Sunday, October 24, 2010

Fall 2010 Update

Hello everyone. Looks like it's been 5 months since I last posted. Wow; as my dad says, "time just evaporates".

So, to give you an update on what (Keith and) I have been up to over the summer and early fall...not much. Well, not much as a band. Keith's wife is due with little Levi any day now, so that's kind of a big deal. Plus he's got his day job. I've still got my day job as well. I'm still single. I spend my weeknights running (Mon/Wed), playing volleyball (Tue), and going to the movies (Th), so I'm kind of in a routine. I'd say "rut", but I really enjoy all those things. That's one of the main reasons I never really envisioned the band or my musicianship ever becoming more than a casual hobby; I enjoy doing too many things. Plus, I'm lazy and I lack talent. As far as music goes, there really isn't anything to report. Keith and I rarely play, usually once every other month or so when we've been hanging out and get one too many beers in us.

I did get a new guitar, a 1974 Alvarez Yairi 5046 acoustic. Rhett Miller plays an 1970s Alvarez, so after seeing his guitar in a YouTube vid, I looked on ebay and found this one for $100. It isn't the same model/quality as the one he plays, but it is one of the best purchases I've ever made. It sounds GREAT. It stays in tune, has great action, and wonderful tone. It sounds better than the Gibson I recklessly spent $2,000 on (*shutter*).

I also started working more frequently on a solo acoustic set. I've got 4 songs that I really really like, 4 more songs that I would feel comfortable including in a set, roughly 20 more songs that are finished (but I don't really like all that much), and 100s of unfinished songs. I wrote what I feel is the best song I've ever penned about 2 months ago. It's a sad, slow ballad about heartbreak (surprised?). I've played it for 1/2 a dozen different people and they all really liked it. It's called "How You Done Me". I'm really proud of it (in case you couldn't tell). I like it so much, I'm worried I've unknowingly plagiarized it and just can't remember where I stole the melody from. The people I've played it for tell me it reminds them of Ryan Bingham. I would put that song and "Gettin' Busy" up against anything. But writing 1 quality song every 5 years isn't all that great a pace.

After I wrote that song, I put an ad on Craigslist to record a few acoustic songs. Of course I got inundated with replies, so now it's just a matter of sorting through them and choosing who to use. That, and mustering up the courage to do it. Frankly, I'm just not very secure in my talent level. I KNOW my guitar playing is amatuer. While I think I can carry a tune, I still shudder every time I hear my recorded voice. So, on the one hand, I want to record with someone who isn't badass/experienced because it would make me less insecure, but on the other hand, I don't see the point in using anyone but the best, because the only way it's worthwhile is if I get the professional results I can be proud of. So, it's a conundrum. That's one of the things that's least fun about being perpetually single; you don't have anyone encouraging you all the time.

Anyway, maybe I'll get the courage to get the acoustic songs recorded, maybe I won't. At this point, I'm done making predictions about what I will and won't do. I'm too busy enjoying daily life to worry about stuff like that.

Now that summer's over, my weekends have changed from being consumed by Port O'Connor to being consumed by college football. Normally, that's awesome, but this year it's been kind of a bummer (one of the main, but not only, reasons for this is that my beloved Longhorns have 3 losses). I'm ready for the cold weather and the holidays. I often think that because springtime is the one season in which I have ample free time (what with Summer = POC, Fall = Football, and Winter = Holidays), that would be the best time to devote to hobbies (music being one of them). We'll see. There's an endless list of shit I need to do to my house. I want to purchase another investment property. I need to find a better job (or start grad school). I want to train harder for the Cap 10k. Come spring, all of those things will be competing with my epic laziness in the battle for my free time.

Finally, the Old 97s have a new album out. It is very good. "State of Texas" is a song I wish I could've written. "Every Night is Friday Night" is great. "The Magician" is also very catchy. It's nowhere near as good as their 1st 5 studio albums, but it's better than Drag It Up and about as good as Blame It On Gravity.

Well, I guess that's enough for now. Hope this finds y'all well, thanks for reading.

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