Friday, January 1, 2010

2010-Back to the Blog: Fired & New Projects

It's been way too long since I've put my thoughts down in this blog. 2009 was a very busy year for me. I really got into Facebook and Twitter. My friends and followers already track me with those two SoMe services so they have a nice snapshot of what 2009 was like for me (music/gigs, work, sports, hanging out, going to shows, my sister's wedding, dealing w/the economy, etc.) I haven't been on Spill.com as much as I like to, though I will correct that this year. I miss my LEOG fans a lot. This blog will allow me to flesh out my 140 character thoughts.

So to review my 2009-I played a lot of bass, worked in competitive media (my Clark Kent gig), attended a ton of shows, did terrible in my fantasy football league, played on Facebook/Twitter a lot, went to some kick-ass parties/bars and played guitar for my sister's wedding-my "Gig of the Year". The set list was:

Norwegian Wood-The Beatles
I Believe (When I Fall in Love...)-Stevie Wonder
Feel My Love-Bob Dylan
Cobalt Blue-My tune
Airbag-Radiohead
Language of God-My Tune
She walked down the aisle to me playing In My Life-The Beatles. It was awesome, beautiful and humbling.

As far as my main music project, Soul Track Mind-the above words don't come to mind. Those three words would be ego, stupidity and disappointment. The lead singer Donovan fired me from the band as we were in pre-production for the debut album, on the day I did this interview for Austin360 He reasoning was not based on any logic. It's based on ego. Let me put it this way:

Donovan and I are walking down a street. There's a hole in the street. I have a board in my hand to cover the hole so we can avoid stepping into the hole. Donovan would rather step into the hole to remind himself not to step in the hole.

That is basic it. He doesn't want advice or guidance unless he feels he generated the idea that he needs advice or guidance. I have other opinions, but they get into the pop psyche of comic actors that can't handle the idea of success (Dave Chappelle comes to mind...) I've been cut from bands before, but those times were different because I wasn't so heavily involved like STM. A lot of time, money, energy was used in trying to make STM better. I wasn't perfect-I was hard on the drummer Doug, I mess up parts, I was blunt about the music business and I guess I hurt some feelings. I'm a proud member of Generation X. We don't do well babying Generation Yers that need gold stars for everything they do. Things I take for granted as a professional musician-learning your instrument, playing in time, practicing with a metronome, taking lessons, investing in your equipement, studying the music business, etc. Overall, I think I helped STM from A to B. The horns are also leaving-Joe was fired and Raymond is doing his own project. It was a learning experience and I'm glad that I met some cool people.

For 2010, I have two projects in mind:

An instrumental band-live, experimental jazz, funk/R&B, rock, sound texture stuff. Original music, arrangements of music from movie soundtracks-TV Themes and riff heavy music (reworking hard rock and jazz tunes). I have a name, but I will release it when it is formed. The ideal lineup will be me on bass, occasional vocals/guitar/Alto Sax, a full time guitarist, drum-percussionist and keyboard-piano. I can hear the music also working with a DJ. A band along the lines of Medeski, Martin & Wood, Jaco Pastorius' mid '80s NYC Trio, TJ Kirk, The Bad Plus. Danceable Out-there Stuff...

A pop/funk/rock/R&B band-Have a few names. Meaningful lyrics, almost an audio magazine on the human condition. I know this is more of a single track era, but I still think there is an audience for well produced albums. The sound of the music will be grand, full and strong. I would serve almost like an editor. I have a lot of material for this band and will look to write with the band. We would do strategic covers-not "ironic" covers, but blends of 2 tunes together-like a mash-up. Bands/music like The Noisettes, Peter Gabriel, David Ryan Harris, Brand New Immortals, Earl Greyhound, Terence Trent D'arby, All the Beatles, Stones etc...The ideal lineup will be me on bass/vocals/guitar, guitarist, keyboard/piano,drums, female vocalist that plays guitar or keyboard.

Also on tap for 2010:

A website to serve as my media portal-my music/media projects. Something that combines my Clark Kent (I'm a competitive media analyst) and my Superman (music, writing etc.) I anticipate this blog going through some more changes (platforms, video, music, media, looks) I have other specific goals I'm sorting out this week. I might post them, I might not. I'm also finalizing some kind of blog posting schedule for myself. I'll try to keep up with my life as a musician on the blog as well-the search for gigs, booking gigs, licensing music, writing music, music philosophy, music culture, going to shows, giving interviews, music research/history, practicing, meeting other musicians, touring and all the heartache/exaltation in-between.

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