Joe G

I'm pretty sure I'll be going to the AA show.

I must admit, I'm starting to get a little, um... inspired.

We had snow and freezing rain this morning, temps in the low to mid 30's all day, and now there's a thunderstorm brewing. Just now, aside from a few rumbles and flashes, there was a prolonged gust of strong wind howling outside my window. Like something out of an old walt disney movie.

You'll be back here stirring things up in no time! Best of luck - do whatever you can to relax yourself.

I like that hat on you, Paul.

Okay, who's gonna photoshop our faces into those 'fros?

Oh man, well... interesting note choices, that's fer sure!

We had that rarity of rarities: a full day of sunshine. I got out for a walk in the woods to soak some up.

That is a nice article. Different angle than most.

Dig the dog on the plate.. Not to mention the monkeys. Somewhere in my closet I've got an old Hit Parader from 1968 (when it was actually a "serious" rock magazine) with an article about the Coral Electric Sitar. Now - who/what was Coral, and what kind of marketing department did they have? Manufactured by the Danelectro company: http://www.guitargonauts.com/pick-46.html

Hey you groovy kids, dig this!

I've not decided yet what entourage guy I want to be. Look Mean Guy Straighten Joe G's Tie Guy or Guy on Cell Phone But Not Talking to Anyone Guy ( do they still have these guys?) Talk about money for nothin'!

I hope they swing through the midwest.

It's an organ trio, dude!

Yes.

"Organized" would imply intent.

Close, but no cigar! Close to what?

Humans organize sound and call it "music", but once while walking in a stand of virgin pine in northern Michigan, I absolutely heard the sound of wind streaming through pine needles as music; thrilling music at that, like high strings in an adagio. Then there's birdsong, elk song, coyote song, etc. Another time (long time ago) I went to the local mall, and the minute I stepped inside, I heard what sounded like the wildest electric guitar duet ever - the two tones were swooping and diving like hawks, with a huge reverb on it. A second later I realized it was actually a couple of skilsaws being used somewhere down another wing. So any definition would have to be pretty broad, which the one in the subtitle is. Yes Chuck, I'm still the "dreamy mystic".

Adopt-a-Poppa!

Your first paragraph made the point perfectly, but this one cracked me up.

I'm glad you liked the set design, flames, dancing back-up singers...and when he licked his finger and wiped his bangs. That all adds up to great music. Good set design doesn't add up to great music, but it can enhance the presentation of already great music. This goes back hundreds of years in opera, for instance. BTW Mike, that was Jim's wife you just smacked down.

Jimi Hendrix wasn't a guitarist per se? Per se who? Yeah, I wanna hear the answer to this one. Because Jimi's guitar was continually incorporated into the story-telling aspect of his songs ... the guitar playing served as emphasizers, segues, rhythm and background, etc. underlying the story primarily told by his lyrics. It's tough being the front man and the guitarist. How many great rock bands can you name in which the guitar genius was the front man ? Kurt Cobain, a "guitar genius"? I said "wasn't a guitar genius per se" ... but effectively Kurt was a genius on the instrument. Why? Because his human expression was genius and it wouldn't have happenned without him composing/playing both the vocals and the guitar. He had complex, deep, disturbing emotions and psychological disruptions and disturbances (that are shared by many) that he had to communicate, where vocals alone would not have sufficed. He succeeded in getting enough out of the guitar to achieve that communication. And actually I'd almost get into an argument that some of his guitar work, like on Aero Zeppelin, was genius on a pure guitar basis alone. Don't gotta have Stevie Vai's chops to be a genius on the instrument, as Slash is ample proof. SLASH??!!??!

Adrian Belew in King Crimson. And maybe not a genius, but SRV played lots of guitar. As for the Prince on SNL, I think my favorite part was the funky jam at the end of the second song.

Thanks, Rachel. I'm sure we'll get to play in Indy soon. Hopefully it will be the Kitchen; it's a very nice room, and just the kind of space we tend to thrive in.