Rockin' in the Studio, Banjo Jim's
Sunday, September 21, 2008

Big day yesterday. Went back to the studio.

Roscoe, the self-described "Producer Kramer."

Tim "Timbo" Hatfield, engineer, Chris(o?) the assistant engineer on dueling computers.

Charlene McPherson from Spanking Charlene came in during the afternoon and sang some suh-weet sounding background vocals on the song "Don't Think I Can't Stop (Just Because I Don't)." Can't WAIT for you to hear it!

Charlene

Then we played a real fun gig at Banjo Jim's.
Butch, gets an earful
Duet with Brandy
In the middle of our set the cops had to haul out a menacing dude. But Drina Seay sang with us. So did Charlene (and later I played harmonica on a couple songs at Charlene's show at the Lakeside Lounge).

Our buddy Dan McGuinness, from Chicago, opened for us. It was his first gig in NYC and he completely won over the crowd.



Speaking of Chicago, the CUBS CLINCHED THE DIVISION!!!

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Overdubbing Day 1: Survived
Friday, September 19, 2008

I love reading Terry Anderson's blog. He calls recording "Making Rock History." A lot of history has passed since the New Heathens first started making rock history, but we dove back into the shark tank today. And survived.

Butch, pleased at the playback

Dominator

Voice held out...today

More tomorrow. And a gig at Banjo Jim's at 9 p.m. sharp.

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Gettin' Ready for Saturday, Truckstoppin'
Tuesday, September 16, 2008

The New Heathens ramped up for our gig this Saturday at Banjo Jim's at 9 p.m. sharp . We practiced at a swanky studio, Euphoria, and we sounded so good I kept thinking about the title of one of my favorite Muddy Waters albums" (This is good, because we're set to do some more recording on Friday and Saturday.)
Butch
Dominator
The first lady of the bass, Ms. Brandy Wood
Tony Graci on the skins.
After the gig I rambled to my favorite Monday late-nite haunt, Shayni Rae's Truck Stop at the National Underground. Played a few songs solo, listened to the always-money Madison Square Gardners, and shared a table with two of my favorites, Kevin Kinney and Tom Clark

Don't forget my buddy' Alex Battles' Brooklyn Country Music Festival this week.
See 'ya Saturday...
Kevin Kinney

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Rock 'N' Roll Faces
Monday, September 15, 2008

Friends, had a great rock 'n' roll weekend up at Livestock in Bovina, NY. The New Heathens played this festival the last two years (you might remember this blog from last year about playing nine encores, buying pumpkins and bathing in the damn river). This year it was one of my favorite bands, Dan Baird & Homemade Sin. The faces these guys make are as good as the music they play (which is to say, the best). Observe.
Dan Baird

Keith Christopher
Yep, Keith.
The show was put on in a big red barn by our buddy Chico, shown here with his baby girl Emmylou.
Emmylou, Chico.
On the way, stopped by the home of our artist friend Ken Hiratsuka. He showed us his sculptures, cooked us food and even took me trout fishing (he was the only one who got any).

As a last note about Livestock, one of the funniest moments came when someone threw a blow-up sheep at Dan Baird & Homemade Sin somewhere near the end of their set. I got a pic of the sheep in midair with Dan looking surprised.

Dan, sheep, "What the hell?"
Keith, Mr. Style.
Kristen

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John + April =

Congrats to two wonderful folks, John & April, who tied the knot two weekends ago. I met John through work and he's been good enough to come to countless New Heathens shows ( he's also the only dude I've ever grown a mustache for ). April is as sweet and smart as they come. Have fun, you two.

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Getting Ready
Thursday, September 11, 2008

Been working on harmonies and guitar solos n' stuff in Domenick's apartment in Hoboken (the dinners Agatha cooks make it awfully inviting!) We're getting ready to go back into the studio next week. It's been a long, treacherous process. I'm anxious.

Interfacing up to what we've done

Butch, pensive.

Note the "Pro Tools For Dummies" book next to me.

Played a solo gig out at Circa in High Bridge, NJ tonight. It's my favorite NJ gig because the South Branch of the Raritan River, my favorite NJ trout stream, runs right through High Bridge. I fish until dark, then I sing and strum. It's the only gig I do that pays in trout, my preferred currency. Caught one little brown trout on a green, beadhead wooly bugger.

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Summer Vacation Stories
Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Ah summer vacation, so sad it's over. Here's some snapshots from Heathenland.

Butch went shootin'.


"Shotgun Butch"

Skeet beware, have you met my friend Butch?

Domenick went fishin'


Dom, fish.

Hooked a big one there, har-har.

He also caught ALICE COOPER in concert.

'Coop de Ville...

And made sure to eat plenty of his favorite breakfast, the Bacon, Egg and Cheese sandwich.

B.E.C.

I went fishing too.

Holding a purty Yellowstone Cutthroat trout caught in Slough Creek, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.


Trying to hold a flopping 14-inch Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout caught in Soda Butte Creek while a herd of buffalo graze in the background. Could life get any better?

Also went to Northwest Montana, to Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area, to catch native Westslope Cutthroat Trout like these...

Westslope Cutthroat from the South Fork of the Flathead River

In waters like these...

South Fork of the Flathead River, Montana

On that leg of the trip I was joined by a best buddy, my stepdad's black lab, Scout (who loves trout!)

Scout!

Did a little whitewater rafting too, at the invite of my buddy Mandela who has one of the best stories about the Rolling Stones I've ever heard. Remind me to tell it to you one of these days...


Top left, that's me. Capt. Mandela's in the back. Alberton Gorge of the Clark Fork River, near Tarkio, Montana

And celebrated an old friend's pending nuptuals with a camping trip with several of me best mates. The theme of this bachelor party? "Boy Scouts vs. Pirates." I was a pirate! Arrrrrr...

Pirate Party near the Lochesa River, Idaho (thanks to my buddy Lido Vizzutti for the pic)

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