Entries categorized as ‘Uncategorized’
My next acoustic set will be this Wednesday night in downtown Manhattan Beach. I’ll be performing at the Surfrider Foundation’s South Bay Chapters mixer. Jon Wegener of Wegener Surfboards will be there, too. For more information, click here: http://bit.ly/2SBncc
Also, The NoVanGogh web site is finally finished! http://www.novangoghmusic.com It’s my friend and co-writer Doug Sparks web site in support of his NoVanGogh release My Own Gallery, which includes our 3 collaorations: One Wish, Romance is Dead and Never Fell So Hard. (I’ll probably include one of those Wednesday night in honor of the site).
Definitely check out the cool collage that features everyone who was involved in the production.
Categories: Uncategorized
Wow, REM played the Hollywood Bowl tonight.
I often rush out and grab tix for a major show at the Bowl. Love those event-class gigs like the “as close as you will ever get to seeing the Faces” appearance by Ron Wood which disrupted Rod Stewart’s ode to Cole Porter show there a few years back or the “I had 6th ROW tickets for the original tour but got MONO”/relive your high school years Roger Waters DSOTM extravaganza last year when he still had his pig. Not to mention the obligatory John Mellencamp shows for the wife (happy birthday, dear).
But I had no interest in this one.
Yeah, I hear the new record could be the best thing they’ve done since they left IRS but no matter how good it will be/is/was, it will NEVER be like the shows I saw “back in the day”: REM playing Six Flags over Mid-America to a totally bewildered crowd of clueless teens that surrounded a couple dozen die hard St. Louis hipsters before Murmur was even released. Then there was a memorable 1984 appearance during the Bicycle tour at Washington University’s Graham Chapel with the dB’s as special guests, and the ensuing night of partying which included a tour bus stop at Heartbreak Hotel (the bar I managed) to load up for the party at Stipe’s former bandmates house (he spent time in the STL) and culminated with Peter Buck’s 3:00 am attempt to disappear with the last 6 pack which was foiled by yours truly and my bandmate George.
Yeah, REM played the Hollywood Bowl tonight.
And instead of attempting to retrieve that youthful hipness and take a stroll down memory lane (while waiting for the stacked parking to empty out), I saw my daughter sing in a choir at her middle school. In 3 different languages.
Now, that ticket was worth something!
Categories: Uncategorized
Tagged: Hollywood Bowl, REM, St. Louis
Whew – crazy week!
Spent a few days in San Francisco working the booth for magnify360 at Web 2.0 Expo. Had lunch with high school buddy and professional groovester Dirk Wyse. We tried to reach fellow Class of 76er Schene but he couldn’t get away to answer his phone.
The weekend moved south towards San Diego: we were camping and hiking with James’ Cub Scout pack at Anza-Borrego. It was HOT during the hike on Saturday, but everyone survived and we all made it out of the campsite before 9am in order to make the slate of afternoon games for MBLL.
Categories: Uncategorized
Today is the first day of spring break, and we have been visiting with family in NJ since Friday night. James and his cousin have been immersed in PS3, and all the family has had a turn embarassing themselves with Rockband. Most embarassing for me was attacking Highway Star then realizing it wasn’t in my key. That’s why I’ve never enjoyed random acts of karaoke.
As my wife feared, it did not take that long for the Twitter obsession to take full control. I’ve been microblogging the entire trip, and am totally enjoying being completely connected.
As far music, we stopped by Jack’s Music in Red Bank and picked up a few CD’s: The Gutter Twins, The Boxing Mirror by Alejandro Escovedo, and The Smithereens tribute to the Mersey sound.
Gotta go – my 12 year old just asked to file a restraining order from her 9 year old brother.
til next time,
RTK
Categories: Uncategorized
There is this new technology called twitter and I just signed up for it. I have no idea what practical use it will have for me, but figured what the heck – I already have a half dozen email addresses, a website, a Linked In page, a facebook page (still thinking about that one), a myspace page, and ID’s on most of the IM applications you can find out there.
I’ll keep you posted on whether or not the technology was worth the 2.5 minutes it took to set up an account.
Meanwhile, I will soon be on the waiting list for the Aerosmith edition of Guitar Hero and James and Gina will be teaching me Mario Galaxy pretty soon.
BTW, I am now in my 2nd month at magnify360 and am really enjoying it! Great company, great people, and great technology. It’s fun to be able to sell something that a) you believe in and b) can help your clients.
til next time…
Categories: Uncategorized
A while back I mentioned that Doug Sparks and I were working on a couple of new songs, Never Fell So Hard and Romance Is Dead. We ended up doing two versions of each: one simple acoustic version with my vocals, and another more “produced” version sung by Melanie Bomar. Frankly, Melanie’s versions continue to knock me out!
You can hear Romance Is Dead on Doug’s MySpace page. Andrew Gold’s version of our tune One Wish is there, too, along with Melanie and Doug’s collaboration One Step Closer, which was a finalist in a recent Song of the Year contest. You can hear more of Melanie, including her version of Never Fell So Hard here
No gigs currently scheduled, but it’s early in the year still!
Categories: Uncategorized
It’s fall in SoCal – as fall as it gets here, anyway. The shock of the whole daylight savings time hasn’t worn off yet, and it’s hard to get used to driving home in the dark.
Spent last weekend playing in the pit band for Faith UMC’s production of Godspell. Everyone did a bang-up job and both shows appeared to be sell-outs.
Saw The Hold Steady a few weeks back and they continue to be my favorite new band of the last 10 years. They never disappoint live (unless you count the fact that they didn’t do Cattle and The Creeping Things.) A few new songs were introduced, including Lord, I’m Discouraged, which featured Tad on his double-neck Gibson!
And from the “why’d it take so long” department: the Doll by Doll catalogue is now on CD!!!! They were available at Amazon for around 6 bucks apiece. Well worth it at triple the price!
Categories: Uncategorized
Just a note that Faith UMC is presenting Godspell this weekend. I’ll be doing some guitar work as part of the pit band. it should be fun.
For more info, click http://faithumctorrance.com/
Categories: Uncategorized
Okay, so it’s only been since February so that’s not TOO bad!!
Played the Red Car a few weeks back (8/4) and it was great to finally get out and do a gig – it had been almost 2 years. Saw many friends and had a few IPA’s…good times!
Doug Sparks and I are working up demos for several new songs, including Romance Is Dead and Never Fell So Hard. You can check them out on Doug’s myspace page: ww.myspace.com/dougsparksmusic
I also spent some an evening at Hastings Productions laying down some new guitar/vocal tracks to begin planning for the “next CD” – whenever that will be!
Hope all is well with you!!
RTK
Categories: Uncategorized
