"Muse" - ings on Rock & Life

Today was a good day, but also a quiet one. I was able to get a few things moved down to the studio, and in so doing was able to spend a bit of time down there. Tomorrow is shaping up to be a better day than today was, though, as I have a lot of my Zeppelin ducks in a row now. Things are going to get real fun, real fast.

Quiet day today. On the plus side, it was the last day of work before the weekend. What did that mean for me? Mostly that I was able to find a bit of time to spend figuring out what I'm hoping to get done this weekend. A lot of it has to do with the acoustic side of things, and the other stuff will be focused on Zeppelin. That alone should make it a good few days.

Tonight was good.  The music we play at these Wednesday night services is getting better and better with each month that passes.  As I mentioned last week sometime (?) we have options for more vocalists.  If we could find a drummer (This question has always been the bane of my musical existence), we might be able to turn this into a real group instead of a duo. With that in mind, there might be a possibility of an outside gig or more.  There are a bunch of small town festivals in this area of the state, and M., the pianist in this little outfit of ours is involved in the committee that's in charge of music for one of them.  If we do end up playing, it will be Memorial Day Weekend (I think).  Time to start looking at songs, I think.

The biggest thing that happened today involved the arrival of the Zeppelin book. It's 5 pounds and 800+ pages of awesome. The book came right as I was leaving for work, so I just grabbed the package and took it with me to work. Once I was there, I was able to page through it and spent the rest of my shift wishing I could be somewhere with a guitar in my hands. Tomorrow is a day off, and it's definitely shaping up to be a good day.

So, I know that I wrote a little bit the other day about the Jimmy Page biography that I picked up over the weekend. I haven't started reading it yet, but maybe by the weekend. The other side of things is this: the complete studio recordings book of Zeppelin tablature is supposed to be here on Wednesday. One of the things that I am most excited about as spring gets underway is the plans I have for artist studies (Beatles and Zeppelin primarily). I am going to have the ultimate scores/musical representation of their records, as well as enough reading material for a lifetime of study. I'm definitely going to have some fun with the next few months.

Today was a mostly quiet day. I did get together and run through some of the music for Wednesday night after church this afternoon, but other than that, there wasn't much happening. I had wanted to at least get all of the new stuff hauled down into the studio, but didn't even get that accomplished.  I may get there before I sleep tonight, but otherwise will get at least that done before I leave for work tomorrow. Tonight, as I type this, I'm listening to a preview on NPR of Aimee Mann's new record that's scheduled to drop next week.  I'm only a few tracks in, but it's pretty great so far. Definitely a quiet day, but not a bad one by any stretch of the imagination.

Spent most of the day either in the car on the way home from Minnesota, or making stops along the way.  I found some great stuff, which I will detail a bit further tomorrow, but here's the basics: 1.  New issue of Guitar Techniques 2.  New record by Spoon 3.  Huge biography on Jimmy Page Today was a great end to a quick turnaround of a trip up north.  Good to be gone, good to be home.

So, my brother's senior recital was awesome.  We got back to the hotel late, so this post is going up late, but I'm really proud of what he has accomplished.  I don't have the program in front of me, otherwise I would post it.  That will definitely happen as I get caught up now that we are home.

Today was a mostly quiet day.  I did a lot of listening in the car on the way to and from work.  My brother in law was here for the night, so I didn't have a ton of time in the studio tonight. I'm still really pumped about my discovery from yesterday in regards to that old demo.  I even found the "right" partial recording to use as a way to jump start the project.  We had recorded things a few different times, so I was really happy to find the stem of the idea that I did.  Looking forward to seeing where this goes. Also looking forward to my brother's senior recital tomorrow night.  Should be a good weekend for music.

So, last night, when I was curious about whether or not that old demo would fit in with my current crop of song ideas, I was hopeful but not optimistic that it would all work out okay.  For once in my musical life, I didn't have anything to worry about.  The sound of that demo fits in eerily well with the current crop of ideas, and all of it sounds like it has at least some place somewhere in the current musical landscape. On top of that success, Mindy and I were able to sort out what we're going to play for next Wednesday night.  We're planning to get together and practice whenever the Mrs. and I get back from Minnesota this weekend.  I'm really looking forward to both that and my brother's recital on Friday night. I thought today was going to be a bit of a letdown, but in the end, it turned out pretty good.

So, today was an interesting one. I was sifting through some of the music on my computer before I headed into work today, with an ear towards putting together a playlist for one of the kids at church when I came across a series of tracks with a rather long history. So, anyone who has been following for a long time now knows that I have been a part of two bands that have never been able to find a way to put all of the pieces together in quite the right order. One of those bands was back when I was living in Green Bay after college, and the other was when I was still in college and few years before that. In what ended up being a weird twist of fate, the guy that had played bass in the first band ended up producing some of the sessions for the second one that never really went anywhere. Anyway, before he got roped into that project, we had reconnected with an eye on finishing up some of the old songs from the initial group, just for fun. Needless to say, that idea got shelved when t

Back to the grind today.  A busy day at work meant time for a lot of listening in the car on the way to and from the college.  I'm about ready for something new in the car. Surveying what I didn't get done over break this morning before I left had me feeling oddly encouraged.  No, I didn't have as much time as I was hoping for, but I'm better able to clarify what it is I want to work on going forward now than I used to be.  We have seven (7!) weeks until finals are OVER, and if I want the summer to be as productive as I think it can be, there's some prep work that I need to start doing now .  A lot of it has to do with songwriting, because I really do want to record something this summer, maybe for release independently by the end of the year? Also of import today, I got paid last week, and so I put in the order for the epic and humongous Led Zeppelin Complete Tablature (Guitar Recorded Versions).  The more I look at this thing online, the more excited I am to

Today was a better day. I finally had a bit of time tonight to sit with the acoustic and try to clear my head in order to focus.  I was somewhat successful.  In my attempt, I cracked open the book that I had intended to spend a lot of time with over the break, and really only got to tonight.  I'm still convinced that there's a lot I can take from it, knowledge-wise, and am now going into the week thinking that Wednesday (my day off for the week) is going to end up being the day where I really try and push forward.  I'll have tomorrow and Tuesday mornings, as well, so hopefully I can get going early enough in the day that I can fit in some music before I have to head off to work. Good musical conversation at church this morning, too.  All things considered, I can't gripe about today, I only wish it was the first day of break instead of the last.

So, there were all sorts of things I was planning on writing about tonight... and then the news came across the wire that Chuck Berry had died at the age of 90.  Elvis may have been crowned as "The King" of Rock & Roll, but Chuck Berry was one of, if not the founding fathers of what became known as rock and roll.  His influence stretches from The Beatles and The Rolling Stones up through Led Zeppelin, and Jimi Hendrix, and continues right on through today.  Indeed, everyone who has strapped on a guitar owes a debt to Chuck Berry. I remember buying an album of his hits as a kid. It ended up being the songs he re-recorded in the 60's, not the original versions he did for Chess Records, but those riffs still jumped out of my speakers and drove me to want to play more guitar.  Once I was older, and had a bit more knowledge and a bit more time under my belt, I went searching for the best collection of the original recordings I could find.  The Great Twenty Eight was unan

Straight off the top today... I didn't get to any songwriting. I did however manage to fit in enough time tonight to do a bit of studying, and a bit of practicing that will really help me out as I head into the weekend.  I watched a few lesson videos online and then applied some of the concepts therein.  I need to do a better job with time management tomorrow, and really spend more time in the studio, but I'm optimistic heading into Saturday. That's really all I've got for today.  Not much, I know, but tomorrow will be better.

Today was quiet.  I'm somewhat afraid that the nasty cold I thought I was almost over is returning, because I felt like garbage for most of the day.  We've had some form of family here since Sunday night, as well, and while that has been great, it has not been conducive to hiding in the studio. That said, while I didn't do much in the way of playing today, I started to put some thoughts together for how I'd like the weekend to go.  I'd really like to try and do some writing.  I'd also like to work on both my acoustic and electric chops.  I'd also like to start some sort of music biography.  I'm thinking maybe Peter Guralnick's book on Sam Phillips would fill that void nicely. Really, at this point, I'd just like a day that felt productive.

Today was okay. I had a bit of the afternoon to myself, and I sat with the acoustic and started thinking about things for the next Wednesday night service at the church, which is coming up in two weeks and we've done next to no prep work for.  Then I got out of the house for dinner, and ended up at the church, having some food with the Mrs. and her confirmation class.  One of the kids was singing, and she's got the kind of voice that we need to be a part of the group.  I'm not sure how long it will take to get the logistics worked out, but I need to sit down with M. and figure out how we can make that happen. Tomorrow really needs to be a day of guitar playing and NCAA Basketball.  Lots of things to cross off my list in the second half of my spring break.

Today was another busy day.  Filled to the brim with running around and cramming in all of the fun before we have the house to ourselves again.  As such, I didn't get a whole lot of time in the studio today, but there was definitely thought put into things regarding the EP and some acoustic work I need to put in, as well as the Beatles & Zeppelin stuff that has occupied my mind of late. So, yes.  Lots of brain work today, but not a lot of actual work.  That will definitely change the rest of the week.

We were on the run all day today.  Spent some good time down in Ames, doing some shopping with Mom and The Mrs.  In the process, I stumbled across a copy of Roy Orbison's Black & White Night in a CD/DVD combo pack.  Not sure when that was released, but it has to be at least somewhat recent.  I remember watching the last half of that (always the last half) on PBS many, many times over the years.  Always late at night.  Now I can watch it whenever the heck I want to. So yeah, that was the cool thing that happened today.  Not much in the way of playing, or time for playing for that matter.  Tomorrow will be better.

So, I spent a little bit of time today hunting for something similar to the Beatles Complete Scores, except for Zeppelin.  It took a bit of sleuthing, but I found something... it's brand new, and a bit on the expensive side, but at least I know it's out there.  I may just order it when pay day rolls around this month. Spent a bit of time in the studio today, too, which was great.  Got some playing in, got a few things put away. Also of note: my mom got here today.  She's visiting for a couple of days, which will be great.  I'm sure I'll still find a bit of time to get into the studio while she's here, though.  And the journey continues.

Another decent day today.  Nothing spectacular, just steady. I got in a bit more listening, and yet, I feel like I've hardly scratched the surface of the pile of music that's in the studio today.  I really need to spend a few hours down there just catching myself up. I also sat and played a bit of acoustic, which was great, and did a bit more processing when it comes to the Beatles & Zeppelin studies. I got a few things moved down into the studio today, too.  There was a music book and a pile of CDs that were in need of being hauled down.  Come to think of it, there's a good sized pile of stuff I've brought down recently that needs to be properly sorted and put away or incorporated.  I need to get to that tomorrow before it really gets out of hand.

Got in some listening today.  The new Ed Sheeran record.  Didn't quite make it all the way through, but I got really, really close.  The thing about Ed that continues to amaze me is just how consistent he is. Brought the Beatles & Zeppelin notebooks inside tonight, too, so I can get started on that tomorrow, as it looks like we're going to be home instead of on the road.  Today ended up being a busy day, but it was nice to have a day where we could get some things done around the house.  Tomorrow, though, will have a good deal of focus to it, and definitely be more productive than today was.

So, I've been talking about wanting to do a Beatles & Zeppelin study for as long as I can remember.  Today was the day that I finally started to get serious enough to block out a space to actually do that. Admittedly, I've got all of my Beatles stuff in one spot down in the studio.  My Zeppelin resources are a bit more spread out, however.  That being said, I bought a couple of notebooks from the bookstore at work today, got them labeled for each band, and started to piece together what some of my hopes are for this whole idea. I've also got a pretty good chance to get a decent start on it over the next ten days or so, what with spring break happening next week and all, so it should be an interesting week and a half.

So, I started working on an acoustic version of John Mayer's "Waiting On The World To Change" today.  Something about that song has always stuck with me.  I know I've got the tab for the studio version in one of the magazines downstairs, but I found a cool acoustic version he did on VH1, and that seemed like a cool version to try and learn.  As it turned out, I didn't spend as much time in the studio as I had hoped to, so I really only started to block out the song, but what I worked through was definitely good. Today is one of those days that just flew by a lot faster than I was expecting it to.  On the plus side, tomorrow is my last shift before Spring Break, so there will be a whole week to spend time hiding out in the studio.  I'm really looking forward to that.

Today was, for the most part, a quiet day.  I did some more listening on the way to and from work, and that was good, because it put me in the frame of mind to try and diagnose chord progressions while driving.  I can't say how successful I was, because I didn't have the time to sit down with a guitar the second I got home. That part, however, is very much on the docket for tomorrow.  I've been looking forward to having a chance to get down into the studio for an extended period of time all week long, and tomorrow is the day that's going to happen.  I really want to spend a good chunk of the day with a guitar in my hands, probably an acoustic one, and if I happen to fit in some writing, well then that would be excellent. Tomorrow's already a good day in my head, now I just have to really hustle to make it that in reality.

I have spent the last two days with the new Ryan Adams record in the car. It's not Heartbreaker by any means, but the more I listen to it, the more I like it. There are moments where it feels like the haunted soul of Bruce Springsteen inhabits this record, most notably on the song "Haunted House." I made it through the whole album twice today, but I kept coming back to that song on my way back home tonight. I got a few other things done tonight, but didn't get to spend much time playing. I am hoping to get in a bit of that before work tomorrow, and then get a lot of it in on Wednesday.

Today was great.  I said last night that I was hoping to build on the successes if yesterday with a follow-up today, and then I went to church this morning and had a great conversation about Johnny Cash and his American series of records with one of the kids in the congregation. That conversation was on my mind tonight as I was sitting in the studio, doing a bit of listening to get myself in the right frame of mind for some good practice time.  I spun through my iPod until I pulled up The Man Comes Around , and the next thing I knew, I was listening, one headphone in, my acoustic in my hands, and working through the chords of both the title track, "Hurt," and a few other cuts off of that fantastic album. That really was a great way to dive a bit more into some of the things I want to get to this year.  All told, it was a pretty great night.

I finally got a bit of a start on the acoustic studying today.  Some of it was through the use of books and magazines in the studio, and some of it (more later tonight) was thanks to videos starring James Taylor and others off of YouTube tonight. I'm really happy to finally be a bit more focused on the acoustic side of things, and I'm really hoping that tomorrow will be a solid continuation of that. I'm trying really hard to not get too far ahead of myself when it comes to what I want to focus my attention on, and for the most part, it's working.  We'll see how long I can keep myself on an even keel.

Picked up the new Ed Sheeran record today.  Deluxe edition with some bonus tracks.  Still haven't gotten around to the new Orwells or the new Ryan Adams.  Looks like tomorrow will be a good day for listening. Got things cleaned up in the studio today, but we spent most of the rest of the day out and about running errands, so there was a lot of time for thinking once again, but not a ton of time for playing.  That, it seems, will be tomorrow's focus. I was down there for just long enough to effectively stoke the fires that will carry me through the weekend.  And besides, I need to shake off these days of little productivity.

Today was quiet again, but the weekend will be loud (I think). I fit in a good bit of listening between the drives to and from work, and did a bit of theory work during the quiet parts of my shift, but didn't end up doing much in the way of playing after I got home. It has been a long week, and while I'm looking forward to getting into some acoustic things this weekend, I'm tired enough that I might just head to bed and get started on  things in the morning.

The biggest thing that came out of today was a feeling of regret.  Ash Wednesday service at the church tonight, and still being sick, I didn't play guitar for it.  Then, the whole time I was there, all I could think about was how much I should have been up there. Tomorrow starts the weekend for me, and I'm starting to feel better enough that I really want to spend a lot of time with the acoustic over the next few days.  Whether that's just working on my playing, or whether it ends up with my working on my own songs, I'll take whatever comes my way and work on it to the best of my ability. I know it's not much, but that's really all I've got for today.