Monday, October 25, 2010

Sweet Misery-Hoyt Axton

ON OCTOBER 26, 1999....WE LOST ONE OF THE GREATEST SONGWRITERS OF OUR TIME..... HE WROTE , "JOY TO THE WORLD", "THE PUSHER", "NEVER BEEN TO SPAIN",....AND MANY MANY MORE, INCLUDING THIS SONG......"SWEET MISERY".....R.I.P. , HOYT AXTON!!!!!

Sunday, October 24, 2010

The Great Gig In The Rain


A fellow starving musician friend of mine came knocking on my door the other day with some rel good news. It seems that the band that was scheduled to play at a nearby venue had cancelled, and the owners wanted us...Greg and me, to do a show of our solo stuff..., and get PAID to boot. Well that was just the best news Id heard all day...I was very excited to say the least....Ive been playing in a band and we've had a few paying gigs, but this is to be my first, "solo" gig to get paid for. Things are starting to look up!!!

So at 830pm we get our gear set up and get tuned up.., then kick back to relax before things get started at 9pm. And then it happens....rain. Oh, did I forget to mention, the bar/bandstand is set up like a outside patio type thing...its really cool...most of the seating area is covered, and the bandstand is covered, but the section between the two, the dancing area, is not covered. So, as the rain slacked Greg did his set, and a great set it was...about 45 minutes later I took the stage, and flowed through some of my songs and covers......the rain would come and go. It was a great night...each of us doing our musical sets...at one point a few friends from a local band came up and did a few songs.....the rains came again. We had to keep moving stuff around because the wind was starting to blow and the rain was getting the stage wet.

I went back up to close the night out with one last set...,that's when it happened.....the thunder...the lightning.......I have a book on a stand with songs in it ....one song I had written I'm still trying to memorize, was what I was singing....the wind started blowing hard....., all the pages started flipping in the book...I'd only gotten through the first verse.....man!! So, not to be faltered, I just started adding verses from different songs I know....and it worked! And the lightning crashed...and the thunder rumbled...and the rains fell at a 45degree angle ...I was getting wet...my guitar was wet.......so, at that point , I decided, with the encouragement of Greg, to end the show. It was a great show despite the storm.., in fact, to me, it just added to the excitement of the night.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Full Moon Gig!


They say a full moon effects people, makes them a little restless, a little wild and crazy....makes them act like they normally wouldn't. I think what it does is , brings out the true inner-self, the person inside that we try to hide away because we are afraid of what others may think.


I'm not one to worry about what people think, I've been a slight rebel all my life. So with the growing of the full moon each month, I just sit back and enjoy the ride....I love it, I do get a bit restless and I act on it, why not. Its fun, who cares what some up-tight person may think, let yourself be...be you. If you want to go for a midnight swim in your birthday suit...hey, just do it. Because, you know, there will come a day when you will not be able to do spontaneous things, when you can't act on impulse. So just do it!! If you're worried someone may say, "I can not believe you did that?", well, you can always blame on the full moon.



So, speaking of the moon, and a little wildness. My band ,GYPSYHEAD, (http://www.gypsyhead.com/ )

had a gig at a place called CRIS's TAVERN, a small ,but cool pub. I had a feeling when I first walked into this place....I thought to myself, "this looks like a fun place." There was a full moon out and it was a Thursday night....who goes out on Thursday nights?? The full moon people that's who....the restless ones looking to have a good time...not worried about the repercussions of the morning after. And thank God for them and thank God for the full moon!! The place was really rocking, and the people were really diggin' what the band was doing. With no regard to the dance floor, they were dancing , groovin', and grindin', all over the place. I loved every minute of it...I wanted to join them, since I had the full moon fever too, but I was limited to groovin' at the microphone with my guitar. But, at any rate, just seeing these folks having such a good time, heightened our performance as a band I think.

Tho we didn't make much money at the gig, (not even enough to pay our gas), it did not matter to me, its all about the party I feel we helped to create, the wildness we help people find within themselves, to let loose and be impulsive......to have fun. That, was pay enough for me that night!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

N0 eXCuSes


I haven't had much time to spend on my blog lately. I really don't have an excuse other than Lisa had a four day weekend and we spent a lot of time together. Ive also been practicing hard for a gig on Thursday, and one coming up on the 30th. Its great being able to do what I do, and I owe it all to Lisa's support.
The band has a gig at Cris's Tavern in Palestine Tx this Thursday night. They gave us the slot without even hearing us or seeing us perform...I think that is very cool of them. I only hope we make a good showing so we will be invited back again....and hope there is a big crowd....seeing as how we will be paid by a small percentage of the sales that night. LOL.
The one coming up on the 30th is a wedding, fellow musician Abigail Maynard ( http://www.abigailmaynard.com/ ), ask us to play at her wedding.....I was honored. I am looking forward to this gig.....I'm also very nervous about it too...and I don't know why!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

R.I.P. Mark Stevens

Back in my High School days...the only thing that could get me awake in the mornings to go to school, was my clock radio going off at 6am....blasting THE STEVENS AND PRUITT SHOW!!! Those guys really got me primed for the day.

Today is a sad day in the radio world.....one half of this awesome duo has left us. Mark Stevens passed away in his sleep this morning. May he rest in peace!!!

Saturday, October 9, 2010

...Frolic

I was up late last night, knowing that I had to get up much earlier than usual this morning. But, being the night person that I am, I continued to delay my bedtime.
Why did I have to be up so early on a Saturday morning? The Jewett Fall Frolic was going on and the live music started at 930am....and I was part of the live entertainment. So any way, I finally drag Lisa to bed....to read (that helps me fall asleep)....after a few chapters, I look at the clock and its 3am. So, I put the book away and shut out the light....and tried to sleep. I think I finally feel asleep sometime between 3 and 7am, when the alarm woke me up.


Thank God THE HORSES MOUTH BOOKSTORE/COFFEE SHOP was open...Laura, the barista there, saved my life with a, beyond awesome, double espresso lattee .........I was ready to perform for sure. So at 915am, Lisa and I headed for Jewett....to frolic.


At the Frolic I met up with John, a top notch drummer, and we got a set of unrehearsed songs rolling to a greatly responsive crowd. We played for about an hour then Matt showed up. I took a break while he took the stage and did his thing..., which was an awesome thing. Matt really knows how to tell a story in song.




When Matt was done I went back for another 45 min. performance......during that slot...I heard a train blowing from down the tracks (which runs directly in front of this location, approx. 50 -75 yards from the stage), what a perfect time to break into a Johnny Cash classic. So it was ..Folsom Prison Blues..., as the train clattered by..., the people loved it...as did I !!!









I had a great day at the event...frolicing, so to speak, with my guitar.

Friday, October 8, 2010

Remain


As time slowly crawls by, I think the clock is broken...

The silence echos in my head, no words spoken.

The night is getting darker, so time is moving forward...

Will the day do the same....,or will it just ..,remain.

Thursday, October 7, 2010


SOMETIMES I'D LIKE TO HITCH A RIDE ON A TRAIN.....I'VE ALWAYS LIKED TRAINS.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Im just rambling here!!

It has been a rough time these last few days being sick and all. Lack of motivation to do anyhing productive because Ive just felt so bad. Its terrible, I hate being sick. I've been trying to prepare myself for a solo accustic spot at a local annual event, Jewett's Fall Frolic, this weekend. Its two days away and I havent been able to practice very much at all. But, it will all work out....it always does.
Looking ahead to the near future....Im excited to say, The Horses Mouth Bookstore/Coffeeshop (Buffalo,Tx) , and I ,will start up Open Mic Nights again!!! Only difference is , now it will be on Thursday, once a month. We plan to do it Oct. 21.....come by if you can.
Also coming up on October 30, my band Gypsyhead will be providing the live entertainment for the wedding of fellow musician/performer, Abigail Maynard. That should be a whole lot of fun. I cant wait!!