A new direction

After what seems like an eternity in class I am finally about to begin clinicals. I will be spending the next 6 months on what amounts to a really long job interview.
Fortunately my clnical site is 5 minutes from my house, 7 if I catch both lights red. Good thing considering I have to be there at 6am, for years I have been pretty sure that 6 showed up on the clock only once.
I also have been invited to join an honors society. I’m rather surprised but I worked pretty hard so dammit I deserve it, even though it’s going to cost me.
All in all I’m pretty happy with myself, Fortis college however is another story.

Indian Summer

Indian Summer The scooter rally is coming up Oct 24-26. Here is a video Ryan and I worked up from last year.

Leaving Las Vegas

Things are done. The tour is over and the band is off to Russia. The Vegas gig was pretty rad. we played at a festival called Vegoose. A 3 day music fest in Las Vegas on the campus of UNLV. Our set was the last on the Jokers Wild Stage on sunday night. We finished and the Main Stage fired up with Rage Against The Machine. From Where I was standing it sounded great and the light show was pretty good too.

Being the last night of tour we had to split up gear and get it ready to ship home, back to the rental house or on to Russia. Having been up most of the night after LA and not much sleep thru the day as the bus kept overheating and then the trailer blew a tire makes for a long day.

Time to get clean. get a beer and say good bye. Time to head home.

San Francisco

A bit of downtime this evening. A shower is great thing for the mental well being. We are performing at the Mezzanine in downtown S.F. I went on a bit of walkabout with James (DJ) and came across a few unsavory characters and of Course MY GUY! ITs almost Halloween and we have had a hard time concentrating at work since we got here. The Hospitality girl is dressed up as a badd badd cop and has been nothing but helpful.

Escape from L.A.

Friday morning up and at ‘em. Last night I caught up with drew. He had [ractice and then a gig at the Derby. I caught up with him after watching most of game 2 of the World Series with James (bass) down at the Sports Bar in the Hotel. He’s a cool guy; we bonded over Red SOX and fIREHOSE, and beer. Liles and I are headed to breakfast at the diner around the corner. Won’t be long now before we are off and running again. Tonight we play the echoplex then drive to San Francisco.

Which Way to go, (lost in L.A.)

8:05am Liles and I are in the lobby of the hotel and most of the band are nowhere in sight. Yes late for an 8am bus call to head off to Fuel TV for a shoot for the Daily Habbit on Fuel TV. TV shoots are hell. All the work of setup for a show and none of the time to get it done. We were late, per the norm, as rusty couldnt find the studio. The TV Show was on a tight schedule so we had to pack up faster than we usually do. Thankfully we had ordered in some Mexican food because I was starving. Up and out of the hotel with no time to eat this morning and all the work makes for a hunger shutdown.

Welcome to L.A. …

Wednesday was a very interesting day. I decided to spend my day off taking care of Joels p.o.s. jaguar, so I hopped the bus down to guitar center on sunset in hollywood. The bus in LA is certainly interesting, I see why people write songs about the freaky people in LA. So for about an hour I was traped on this freak train bound for hollywood and I was the guy on the bus with the guitar. I headed for the sanctuary of guitar center to get the guitar a proper setup which I don’t think it has had, ever. I walked about 4 blocks from the hotel and waited and waited for the 2 or the 3 Bus to take me to Hollywood. I wanted to get there and back so I could go out and catch Bella Morte and This Means You at the Knitting factory. Finally the bus came and I paid my $1.25 and checked with the driver to make sure I was on the right route. HE assured me I was and the freak train rolled on. Not really too much out of the ordinary from most city busses but La La Land has a twist all its own. A few stops down a large group of folks got on the bus and took there seats, talking amongst them selves. then another few stops and they all got off and a few more people got on. some looked like they hadnt seen a shower in months while others were students on the way to class or down to Hollywood for an adventure. a couple got on that was playing mad libs that caught my attention as they were laughing and joking and seemingly in love. A large woman got on the bus and began to talk to herself, Loudly. Oh lord; Oh lord she exclaimed. Then she stood up and proclaimed Im sick while holding her stomach. I was sure she was about to shit herself right there in front of me. She moved towards the back of the bus and eventually made a go for the door, Only to stop and get her arm stuck in the door. Im Not out she cried as the door slammed on her arm over and over. A woman outside the bus tried to help by pulling on her arm but that was no help until the woman finally made it thru the door and outside.

Figuring I had made a terrible mistake I swore I would call a cab to get me back to the Hotel. Finally I arrived safely at Guitar center.

I needed to get Joels Jaguar set up proper like. More advanced than I was prepared for and my tools in the bottom of the trailer this seemed the best solution. John was awesome and set upon the fixing of the jaguar as necessary. the Neck needed to be shimmed and adjusted and while I waited I caught up with Drew.

Drew met me at Guitar Center with Meghan and we all headed up to Hollywood to grab a bite to eat before the show. It just so happened that it was the same night as the premiere of the new Steve Carrell movie Dan Real Life. The Block has Hopping. As we sat down to the crepeire the movie let out and stars began walking by. I didnt care I was hanging out with my peeps form the C-ville in Hollyweird.

Outside the knitting factory we ran into the cats in Bella Morte and T.M.Y just in time to have a meth head who couldnt be older than 19 offer to sell us tickets to the show. YEs he offered to sell the singer in the band tickets to his own show. Once inside the shots and beers flowed like water.

Post show we headed back downtown. Driving along sunset I spotted James the DJ out side of a club so we looped the black to find a few of the guys trying to figure out how they were getting back. A very in charge Tour manager grabed the helm and decided to get in to the back of the tiny little Honda Crv we were in. Follwed by James (bass) James (DJ). Away we went to the hotel, a few wrong turns and finally we were back at the hotel.

DAMN Bus Call is at 8am. DAMN!!!