"Muse" - ings on Rock & Life

Well, here it is, the 366th (and final) post of the calendar year.  I've been waiting for this moment, pretty much ever since I started this blog.  I've posted at least once for every single day of the year.  Were there a couple of days I posted late?  Of course there were, but I think that's bound to happen from time to time regardless of how prepared and focused you try to be. Tomorrow's the first.  I've got some decisions to make.  Chief among them are: 1) Where do I start with my song-in-a-month? 2) Which band do I pay closer attention to in January? The big thing I forgot to mention in yesterday's post is this: You know those Guitar World columns that Richard Lloyd did a few years back?  I finally found the DVD's that are associated with the columns.  Both volumes.  Those will definitely be put into rotation right off the bat, and make their way into my practice plan. 2013 is going to be an amazing year for me musically.  I'd love nothing m

Back from DSM.  Long day.  Very tired.  Did find the following: 1) Both Gary Clark Jr. records. 2) The disc by RNDM 3) Some live Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (that came with a DVD!) 4) A Joseph Arthur solo disc that Mrs. Sutter didn't already have. 5) This Is A Call , the Dave Grohl Biography. 6) oh, and By Your Side by the Black Crowes All told, a pretty successful music haul, considering we spent a little more than 24 hours in the big city. Haven't cracked into any of the music yet, but that can be what tomorrow afternoon and New Year's Day is for. Really pumped about the DG bio.  I've looked at that for what feels like a very long time.  That will definitely be one of the first few books I read in 2013. More tomorrow.  Sleep now.

Just about to head out for DSM, so I thought I'd drop a quick note here before we leave. Not taking a guitar with me this weekend, but I'm definitely taking at least a little bit of something musical, on the theory that, if I don't take it, I'd have had time to use it.  I'm thinking that the folder with the manuals for the recording gear will make it into the bag, as will a notebook/legal pad for making notes on what I read, and probably another blank notebook for any lyrical/song-in-a-month/DGC thoughts that might come up along the way. I'm hoping for one of two things when we stop at B&N in DSM. 1) Gary Clark Jr.'s EP & full length releases.  He was on the Kennedy Center Honors thing, and having heard really good things previously, I was impressed and curious. 2) The Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness deluxe box set... hey, a guy can dream, right? All right, time to fly to the big city.  Details on what I find tomorrow night when w

So I finally sat down tonight and watched the Kennedy Center Honors. The part of it on Buddy Guy was excellent, but it was the Zeppelin section that really hit home with me.  Not sure if I've ever outlined this story in this space before, but here goes: For a long time with me, the mighty Led balloon was one of those bands that I cranked up loudly when they came on the radio (much like U2 was for me for a long time, too), because that's what you did .  I knew the songs, I enjoyed the music, I owned Zeppelin IV (again, that's just what you did ), but I never really "got it" when it came to Led Zeppelin. And then I got their complete discography for Christmas one year.  I didn't sit down and devour everything in one sitting (although I'd love to have a chance to try), but I got through it all in a methodical fashion, and read along with a biography or two for context.  It was only later that I discovered the massive biography I read and chronicled in t

All right, so a quick-ish one tonight, highlighting the rest of my band list(s). As of the other day, I had 8 artists that I was thinking of focusing on.  To recap, they were as follows: 1) Son Volt 2) The New Pornographers 3) Missy Higgins 4) The Decemberists 5) Drive By Truckers 6) Jackie Greene 7) Ryan Adams 8) Tom Waits After quickly generating these 8 off the top of my head, I went through my ipod and came up with the following artists to add to my list: 9) Arcade Fire 10) CAKE 11) Crash Test Dummies 12) Default 13) Incubus 14) Joseph Arthur 15) Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Then , I had a list of artists that I only had two albums by (the original list necessitated that I have access to at least 3 records).  Here was that list: 1) Ben Lee 2) Ben Harper 3) Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers 4) Jukebox The Ghost 5) Paul Sanchez 6) Primitive Radio Gods 7) Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers 8) Tool 9) Travis 10) Spoon This brings my total to 25 artists.

So, I was all set to blog tonight about the rest of my band-related project I started in on yesterday.  I found a lot more bands in the process of going about my day today, and then a bunch of bands that I have two records by, and would consider purchasing a third album for the purposes of more focused listening.  As luck (or fate) would have it, my day went in a different direction, and so I'm focusing by post tonight on another topic. I had a horrible day at work today, came home frustrated, and fully intending to spend at least a bit of time with a guitar.  What happened instead (after I spilled apple cider all over myself and went to take a shower) is that my wonderful wife started re-organizing the living room post-Christmas.  What this meant for me music-wise is that my studio stuff got shifted from one end of the living room to the other.  Which is awesome, if only because it will (hopefully) keep the cats from walking all over it.  In the process, the whole thing is bette

So, I have another musical goal/project for next year. I was doing some listening this morning, getting ready to head out and see family on Christmas, and it dawned on me as I was flipping through artists on my ipod that I've got a good handful of musicians on there that I enjoy, but don't listen to often enough.  I figured that, along with writing a song a month next year, I should have an artist to focus on each month as well.  I'm not talking about listening exclusively to that artist, just using them as a touchstone and in the process becoming more familiar with their music than I already am.  The only criteria that I had on my list were as follows: 1) I already needed to own some of their music. 2) They need to have released a minimum of three albums during the course of their career. Again, I was hoping for 12 artists.  Thus far, I have come up with 8. 1) Son Volt 2) The New Pornographers 3) Missy Higgins 4) The Decemberists 5) Drive By Truckers 6) Jacki

It seems like most of the music I've seen in the last few months has been choral in at least some respect.  Tonight was Christmas Eve service at church, and we got to hear the pastor's daughter sing "Oh, Holy Night."  That's a really hard song for a middlw schooler to sing, and I thought that all things considered, she did a wonderful job.  Her voice has a very clear, bell-like tone to it, and from the sounds of it, she could turn it into something special if she'd put in the work. I had about 5 minutes today to sit with the guitar, and I had intentions of getting everything associated with the Grohl Challenge out of the messenger bag and diving in.  I didn't quite end up having enough time for the playing, but I did  mmoanage to locate the manuals for both the recording gear and the other assorted musical pieces of equipment I've purchased over the years.  Maybe a little bit of Christmas morning will be spent treating all of it like new stuff and s

So, I recorded 60 Minutes tonight.  They did a year-end music episode with segments on Adele, Taylor Swift, and Rodriguez.  I know for sure that I had seen a bit of the Adele interview earlier in the year, and I may have seen a bit of the Rodriguez one as well.  The Taylor Swift interview, however, I had not seen yet.  Why is it that, the more I see/hear of her, the more impressed I become?  One of the critics that they talked to tonight made the statement that (and I'm paraphrasing here) "if she wasn't so cute, and her audience wasn't almost entirely comprised of twelve year old girls, we'd be talking about her as a great songwriter." So, Dylan, Lennon/McCartney, Duritz, and Taylor Swift, huh?  Interesting.  Still not sure I need a whole album by her, but I'm getting perilously close to piecing together a greatest hits collection on itunes. Got my Strat and my bag of tricks that includes the Grohl Challenge back into the studio tonight.  It's a sm

Say what you will about the 22nd of December being too early to write about musical goals for next year, I'm doing it anyway.  I was sitting on the couch tonight, talking with the Mrs., and she put forth a reaction to a statement that had come up in conversation late last night.  I've been stressing out lately over the fact that I haven't done enough musically.  It got to the point last night where I was so distraught that I wondered aloud why I even kept the studio stuff out if it was never going to get any use.  This statement, of course, started a conversation about how I needed to take time for music if I felt it was seriously lacking of late.  I'm so lucky to have such a supportive and understanding wife. Tonight, she says, making obvious reference to last night's conversation, that she thinks I "should record a song a month next year."  Now, more writing and recording were already on the mental list I have been making in my head, but that's b

Today was a lot less musically positive than I was hoping it would be. I got a chance to do some listening on my lunch break, but that was really the only chance I had to focus on hearing any music whatsoever. The biggest issue that came to light tonight is that we're having trouble keeping the cats away from my recording gear.  I'm not sure how to approach this, because, on one hand, I know that the studio space I have right now isn't well placed for a house with animals.  On the other hand, I can't see the room setting up much different than it is at present. I really want to make writing and recording more of a priority next year, though, so I'm not willing to concede my musical existence to the cats by any stretch of the imagination.  I am however, starting to see why the husband gets the garage for his space.  If only I didn't have to worry about a cold midwestern winter. If only... Tomorrow afternoon (which I was hoping would be devoted to playin

So, I sat down tonight and started watching another one of those Guitar Center Sessions episodes.  This one had The All-American Rejects performing.  I remember what I imagine was their first single ever ("Swing, Swing") but I can't honestly say I've ever heard much else they've done.  Some part of me was oddly surprised they are still around. The lead singer's voice takes a bit of getting used to, but their music does some cool things, and the interview sections I've seen so far (I haven't finished the episode) have been surprisingly informative and well worded.  I don't know why this surprises me, but somehow it does.  It's been an enjoyable watch thus far, and I can't wait to finish it off tomorrow night after work. Let's see, what else today: I got to do some listening over my lunch break, but instead of sticking with the Green Day, I went back to the Kasey Anderson record.  I'm now officially half way through that album,

A few highlights from today: 1) I'm far enough into the third installment o' Green Day that I can say with certainty that one of my favorite songs on this disc will be the second song, "Missing You."  Still need to make it through the second half of the disc, but that song in particular has enough "classic" bounce to it that it provides a bit of a touchstone between the now and the past.  Also, it occurs to me that, once I've digested all three albums, I'll probably make a compilation of all my favorite songs from the three volumes. 2) I'm in the middle of more fiction right now, but once again, I find myself missing music biographies.  I'm thinking that the next one I read will be the Jimi Hendrix one I've got by the same guy who did that huge Zeppelin bio I read last year. 3) I did more random listening today than anything else, and not much real playing at all.  Some part pf me is secretly hoping that this giant storm we're s

It was back to the high school tonight, this time for the high school band/chorus concert.  I was so excited to go tonight after hearing the steady and consistent growth that was evident from 5th-8th grade, and tonight, for the choirs involved built on the successes if yesterday.  Listening to the band, on the other hand, made me grateful for the wonderful music education I received in high school.  Tonight, the different sections of the band couldn't play in time with each other.  When I was in orchestra in high school, we had a conductor that, if we were off, would stop us and add in one part at a time until he heard what he wanted to hear, and perhaps more importantly, until we heard what he wanted to hear. Bottom line tonight, the band didn't seem prepared, but they got better as they went along, and all of the choirs were fantastic.  Their harmonies and sense of togetherness were what the younger kids from last night need to see, if only to have something else to shoot

I went to a middle school choir & band concert tonight.  It wasn't a rock show by any means, but as far as shows go, it was entertaining, and demonstrated a lot about how the building blocks of musical success go about falling into place.  The 5th graders were still working through things like melody and chord structure and fitting those things into a cohesive piece of music.  They were also still getting used to playing their instruments, but even though they struggled in some basic areas, the progress they are making was obvious progress. Watching the leap from the 5th graders to the 6th and 7th graders (who had more of a grasp of harmonic structure, and a better handle on what their instruments were capable of) was a joy, and it should have made the 5th graders excited about what was to come in their musical futures, as both the older ensembles and choirs demonstrated just what a difference a year or two can make. I'd like to hope that the same can be true of my prog

I synced the ipod today.  Got the new Green Day record (how many times have I typed that phrase recently?) uploaded, along with the new Stones tunes.  Got through a couple of the songs from the 3rd part of the trilogy.  Haven't gotten to the point yet where it's too much music from one band in a relatively short period of time, but I'm getting close, so we shall see on that one. Got a chance to sit down with the guitar for a little bit tonight, too.  Not as long as I would have hoped for, but all things considered lately, I'll take what I can get.  I worked through some of the lessons from the magazines I've picked up lately, and while it felt good to get back to something resembling a bit of actual practicing, what felt even better was working my way through a few of the progressions out of my Dave Grohl Challenge notebook, and finding that I still like them just as much as I did when I first wrote them down. I teach tomorrow.  Second to last lesson for the nex

I sat down and watched one of the concerts we had recorded on the DVR over the last few weeks.  It was a Matchbox Twenty show from a number of years back, when they were on tour for Exile On Mainstream , the hits package they released in 2007.  They played a lot of the new songs that were on the second disc of that compilation.  I was an entirely enjoyable gig that didn't include "Push."  I'm saving it for two reasons: 1) The fact that they jammed on "She Came In Through The Bathroom Window" right near the end of the show.  Turned in a really cool version of it, too. 2) More awesome than that, however, was the version of "Real World" they played during the show.  It had an altered tempo and an almost Motown sort of feel to it.  An amazingly cool take on an otherwise fun, if straight ahead rock number. Imported the 3rd part of Green Day's punk rock trilogy into the itunes today as well.  Didn't start listening to it yet, though, mostly

Lucked into the third part of Green Day's trilogy in 2012 late last night at KMart.  I had forgotten that it was coming out as fast as it has.  It's almost scary to me how out of the loop I feel musically of late.  I do know, however, that Alice In Chains has a new record coming out next year.  Kind of pumped for that one.  Really curious to see how they choose to follow up Black Gives Way To Blue .  But anyway, I digress... haven't had a chance to even crack into the Green Day yet, but I think that will end up being something for tomorrow afternoon after work. Need to play tomorrow, too, for a while.  Think I'll try to do some writing.  See if I can recapture the glory on the Dave Grohl Challenge, which I haven't looked at in forever. In other news that's awesome, the new Airborne Toxic Event record is finished, and will be out sometime next year.  There's another record I'm pumped about. Tomorrow should be a good day to get stuff done around th

So, I watched Michael Stipe and Mandy Patinkin and Stephen Colbert sing Christmas carols tonight.  Apparently it aired the other day, and the Mrs. heard about it and knew I'd want to see it.  It was fantastic.  The three part harmonies at the end were joyous for my ears.  And yet, the only thing I could think the whole time was... when on earth is Michael Stipe going to release a solo record, because I really want to hear that . I bought the two new Stones singles today, finally.  "Doom & Gloom," and "One More Shot" may not be classic Stones, but they sure have the attitude of classic Stones, and I like both songs. I also started wading through the guitar magazines tonight.  There's some great stuff in all three of them, and I can't wait to spend more time with all of it. I did a lot of listening today, too.  Working my way through the new Kasey Anderson record has been a slow, but rewarding process. It was a good day, but a day that didn'

Burned that CD for my student today.  Took it along with me to a function we both attended... and then forgot to give it to her.  Go me. Had my afternoon off today.  Did a lot of listening.  Mostly Kasey Anderson.  Some of the new record, and a lot of Nowhere Nights . Wanted to go through the magazines from Sunday, but didn't ever get there. Did a little bit of playing today, but didn't focus on anything in particular. All told, it probably wasn't a great music day for me, but it feels like it was.  I'm not sure how, exactly, to go about quantifying that, so I'll leave you all with the same thing I usually do... Better tomorrow.

Got through the first track on the new Kasey Anderson record today.  He name drops "Tweedy & Farrar."  An Uncle Tupelo reference in the first three minutes of a highly anticipated album?  I knew I loved his music. Taught today, too.  Spent a good chunk of my lunch hour downloading a few more songs for my student.  I'm closing in on 20 of the 25 from the original list, and a few of those I know I have somewhere in my collection.  We started working on "Everybody Talks" by Neon Trees.  It's got a couple of chords that I know are going to trip her up. but I was able to give her the verses and the first part of the chorus without hesitation. Still looking forward to tomorrow afternoon as a chance for me to get a bit of time to listen and play.  Not entirely sure what I'll focus on yet, other than the rest of Let The Bloody Moon Rise .  The vinyl for that still hasn't appeared yet. The other thing I'd like to do tomorrow afternoon: go throug

Taught today.  My lesson went really well.  This student of mine is picking things up really quickly.  She's getting better at learning her notes, and is doing better with holding her instrument the right way.  She's still running into a few issues with getting notes to ring well, but that will work itself out shortly, I think. As for my lesson tomorrow night, I finally got in touch with my brother tonight regarding some of the songs that are on my student's list, and he had 6 of the songs that she listed!  This means that without going through my collection all that much, I'm already up to 14 out of the 25 songs she had initially listed.  If I can pry myself out of bed early (or even on time) tomorrow, I should be able to finish up burning her CD before work.  Otherwise, I'll do it on my lunch break. Watched a cool blurb tonight on the making of acoustic guitars.  I've always wanted to make one myself, but watching that TV show, it makes me think it'll

A few highlights from today: 1) I got the new Kasey Anderson record uploaded onto the ipod... finally.  No real time to listen to it today, though, but at least it's there.  That's the way it has gone for me lately, though.  It seems like the only time I get for listening anymore is either in the car or in the few stolen moments on a Sunday morning when the Mrs. has things to do at church and I can dash off and hide with my headphones in. 2) We went into Sioux City to do some Christmas shopping, and while I found a good number of presents for others, I came home with the new issues of Guitar World, Guitar Legends, and Guitar Techniques .  Can't wait to dive into all three of them. 3) I almost bought a couple of new albums today, but exercised restraint at the last minute.  I've heard great things about both the new Gary Clark, Jr. release, as well as the new record by Two Door Cinema Club.  They were both $9.99, and I left without either one of them.  It's odd

Today's blog post starts with a thought that, even five minutes ago, I wasn't aware it would begin with.  That thought is this: I miss Dishwalla.  They were a highly under-rated 90's/200's band whose post-debut releases went too un-noticed.  Why do I open with this statement tonight, you ask?  I found a newly recorded acoustic version of their big single, "Counting Blue Cars," that lead vocalist J.R. Richards just did for an episode of "How I Met Your Mother." Under different circumstances, I'd have started tonight's post this way: December 8th is here again, and it's time to mourn the loss of Mr. Lennon.  It's been 32 years since he was gunned down outside of the Dakota Apartment Building in New York City, and his loss still reverberates through both the music world and the world at large. In other news, I watched a bit of a live Smashing Pumpkins show tonight on TV.  All of the songs in the early part of the show was new stuff

Today was at least a little bit better than yesterday. I downloaded the mp3 files for the new Kasey Anderson record.  This is exciting.  The vinyl isn't here yet, though, which is less exciting, but still, I can listen to the new record!  Have yet to do so all the way through, or really even at all, for that matter, but I have it, and the way things have gone lately for me music-wise, I'll take having it as a solid first step. The other thing I finally did today was upload the itunes card I bought on Wednesday night.  Now my students will have plenty of songs to work through, and I might have a bit of money left over at the end for a few of my own purchases.  Before I start downloading everything, though, I want to talk to my brother to see if he has any of the songs that are on the list.  I strongly suspect that he will have quite a few of them, so until I can talk to him, I shall try and wait on that. Also on the awesome musical moment list for the day is this: I saw Ni

Today was pretty much a lost day for me music-wise.  Christmas Parade tonight, and then other stuff took precedence when I got home from that.  I didn't even get the itunes card hooked into my account. What I did do was some listening, both on the way to, and home from work.  The new Green Day is still the primary car album right now, although that feels like it needs to change soon. Tomorrow night after work needs to have some music in it.  I'll shut out the world for a bit if I have to in order to get it. Sadly, I don't know much else tonight.  Much better tomorrow, I promise.

Kind of a slow day today.  That said, here's what did get done: 1) Skyped with my brother, and sent him a song off of the new Green Day record.  I think I'll send him one song/day until he has them all.  Somehow that sounds like a fun game. 2) Picked up that itunes card so that I can buy all of those songs my student wants to learn.  Didn't have time to get the card until later on tonight, so I will start buying them tomorrow sometime.  Before that, however, I ought to see if my brother has any of them, and then scour my collection to find the others I already have (It's got to be more than 6, right?) 3) Ran into said student tonight, and she told me that, in the 24 hours since yesterday's lesson, she has found 10 more songs to put on her list of one's she wants to learn!  We are going to be busy for a long time, I think. Tomorrow night needs to have some time for me to play in it somewhere, too.  I can feel the tension building up in the back of my neck

So, my lesson went really well today.  I had challenged my student to find songs she was excited about learning as a way to push things forward, and she found 27 of them! This will be good, because, from a teaching perspective, it's always easier to get someone motivated to practice if the practicing is tied into songs they are passionate about. Some of the work she has in front of her in order to learn these songs is the stuff I've been trying to drill into her head all along, and some of it will be things that pop up along the way, but that's the fun in this journey. I told her that I'd find an itunes card tomorrow afternoon and download all of the songs she wants to learn but doesn't have a recording of, because I know how vital it is to be able to hear something in order to make it come out right.  I'll spend some of my afternoon off working on that, as well as my own playing. Today wasn't so much about me, but it was still a great music day, bec

My lesson went really well today.  This student of mine picks things up exceptionally quickly.  We made it through a couple more basic songs today.  "Happy Birthday," and "Mary Had A Little Lamb."  Her ability to sight-read is really good for someone who's ten. I did a lot of listening today, too.  Wallflowers in the car, and some Alkaline Trio at home.  It had been a while since I'd busted out the Trio, and their burst of energy and angst was just what I needed to get a few things done around the house. Did some more organizing, too.  I'm finally happy with where the primary resources are set up for me in the studio.  I'm sure there will be a bit more moving around to come, but for now this will work out well, I think. What I need now is time to sort through a lot of the CDs we've tried to incorporate from S.'s collection into what is now "our" collection.  Maybe Wednesday afternoon.  I've got it off, after all, and what

Fairly quiet music day today. I got up pretty early, considering that I had a respite day from the usual Sunday morning activities.  Trying to recover from a cold, and succeeding at least a little bit.  I did a lot of listening this morning.  It was nice to have some time to just sit with the ipod at home, on the couch, and just kind of surf around to whatever sounded good (music pun!) to me at the moment. I teach tomorrow.  I'm really excited to see the progress my students have made this week.  Holiday music flying around in one lesson, and in the other, I'm expecting a bit of direction on how my student wants to move forward.  Should be an interesting week from a teaching perspective.  Let's hope it's also an interesting week for me from a playing perspective. Still waiting for the new Kasey Anderson record to arrive in the mail.  I like typing that and knowing that it will be an actual record.  I keep checking his website for updates and not finding anything. 

So, it was Christmas Party time for work tonight.  Took the Mrs. with me and we all went to Sioux City to see Rockestra.  It's their version of a Trans-Siberian Orchestra type thing, with strings and percussion backed up by electric guitar and bass, drums and keyboards.  It was pretty awesome, actually. Truthfully, there's a TON more I could write about tonight, but I'm exhausted.  I will post a more complete update tomorrow.