Ghosts of New Years past

It was a great NYE last night.

Good friends all gathered in a house full of instruments and beer, with a panoramic view of Los Angeles. I was playing an appropriately drunken Auld Lang Syne on my friend John's 1950's mint green Gretsch guitar at midnight, watching 3 different fireworks displays explode miles apart across the city. That guitar has a power all it's own...I was bending notes around through the little fender reverb, channeling some of that classic Bigsby energy as Smitty played the drums and everyone butchered the lyrics together at the top of their lungs, swaying and hugging and kissing each other. It felt damn good. Could have been NYE 1959.

That strong vintage energy made me think about all of the musicians out there at all types of gigs and parties, this year and years past, playing that melody again to help ring in a new one for revelers. Made me think about my incredible insignificance in that unending thread of musicians, and I liked it.

The feeling reminded me to not hold myself back in 2010, and to take more chances with my music and my life in general. A few years from now, when someone else is playing that melody at a New Years eve party, channeling NYE 2010, we won't be around to sing along.

So live it up in '10!

at home with my germs

I never remember how much being sick sucks until I'm sick. It's not too bad this time...just a head cold...but damn, it's shitty. I haven't been sick in so long. Probably the longest stretch in my life. I think because I was surfing a lot. And I haven't been recently. All the pre-holiday partying didn't help out either. It might be a blessing in disguise....I've decided to stay home with my germs and work on my music. That's always the plan, but it's amazing how distracting L.A. can be....

This Christmas (I'll be on the Road)

here's a brand new Christmas song for you....
I've been working on it a little bit each year for a few years now. I'll forget about then remember it around Christmastime.
Well I finally finished it this year. Hope you enjoy it.

I'm officially an adult

I really felt like an adult a few nights ago...
In the middle of a recording session with my friend Christopher, I took a break to take roscoe for a walk.
As I headed down the driveway towards puppy's favorite piss-patch, I noticed a camera flash go off behind me in the back parking area.

On my way back inside, I went back there to investigate.
I found a three rather drunk kids, probably 15 or 16 years old, laughing and drinking some of those alcoholic energy drinks. Just what a growing body needs.

I told them nicely they had to leave and they all apologized fifty times for trespassing. It reminded me of sneaking around with beer when I was that age....
Once they realized I wasn't going to call the cops on them, the one boy tried to find out just how nice I was....He was so scrawny and pimply, and had lots of shiny product in his hair to form perfect spikes. He asked me:

"Hey man, is it cool if we just hang out here for a minute? I can jam the rest of this so fast"
I had to laugh when he said that.
"Dude....I'm sorry, but you cannot jam that back here."

As much as the stupid teenager in me wanted to tell them to finish their drinks safely back there, the adult in me just wouldn't let that happen. So, if you're underage, don't hang out in my driveway drinking. You damn kids stay off my property!