Zamir the Tow Truck Driver

Zamir is from Africa. He told me that if I stopped at his family’s house in Ethopia and asked for him, they would invite me in and take care of me, even if he wasn’t home.  He’s been driving tow trucks for 30 years in California, and that kind of open-hearted community is just a memory.

 He left his job at AAA some years ago to start his own towing company....but with the rising cost of fuel, insurance payments, a string of irresponsible employees, and all the added weight of running a business it just wasn’t worth the headache. So, he closed down his shop, cancelled his accounts and went back to work for his old boss, who sounded like a complete asshole from the orders he was barking to Zamir over the dispatch radio. Halfway down the hill, the truck lost power and we couldn’t get it up past 15mph. Between Zamir’s requests for help on the CB and his new/old boss’s demands for him to complete the tow regardless, Zamir said that this was his first day back working for this company again, and he didn’t think he could take it much longer. His buddy owns a locksmith shop and asked him if he wanted a job there. He’s eyeing the door to leave the tow biz all together.

The irony of my tow truck breaking down wasn’t lost on him, and as the engine failed, he threw his hands up in surrender. We pulled over, with the line of cars that built up behind us whizzing and honking past. I told him we should forget about getting my broken jeep to the shop and go get a beer. He laughed with his incredibly warm smile and told me that him and beer don’t mix...he used enjoy it, but he always ended up needing to reach for a bible to straighten him out.

 After a half hour or so under the big hood, he diagnosed the problem and managed to clear a clogged fuel line. He climbed back in the cab covered in diesel fuel and apologizing for the smell. Z agreed with me that he should be payed double for driving and being a mechanic.

Despite all the hassles of driving a tow truck, Zamir prides himself on being a professional. He said he always has a plan and is mentally prepared for each tow, so that there aren’t any last minute bathroom breaks or snafus to delay the customer’s assistance. Unfortunately, his professionalism often isn’t appreciated by his impatient customers, who sometimes won’t help him push a dead car a few feet, and his employer, who pays him $10 an hour. He’s 59 years old and has two girls in college and is barely getting by. He can’t afford health insurance, which he says adds a constant stress on his mind, with the job always keeping him on the dangerous LA roads.

Zamir is an honest, decent man. He taught his girls to be good to others, and appreciate the life they were given, and as a result, people always compliment him on his children. He says that when he dies, people who remember him will say, “Zamir was a poor man, but always working.”

Safe Travels, my friend.

Lemonade live at Webster Hall, NYC

here's a video my dad took from the balcony at Webster Hall in New York, last friday.

i love playing with these guys...it was actually the first time that nate (bass) and matty (drums) had played together! that's one of the beautiful things about music...you can speak with someone you just met in a familiar, intimate and fun way....like you've known them your whole life.

I had an amazing night last weekend, playing at a crowded Henry Fonda theater in L.A., opening for my friend Lissie. It reminded me that I need to stay on my path, and up there playing for people is where I belong! here's a video of Lissie joining me for my song 'don't be the one.' for those of you who don't know Lissie, she is an undeniable talent with amazing songs! One of the best out there.

Rainy Day Instrumental

here's some music I recorded yesterday, inspired by the non-stop rain here in L.A.

Rainy Day Instrumental

Crane's will never die

When I moved to L.A. four years ago, my longtime friend and fellow musician Walker Young invited me down to play some tunes at his neighborhood bar, Crane's, on a Wednesday night. At the foot of Beachwood Canyon, It was a hole-in-the-wall, unfinished shell of a building, and because they didn't have a proper liquor license, they served only a few beers and a strange rice wine. There was no soap in the already graffiti'd up bathroom, and you had to stumble through the band's equipment to get to the outdoor patio to enjoy the smoke of your choice. The P.A. sucked, electrical outlets were difficult to find to plug your amp into, and there were no lights aimed at whoever was performing on the bar floor.

I've played a thousand shitty clubs over the years, and at first glance, Crane's was just another one...But when I started my set, people stopped their conversations. They put out their smokes and came inside, listened to my words, and watched my fingers go. The room cheered so loudly at the end of my songs, I felt like I was playing a sold-out Hollywood Bowl.

I was at home at Crane's. These people were my people. We all came to this crazy city to make music, or films, or art, and find like-minded artists...and Crane's was the place to meet. Walker introduced me to the owner Darren Crane, and Darren has heart. He had big plans for Crane's, and wanted a place for us musicians to feel at home. A place that stood apart from all of the other clubs in Hollywood by not giving a shit about what you were wearing, who you know, or what you drive. My small circle of friends instantly exploded into to an army of colorful, beautiful people, and we all cheered each other on, just as they did during my first performance there. The Wednesday night Beachwood Rockers' Society shows continued to grow, and the word was out...I've watched so many people over the last four years stunned after attending their first show at Crane's. Amazed that so much great music, cool people, and cheap beer actually existed right under their nose, and thrilled to be indoctrinated into the club. Great careers have been launched from that small stage, and countless life-long friendships were born there.

Over the last four years, Darren put a lot of work into his bar. He hired some of the great musicians who are equally talented carpenters to help him rearrange the bar and stage, and turn it into a better music venue. They cared about every piece of wood they nailed into the place because they knew it would only make our Wednesday nights there more epic...and it did.

But Crane's has experienced a lot of resistance from the neighborhood...now in the shadow of the brand new W hotel, where you can see and hear the exact opposite Hollywood experience happening on its rooftop, broadcasting its club beats, glitz and glamour, and mini skirts to the world. After a long battle, Darren made the difficult decision to close up shop in L.A., and open Crane's 2.0 in Costa Rica.

Tonight will be the last concert at Crane's. It will be full of amazing people and great music. I'll be playing late, when things are guaranteed to get crazy. Stop by to see the end of something legendary if you're in the neighborhood.

Costa Rica has no idea how awesome their Wednesday nights are about to be.

Lemonade

Here is a link to listen to my new song 'Lemonade.' the song will be available for download on itunes in the next few weeks.
I've been having so much fun recording music lately....I always do, but lately it seems like all of my time spent learning the craft of the recording process is beginning to really pay off.

The song itself it about making something positive when life deals you a shitty hand.

hope you enjoy it!

Lemonade

George Stanford 'Roll Away'

Ladies and Gents: I'm excited to finally share the brand spankin' new music video for my song 'Roll Away'. Thanks to all who helped make it possible!!