
skips, scrapes, and
plinks of my
instruments plucked wildly.
Carla then wrote: "It is no fun to not have an audience especially when you and Timothy are such good musicians. You two play together really well and are both talented."
yes it is
true I do
think that we
will be the
underground band that
no one will
know nor discuss.
my ego is
resolved on that.
it does not
change my music
it does not
change my person.
id does not
hurt my ego
id does not
say my name
louder than ego.
Carla finally says, "In the meantime, there is also that old trick called ADVERTISING which can increase audience size."
oh time and
money you are
not my friends
both leave the
party as it
starts getting good.
street team, huzzah!
CMJ Marathon
we had a
nice crowd
attentive and listening
timmy and me
went through about
twelve tunes, altogether.
made a couple
friends and fans.
googies is a
nice place to
play. we enjoy
the crowds and
will work on
another show there.
the new york
times did an
article on cmj.
we were not
mentioned but Wye
Oak and Arboretum
were talked about.
we are under
the radar's radar.
hugs and kisses.
Monday, October 20, 2008
dewey beach debacle
so... we roll into town
around 7:30 pm
and we go to the motel.
we check in...
lamp falling off of the
the wall... lights barely
working. the top sheets of
the beds, scary.
big back area that was tiled...
perhaps for a quick clean up?
eh.
we drive to the rusty rudder.
and look around... we get get
drinks... we get bored. other
bands starting to arrive...
first guy goes on. he's
okay... seems like he's
getting his sea legs performing... interesting
guitar chords.
first band outside was seriously tone
deaf... like wow... paint by numbers,
typical alt. country americana drivel
about a pick up truck and lost... everything.
going inside we saw crabmeat thompson...
he was funny and good at what he did...
then it was back outside to see a great band,
curly and the rocket... great stuff...
on the inside... drivel.
back outside... drivel. back inside... jam
rock classic rock... drivel.
last band outside was truly horrorfying.
then we go inside... the band on Stage C didn't
show... so the sound guy says... we'll move
june star to the C Stage... bigger stage, "better sound"
sounds good?
we go on at 12:30... most people had left...
we had to beg for 3 schlitz beers... the lights
weren't on the stage... we played in darkness... we played
to no one... we had a good time joking with
each other... delaware doesn't sell carry out beer...
we end up with a check for 100 dollars...
wow... and we paid 27 dollars for the bar tab.
after some great late night wings...
we sleep for a while... hoping that our gig next
morning will be canceled.
here's the deal... we got 50 bucks for the festival
and an extra 50 for the next day playing at some
relay race... so they set up our "stage" literally
two feet from Ocean Highway, in a liquor store parking lot...
we play from 10-11:45 am... there was no one there... at 10
am at Dewey Beach... at one point
I begin laughing maniacally and cannot
control myself... there was a brief
moment where timmy and I thought about
buying some hard liquor to soothe the ruffles...
after 40 minutes... we packed it in... talked to
the sound guy and said, "We're leaving... this is lame."
he agreed.
It was a pretty low time for us...
like we took money to take money...
sad... sad... sad... sad...
Timmy and I laughed about these things...
just sad to know that we were apart of it...
dirty feelings.
grimm
around 7:30 pm
and we go to the motel.
we check in...
lamp falling off of the
the wall... lights barely
working. the top sheets of
the beds, scary.
big back area that was tiled...
perhaps for a quick clean up?
eh.
we drive to the rusty rudder.
and look around... we get get
drinks... we get bored. other
bands starting to arrive...
first guy goes on. he's
okay... seems like he's
getting his sea legs performing... interesting
guitar chords.
first band outside was seriously tone
deaf... like wow... paint by numbers,
typical alt. country americana drivel
about a pick up truck and lost... everything.
going inside we saw crabmeat thompson...
he was funny and good at what he did...
then it was back outside to see a great band,
curly and the rocket... great stuff...
on the inside... drivel.
back outside... drivel. back inside... jam
rock classic rock... drivel.
last band outside was truly horrorfying.
then we go inside... the band on Stage C didn't
show... so the sound guy says... we'll move
june star to the C Stage... bigger stage, "better sound"
sounds good?
we go on at 12:30... most people had left...
we had to beg for 3 schlitz beers... the lights
weren't on the stage... we played in darkness... we played
to no one... we had a good time joking with
each other... delaware doesn't sell carry out beer...
we end up with a check for 100 dollars...
wow... and we paid 27 dollars for the bar tab.
after some great late night wings...
we sleep for a while... hoping that our gig next
morning will be canceled.
here's the deal... we got 50 bucks for the festival
and an extra 50 for the next day playing at some
relay race... so they set up our "stage" literally
two feet from Ocean Highway, in a liquor store parking lot...
we play from 10-11:45 am... there was no one there... at 10
am at Dewey Beach... at one point
I begin laughing maniacally and cannot
control myself... there was a brief
moment where timmy and I thought about
buying some hard liquor to soothe the ruffles...
after 40 minutes... we packed it in... talked to
the sound guy and said, "We're leaving... this is lame."
he agreed.
It was a pretty low time for us...
like we took money to take money...
sad... sad... sad... sad...
Timmy and I laughed about these things...
just sad to know that we were apart of it...
dirty feelings.
grimm
Sunday, October 12, 2008
friendly musik
press the button
marked record
push the string to
the fret
slide your hand
left to right
sounds transfer to
bytes, bytes click
to a chip
and there they
sit, waiting to
be recharged, listened
to again.
judgment comes with
the second listening
of the tune
and the hanging
of my head
headphones clamped to
each ear creating
a music vacuum
total enclosed environment...
progress note by
note. more later...
it's been a while...
the blahg had to pause
while life got a fair
shake. Dewey Beach
American Fest was
awful. awful. awful.
we were okay... but
it was demoralizing...
like seriously, we
thought about making
good on a suicide
pact in the
Sand Palace Motel.
The saturday show
I won't go into.
Bertha's was fun...
good people... lots
of music... I
even played drums at
one point... which
was fun... but foolish...
now I'm gearing
up to go get my
gear... from the
bertha's.
more on the album.
timmy's tunes are
taking more shape these
days which is cool...
we're trying to be
more expansive on the
sounds... Ryan Finnerin
said it sound like 80's
esque... which was
meant as a compliment...
I know. We have been
listening to a boat load of
Steve Kilbey and the Church.
Yes!
my cat is looking
at me asking for a pet.
by now.
grimm
marked record
push the string to
the fret
slide your hand
left to right
sounds transfer to
bytes, bytes click
to a chip
and there they
sit, waiting to
be recharged, listened
to again.
judgment comes with
the second listening
of the tune
and the hanging
of my head
headphones clamped to
each ear creating
a music vacuum
total enclosed environment...
progress note by
note. more later...
it's been a while...
the blahg had to pause
while life got a fair
shake. Dewey Beach
American Fest was
awful. awful. awful.
we were okay... but
it was demoralizing...
like seriously, we
thought about making
good on a suicide
pact in the
Sand Palace Motel.
The saturday show
I won't go into.
Bertha's was fun...
good people... lots
of music... I
even played drums at
one point... which
was fun... but foolish...
now I'm gearing
up to go get my
gear... from the
bertha's.
more on the album.
timmy's tunes are
taking more shape these
days which is cool...
we're trying to be
more expansive on the
sounds... Ryan Finnerin
said it sound like 80's
esque... which was
meant as a compliment...
I know. We have been
listening to a boat load of
Steve Kilbey and the Church.
Yes!
my cat is looking
at me asking for a pet.
by now.
grimm
Saturday, October 11, 2008
CMJ
so we backdoored it
into cmj. college music journal.
it's a big deal?
a big deal in what capacity?
where? new york new york
when oct. 24th when 9:30 pm
where? googies. why? because
music is fun. music fellowship
for human thinkers.
cmj to me feels like
sxsw in a lot of ways. only
established bands w/ incredible
luck seem to get accepted. we
just booked a show and were
ushered in pretty quickly.
excitement. ellen cherry is joinging
us for her own set. marshall... my
good friend from college, my
intellectual college friend,whom
works in a museum and recently
opened a show on george tooker,
will
be there. he enjoys fresh food and
good beer/wine. he is compact and
worth the worth.
in the mean time
we will be playing at the
dewey beach americana festival.
yes... delaware... home to biden.
no sales tax. i will buy something
i'd normally buy in maryland
just to stick it to the 6% md sales tax.
which gets me thinking
if taxes are meant to become
public money that is used
for improvements in education,
streets, social services, and the like
why is it such an awful thing? we volunteer
to live in amrerica... ya could
leave if you really wanted to. i'm
just typing out loud here. of course
some folks who don't have children
question why they should pay taxes
that will be used for education? the
nearest answer for why is that those
kids will become the caretakers... and
frankly i'd like them to be literate
critical thinkers that can problem
solve, right? right?
whatev.
I'm a bit bored with the blog
this morning... so i'll split...
here's to you, maryland.
grimm
into cmj. college music journal.
it's a big deal?
a big deal in what capacity?
where? new york new york
when oct. 24th when 9:30 pm
where? googies. why? because
music is fun. music fellowship
for human thinkers.
cmj to me feels like
sxsw in a lot of ways. only
established bands w/ incredible
luck seem to get accepted. we
just booked a show and were
ushered in pretty quickly.
excitement. ellen cherry is joinging
us for her own set. marshall... my
good friend from college, my
intellectual college friend,whom
works in a museum and recently
opened a show on george tooker,
be there. he enjoys fresh food and
good beer/wine. he is compact and
worth the worth.
in the mean time
we will be playing at the
dewey beach americana festival.
yes... delaware... home to biden.
no sales tax. i will buy something
i'd normally buy in maryland
just to stick it to the 6% md sales tax.
which gets me thinking
if taxes are meant to become
public money that is used
for improvements in education,
streets, social services, and the like
why is it such an awful thing? we volunteer
to live in amrerica... ya could
leave if you really wanted to. i'm
just typing out loud here. of course
some folks who don't have children
question why they should pay taxes
that will be used for education? the
nearest answer for why is that those
kids will become the caretakers... and
frankly i'd like them to be literate
critical thinkers that can problem
solve, right? right?
whatev.
I'm a bit bored with the blog
this morning... so i'll split...
here's to you, maryland.
grimm
Monday, October 06, 2008
the end experiement
looking over the blahg.
man i got a lot of pictures of
myself on this page. what
an ego. eh? from here on
out i'm going to limit that
idea. if it's a great picture,
well okay. but i'm going to look
and take other pictures that
may be interesting.
deal?
deal.
obama and biden
mccain and palin
i've been jaded for a while
i don't believe that any
politician will be happy until
they've murdered everyone.
obama is someone i want to believe.
smart, young, idealistic.
seemingly untainted.
but the reality or at least
projected reality i fear is
that he holds the same secrets
as most folks striding towards
power... same old cliches.
whatever.
has our country always
been this way?
take that baltimore
grimm
man i got a lot of pictures of
myself on this page. what
an ego. eh? from here on
out i'm going to limit that
idea. if it's a great picture,
well okay. but i'm going to look
and take other pictures that
may be interesting.
deal?
deal.
obama and biden
mccain and palin
i've been jaded for a while
i don't believe that any
politician will be happy until
they've murdered everyone.
obama is someone i want to believe.
smart, young, idealistic.
seemingly untainted.
but the reality or at least
projected reality i fear is
that he holds the same secrets
as most folks striding towards
power... same old cliches.
whatever.
has our country always
been this way?
take that baltimore
grimm
Saturday, October 04, 2008
synced
last night at the hexagon
me, timmy, dave hadley
guitar, guitar, pedal steel.
one of the best shows
we ever played
energy and sounds
at a handy pace,
interpretation was smooth. s
eams in the the songs,
double stitched and
triple stretched.
ten people
in the audience
no money
paid out.
classic june star
show. brilliant
and heard by
a
few.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
book festival part two
carla asked,
So did you get any questions when you were on the panel?
an older gentlemen asked about Bob Dylan's pilfering of Henry Timrod as plagiarism. I responded that technically, "yes" his "lifting of lines" would constitute a charge; however, Dylan was probably doing something bigger than just trying to fill space on an album. Lyrically... he was doing what we've all been doing musically... reinterpreting Chuck Berry.
Did an audience ask the questions or were they pre-written?
Most of the questions came from Erik Deatherage of WTMD. He had pre-written the questions and asked them specifically of some panelists and other questions were for anyone and everyone to answer. Good questions... the impact of reading on our music... what is the link between author's and inspiration... what is the common key to good writing in fiction and in song...
Did anything interesting get said by people other than you?
Yes, there were some good things being said... Jason Tinney of Donegal Express talked about Larry Brown and kinship between him and Alejandro Escevedo.
Do musicians influence authors or do only authors influence musicians?
Both... Stephen King has been putting lyrics from songs he'd been listening to into his books... although Stephen King may not be literary academia so to speak. But certainly it was my perspective that author's have influenced my writing in terms of creating mood or a characters voice... making something real... Raymond Carver comes to mind for me.
Did the parking suck?
We got lucky. I don't think Sunday was as packed as the previous days...
This is the second post I've attempted with blogspot... on this topic... first one was lost...
Yikes...
Photos are by Tim Heaney... he's great!
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