Rob the Fiddler

Sup? I was scolded by many folks (including my mom) for not posting more often. I guess this is how some people check up on me. Its been a busy few weeks. These past two weekends have been a lot of work for Trainwreck. We did a gig on July 4th at Hico along with Heath Tolleson and Thrift Store Cowboys. If you have not seen either of them, CHECK EM OUT. The Thift Store CD has not left my truck since the day I bought it. If you like Old 97s, Calexico, or Deadman, you will love the band. Plus…they have a fiddler….so Im partial to that.

Last weekend we played Barley house on Friday and opened for Jack Ingram up in wichita falls.
Photos for the weekend are here.

So my buddy Dan got married in Chicago. I flew up for that and it was a GREAT trip. I always have a blast in Chicago. The food is STELLAR, the nightlife rocks and the weather was just wonderful. Of course, most of the time, this is not the case. My only issue with the trip was the hotel I stayed at. I was at the Travelodge right in the loop. The location is excellent. Right across the street from the park in the loop, and its the cheapest rooms in the loop. However…I dont see myself staying there again, and I have practically non-existent standards when it comes to lodging. Typically, as long as the “sleeping surface” (be it a bed, the floor, sofa or whatever) is not damp and stinky, Im fine whereever I end up. I learned to deal with it after touring with Mark David Manders. At the time, he was only getting one room for 5 guys. We actually drew straws for the privledge of sleeping on the floor. (since then, he has Heather as a fiddle player, so he has to get two rooms.)

Anyway, this place sucked….and I saw my first bed bug.

The Wedding was really nice though. Pic are here

Had the best pizza at Exchecquerpub. True deep dish in the truest
of ways. Oh…I also got to attend the 90th birthday of Pinetop Perkins at Rosas.

Came across this gem on the old 97s site (actually…I was trying to find out about a band called “free whiskey”….google…the cause and solution to all my problems….anyhoo ). This is a review of a Whiskeytown show I saw with Danny several years back. Yes…there was a guitar smashed…and yes…I cheered wildly. I think I held up a lighter too.

Reckless Behavior

Rumors are flying around town about what was flying through the air at Whiskeytown’s raucous, unwieldy performance at Trees on Jan. 23. Aside from the cups and ice, lead singer Ryan Adams fired some cheap shots at Old 97’s, kicked a mike stand over, threatened to beat up a couple of loud frat boys and smashed his acoustic guitar and distributed the shards.

He (Adams) risks alienating potential new fans (most of whom left when the band took an intermission at 1 a.m.) and even die-hards (most of whom stared open-mouthed at Mr. Adams as he capped the evening with a feedback-fueled, patience-testing cover of Sonic Youth’s “Expressway to Your Skull”).

Had a blast playing last night with The Barry White Stripes. The New music festival had a band scramble as part of their rock auction and raffle. Basically you take a pool of musicians, throw the names in a hat and mix em up to form random bands. Of course, im not sure how the whole fiddle/mandolin merged into it all…but it sounded neat from the monitors. The Barry White Stripes were me and

Dan Lehmann (vocals) from Big Iron
Josh Heidler (Guitar) from Valve
GI Sanders (guitar) from South FM
Spammie (Drums) from Daryl and
Nelo (Bass) from Porn Lab

My response to the claim that I am a rock star. HA. So I went on to describe a typical Thursday night.

Hmmm…its not that this was the plan…it just turned out that way. I suppose by most standards,my day yesterday was far from normal.

6pm - Drive to Waxahatchie for Radio Show.
7pm - Drink Beer in parking lot of Texas Theater
8pm - Play and plug our CD on one of the finest AM stations around.
8:34 - Scowl at JD for saying “ass” on the air.
10:30 - Eat Julie Millers last piece of pizza when I thought nobody was looking.
10:31 - Somebody was looking. Snider requests I save crust for Julie.
10:40 - See rock show - Drink more beer
10:50 - Julie eats whats left of her pizza.

12:30 - Try to talk to Heather Morgan (maybe flirt…I dunno)…someone who looks like her mom does not approve.

12:45 - Meet at Muddy Waters to pick up demo CD for goofy Cover band “Sham Parsons”. Drink Beer.
1:30 - Xpo Lounge. Drink Beer. Try and talk to girl. She seems friendly and I guess knows me. Im thinking I might get a date, instead I get invited to her wedding reception.

1:45 - Some strange guy does a great Kareoke redition of Spider Man. I think I might like this Kareoke stuff.

1:48 - Nude fat guy sings “Big Balls”… poorly. I need more Beer.

2:00 - Against better judgement…I leave Downtown Dallas.

This…suprisingly enough…seems to be an average night. Not rock star….but interesting.

Last Weekend, we scored all access passes to Hank3. I wanted to get a nice picture of me and Hank…but the first thing he did was flip off the camera…..A great Christmas card picture ruined. Oh well…guess Ill put a candy cane over the finger. After that we just ate his food.

Huh….well my compile is about done…so I gotta get back to work. But this little letter has given me a chance to analyze my nights. It seems to boil down to.

1. Drink Beer
2. Unsuccessful attempts to talk to Women.
3. Stealing food from backstage.

A far cry from Sex (getting none), Drugs (dont do em) and Rock and Roll (I play Country).

great article on Lonesome Bob here on rockzilla.

Actually, its not so much about Lonesome Bob as it is about the Lone Star Cafe. If you haven’t been there, well, you have not missed too much. I was always facinated on how such a good lineup of talent could be watched by such an indifferent crowd. Its Garland though….what can you say. God Bless em for trying though.

Live music in Dallas is just strange, but I assume thats the case in most parts of the US. In Austin, its a way of life. Folks enjoy their artists and are very supportive. Cover bands are generally laughed at it would seem, at least by the groups that matter (folks that pay cover, buy beer and maybe, if your good enough, buy a CD or a shirt).

North Dallas is barren. Cover bands rule and seem to command high figures. Guarentees above 400 is not unusual at all for a band that plays the same crap 6 days a week. There are fun cover bands too..sure..Im not knocking it entirely. Poison Cherry and Fair Warning I like. And I hear there is a Police one that KICKS ASS. Sadly, this is not what passes for good cover bands up there either.

Muddy waters and Barley house has a dedicated crowd that doesnt put up with that crap. Those are the most austin-like bars out here in spirit.

Deep ellum….much better scene. I shoulda moved downtown instead of Plano.

So, Lone star Club…I salute you for not getting crappy cover bands…..but I still get a little creeped out when I go there.

Hey there. Looks like I can only do this from Explorer. Oh well.

Posted a lot of new pics. Actually, I had em around, but they are new to the site. Check out the killer Mullet. Oh ya.

Not too much has happened over the past month. Just a lot of playing. Last night I was out walking and…well…I do a lot of thinking when Im walking. Actually, I talk/think out loud too. Some folks might think thats crazy, but really is talking to your self any different than writing in a journal. Ya…thats what I thought.

So Im on FARK and notice this piece where the OASIS singer says that old musicians produce crap. In case the link dies, to paraphrase, after 30….you cant write. Noel feels that even he has reached the apex of his career. The four top items being drugs, sex, anger and love. He then blasts the Beatles and the Stones and even says that he hasnt written anything better about the subjects himself.

I sent that one off to Mike Smith (writes for Rockzilla) who balked at it. Then I got to thinking. Noel is probibly right in the realm of pop. Lets face it….do you really want to hear what old people have to say about the subject. Lets explore.

Ok….first off..Im eliminating drugs cuz…besides alcohol (which is my anti-drug) and caffine, Im not much of a fan of the rest of whats out there. The Boys from Oklahoma by Cross Canadian Ragweed is a brilliant song….great drug song…but thats about it. Oh…and Lonesome LA Cowboy by Peter Rowan.

I noticed that he never mentioned Sir Elton John, who is a HELLUVA songwriter…..but he made up with eminem so anger is out and Im not really sure I want to hear out sex from him. That leaves love, which, well….those are his best songs. Hes good.

Madonna is getting in the years. Ok, there has not been much terribly impressive lyric wise, but the whole package with the videos and the image reinventing (except for the constant leather clad boys) and the wow and the glitter. Never ceases to amuse me. She is the definition of Pop music.

Kiss……well…I cant really acknowledge anything past 1992 on Revenge…and even in that case, I think “God Gave Rock and Roll to You” was a cover. Still…hard to say that ole Gene wouldnt have a few things to say about sex. Have you checked out his mag Tongue. Its basically about rock stars and playboy bunnies and Hugh. How bad ass. Ok, so we are not talking critical writing skills here….but that just kicks ass….no wait…its Oasis I was originally talking about. I mean Arse.

Micheal Jackson seems to have lost his edge. Invincible sold 2 million in 28 weeks, Eminems sold that in 2 week. MJ blames the man. I have no interest in what he has to say about any of those subjects.

Eminem song (or that slim one) had me laughing my ass off. I still think Moby….at 36 and bald like me gives me hope that I can still bag the Natalie Portmans and Riccis of the world. (I heard she gotta boob job).

Anyway….I really cant say much about writers, Im more of an instrumentatist. They get to follow different rules. Fiddlers can be in bands at all ages. Ill admit, once you reach 30, you probibly are about at the top of your technical game, but style always gets built on. Im not sure whats up with pedal steel players though. Unless your over 50, its hard to be taken seriously.

ok…its late…I gotta sleep. Bye