Amp

The other day, I was speaking and thinking of getting another guitar. Today, I came home with an amplifier?!? Early Fender Princeton Chorus, made in the US, not Mexico. Has a clean and dirty channels, reverb and a chorus. A footswitch allows me to go from clean to distorted and have the chorus on or off.

This was a good move, considering I WANT to join a band. Gives me more depht an versitility. Also, I can sound sort of like a Hammond going thru a Leslie with the chorus. Thus will give me a needed quality, since I can pretend to be a keyboard, while comping rhythms.

4 things

1) I haven't rode my bike in a long time. Maybe two weeks and that is including on rollers. Just haven't wanted to. I'm not training for a race, but riding for fun. Right now, with the recent weather, riding in that weather isn't fun.

2) Instead of riding, I've been running some. In the time allowed, I'll get a better workout, in a shorter time frame. Also, the cold isn't as cold. I did between 5 and 6 miles today. In strong wind and blowing snow. On pavement and trails, over hill and dale. I'm sure I'll feel it tomorrow.

3) Over the recent week, I've regained contact with my sister Regina and with Steve Levin. Regina is the only blood relative that ever gave a crap about me. Hopefully, we'll stay in touch this time. Steve is my former best friend and was the best man at our wedding. I'd like to get with him and make some music again.

4) Speaking of music, I'm kind of sort of thinking about getting another guitar and setting it up for slide guitar in open G tuning. I may also go to a blues open mic in Webster Groves at the Route 61 Roadhouse. I know my hours are getting cut again at the bike shop and perhaps now is the time to make contacts in the music world and form a band, or join someone else's band.

Don't Keep Me Wonderin'

Almans, with Duane. Tom Douchette on harp.



and as gay as Kevin Cronin is, Gary Richrath completely RULES!!

Playin' with the Dog

I sat in with the Brown Dog Blues Band last night. I was a bit awkward a) since I haven't played with a full band in eons and b) since I didn't know much of the material very well. I did record the first set and upon listening to it, I actually played my ass off at times. I did some good solos and the more I settled into a back up role, the better I did a sort of Danny Gattonesque groove/riff/jazz chord comping thing. It was fun. I hope they let me play with them again!!!

Ok, this is for real.

Tuesday night, I'll be sitting in with the Brown Dog Blues Band. We'll be playing at the Lone Wolf Coffee Company. Not sure the extant of my role of sitting in will be, but I'm sure I'll have a good time. Looking forward to getting my Duane Allman on!!!

Speaking of which, sad news. The Allman Brothers Band have recently announced that in 2010, they are going to pack it in forever. Then this week, Dickey Betts (who's been out of the ABB and playing with his band, Great Southern) announced that he's not going to tour anymore, effective NOW. This is all sad news to me. True, Gov't Mule will be around, but no original Allmans on the road.

In tribute......



Camn shame that the camerman wasn't focused more on Duane's guitar playing, but, I'll take it!!!!

Nope

Nope, not Sunday either. I forgot Amy has to work in the morning and I gotsa watch the 'lil ones.

Hate to say it, but....

Nope not tonight. Ralph's stuck in Minnesota and his flight won't get him here in time for us to play tonight.

Now, we're looking at playing Sunday. Not sure of the time. I'll let you know.

Fenton James Comeback

I'll be playing out this Friday evening. I'll be backing up Ralph Pfremmer and playing some blues at Ralph's Lone Wolf Coffee Company. Starting time is around 7:00pm or so.

Photos

Here are some photos of my Les Paul Studio.

Another reason......

Another reason I've always dug the sound of a Les Paul is jazz fusion. Jeff Beck played a 1954 Les Paul on Blow by Blow and Wired. Then, of course there is Al Di Meola. Al is a MONSTER on guitar. His work with Retrun to Forever is the thing of legend. Well, that band is legend. Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Lenny White and of course, Al on guitar.

Here's some Al Di Meola Project from the early 1990's.



Haven't rode much. Haven't really wanted to. I did ride in last night to work. Was freakin' cold on the way home. I was dressed right, but should have worn a balaclava. My face froze in the wind on the way home. I suppose it wasn't THAT bad. It went numb before too long!!!

Mississippi Queen

I couldn't find a good quality of Mountain's original version of Mississippi Queen. Fortunately, my favorite electric guitarist, Warren Haynes, did this stellar version with the first version of Gov't Mule!



Not much went on this weekend. Took the tribe for a chilly hike at Powder Valley Conservation Area. Actually, we spent more time inside the interprative center, than hiking. But, we still had fun.

Haven't been on the bike in a few days. It's been cold and damp and I'm still not totally over the ick. Still a total snot factory.

Les Paul Soulshine

Warren Haynes has THE tone!!!!!

GAS

I've spoken about GAS (guitar aquisition syndrome) many, many times. Yep, I have a new guitar. Just came home with a Gibson Les Paul Studio, with the faded cherry finish. The finish looks like that of the red Les Paul Juniors of the late 1950's. Great guitar. Just gotta get used to playing electric again.

Joe Pass

Holy crap Batman!!! Why on earth have I never gotten into jazz guitarist Joe Pass? The guy is unearthly!!!!!

18, the hard way.

I rode 18 miles today. But, it took a total of 3 rides to do it. I did 10 miles on the rollers this morning. Felt ok, considering the head cold I had yesterday had me wiped out. Then, I rode into work for 2.5 miles. On the way home, was the remainder. I took a longer way home, which included one good hill. It was darn cold, but I actually was overdressed. Upon my arrival at the homestead, I was turned into a sweaty mess. Yes, I hammered, but still, the temperature was below freezing and I wasn't out very long.

If you have Charter Digital cable, there is a cool U2 concert from 1983, before they made it big. Most of the songs are from their first two albums, "Boy" and "October." "War" hadn't been released yet, but they played New Years Day and Sunday Bloody Sunday and maybe another song from the yet to be released record. The funny thing was when Bono went into the crowd and climbed on top of a fence and stood on it. Actually, his balance was pretty impressive....until he lost it and fell flat on his ass and back.

The concert is also on Youtube, song by song. Or at least a good bit of it. Type in U2 Rockplast.

Here is Bono's falling. I guess, once they hold him up, his dancing on top of the fence IS sort of impressive. BUT NOT AS IMPRESSIVE AS HIS MULLET!!!

Blah

I now have a horrible head cold. Yippie!!!!

Time Trial

Ok. I'm going back and forth here. Should I do Eddy Merckx division time trialing or track racing. I just don't know. I did find the place for me to actually pratice tt'ing by home. It's the north outer road of 44, from Buder Park to the enterance (exit rather) of Lone Elk Park. It's not 10 miles, but I can go back and forth a few times, which will help with the turn around. From the 141 bridge to LE is just under 2.5 miles. I could always add a section of Buder and head back by the airfield for those little planes.

Of course, going as fast I humanly possible on the banked turns of a velodrome looks hella cool!!!!!!!!!

Cool Old Bikes

Since I like cool old bikes, I thought I'd save photos of them and make a blog page to show them at. Right now, I just have my Alan on there and a really cool safety bicycle from the 1890's. I have a link to it on the right "Cool Old Bikes," or here is simply the link to it.

http://coololdbikes.blogspot.com/

Oh, Just Friggin' Great

What else can go wrong?

My day was ok. Yoga in the morning and an hourish ride, of all hills, in the afternoon. I felt strong, except for my lungs, which are still coughing up crap.

Ride in the afternoon? How'd I manage that? Amy went to the doctor today. Her cough is worse than anyother of us. She literally, coughed from 11pm to at least 1 am last night, without a 30 second gap inbetween!!!! X-rays were done.

She has bacterial pnuemonia. Joy.

I'm pondering doing some sort of racing next year. Eddy Merckx time trial division sounds good. So does track racing in kilo, sprint and persuit type events. The Merckx time trialing I can do on the Alan. For track, I'd need a different steed. Possibly, maybe, not sure...this.




I'm all about retro. This is an Italian track frame from the mid 1950's to early 1960's. Obviously the brake would go. IF I get a track bike, I want a TRACK BIKE. Something I would ONLY ride at Penrose. Other photos of this show amazingly cool lugs!!!!!

Edit.....

More bad news. Vicki's cancer has returned. God bless.