In all the excitement of not posting much lately, I forgot to post this:
I’ve actually lost count of how many Ball of Wax comps I’ve been on in the last 9 years, and the fact that it’s been that long is kind of blowing my mind right now. Yeesh.
Read about the added significance here, and as usual, thank you Levi.
In all the excitement/inactivity, I forgot to mention:
It starts at 9pm and I’m first (playing this one solo). Of the five bands playing I checked out Leif Hinkel and Wes Sp8… both are not bad at all. I’m looking forward to it.
I have another solo show at Cafe Racer next month, July 19, with Virgin of the Birds. Thanks Jon for inviting me!
I work at a music radio station, possibly the best one there is. I’m not as big a music fan as most everyone there, which is a bit weird what with being a musician and all, but there it is. Actually the two facts are related, as being a songwriter and recordist has ruined me as a music fan, because it’s made it harder to be a passive listener, and/or an active listener not distracted by minutia.
So actually, working there is perfect, because I hear everything, songs are constantly playing in the background even if I can’t put a name to them. Consequently I’ve developed a process where if I notice something on the air I like enough to look it up on the playlist, and it’s the same band/album/song twice or more, then I’ve found what may become my next thing.
Sadly, I don’t get into nearly enough next things. End of the year is top ten list time, I’ve got maybe.. Four? I don’t know.
Regardless, I’ve added at least Grimes this year via the above method, and now Pinback‘s new album Information Retrieved. I’m listening to it now, on vinyl, natch, because our yearly bonus is at a music store and I may as well get the vinyl. Lost Lander was also great this year, but I know that guy and contributed to the Kickstarter so it doesn’t count.
In almost related news, I saw Deep Sea Diver on Friday at a packed Neumos and they were great. Jessica Dobson is decidedly badass.
Finally, I had a run of indifferent luck with most of the shows I mentioned in my last post. The Kennewick gig was canceled earlier in the week (for good reasons, butstill), then I had dumb last-minute car trouble and missed my Portland show, and finally Centralia was, uh, how to put it. Not great. I’ll try again, certainly, but it’s real hit or miss there.
That said, the show at the Copper Gate a couple of Sundays ago was great — many thanks to Kubby Casual for inviting me and then playing drums for my set. After taking so much time off from consistently playing solo I forgot that it’s a lot of ups and downs. I’m remembering now.
UPDATED: the show Saturday in Kennewick has been canceled. I’ll try again soon.
I’m carrying over from the summer this thing of playing a lot of shows out of town. I like to play out but can’t do it more than once a month in Seattle, so this is how I get around that. It’s also way fun and I like that I’m not driving more than 3 hours between shows, unlike my last set of solo tours, when I’d sometimes drive 12-13 hours. That was dumb. Don’t get me wrong, I hope to do it again someday. But it’s dumb.
Next show is this Friday the 16th in Portland, Oregon at the Waypost, with Dan Lurie — here’s a facebook evite.
That’s followed the next day at the Stove Top in Kennewick, WA. There’s a facebook thing for that too.
Then Thanksgiving happens, followed by a sort of interesting gig that Sunday the 25th at the Copper Gate in Ballard, Seattle. I’ll be accompanied by a drummer and a pedal steel guitarist whom I’ve yet to meet.
Then Tuesday I’m coming back to the Hub in Centralia, with Stephen Kattenbraker. Jeffrey Henry made a great poster for it:
Finally, I’ll be at the Black Dog in Snoqualmie, Washington on December 21. More details on my shows page.
At this point I’m tempted to wax philosphic on the meaning of it all, but I won’t. Come see me play, it’s what I do best.