Maybe This Year, Then

Maybe this year,

The economy completely recovers.
The $300 I loaned out is returned (after two years).
The go-ahead for that next big project is granted.
Family life stabilizes.
The kids turn into adventurous eaters.
Technology mastery is achieved.
The commute becomes milder.
Leisure time is prevalent.
Gas prices drop while the mpg triples.
The housing market normalizes.
Global warming reverses.

Then, I can,

Paint and draw.
Write and blog.
Discover new music, live music.
Read.
Garden and grow things.
Build and construct.
Travel and explore.
Cook new things.

The point is none of the Maybes are likely to happen. So, why wait on the stuff I really want make. Remember Rule number Six.

Gig in Santa Cruz

Austin, Texas has produced a ton of musicians over the years with many of the most notable finding a home in my CD player and now my iPod. At the top of my Austin list would be Shawn Colvin, The Arc Angels, Meat Puppets, and Poi Dog Pondering. And I think I might even own some Austin Lounge Lizards, Robert Earl Keen, and maybe even some Joe Ely (at least I’ve heard him play with John Hiatt a couple of times). In the guitar genius realm, Eric Johnson and Stevie Ray Vaughan would rank highly in my personal musical “Austin influenced” catalog.

And now, they’ve all been upped. Last week I was escorted (and smiling the whole way there and back) to a show in Santa Cruz to witness a master of the six string and a burgeoning blues legend, Monte Montgomery.

Actually, “blues” only forces a label on him. That is only a place to start as his style is bit more melodic with elements from other influences. As a singer and song writer his music is polished and I like his lyrics, albeit a bit predictable at times.

The place Monte Montgomery rocks is with his guitar playing. Strapping on and plugging into a seriously beaten up, battered acoustic guitar he commands a fluid, harmonic cascade of notes. One minute he can be floating with more harmonics than thought possible then he kicks into a near metal-guitar attitude with a rhythmic touch to simply rock out with flying fingers.

John McLaughlin, Al Demiola, Paco De Lucia, and even Pat Methany all hold a place in my heart for the way they play the guitar. They are jazz, though. Monte Montgomery holds that same mastery in the rock/blues world.

It should be noted, I was equally impressed with the tight, soft rolls from the drummer and the thumping virtuoso bass playing. His band was worth the show, too.

I'll be looking for more west coast Monte gigs in the near future. And I'll smile all the way there and back again.

Life's Lyrics 5

I took a road trip down to LA this weekend for a number of reasons. The first reason was due to taking my son to the airport to join my folks in Colorado for a week. The other was to go see the O.A.R. concert at the House of Blues in Anaheim. So, you'd expect that I'd listen to O.A.R. at full blast the entire time... but NOooooo! I cranked a new song by Danielia Cotton called Bang My Drum.

Everybody’s got something that we can throw away
‘Cause sometimes everybody’s got way too much to say

And I don’t know what happens when the night becomes the day
But I know every time I’m lost I always find my way
‘Cause it’s about survival

You can’t push me down
Cause I’ll just stand up
You can fool me twice
With all your stuff
I’ll just give it back
To where it came from
And I’ll sing my song
And Bang My Drum

And what comes around
Is what came before
And I won’t get caught
In your revolving door
I’ll just give it back
To where it came from
And I’ll sing my song
And Bang My Drum

I woke up this ‘mornin, walkin’ in the sun
I was underneath a shadow of, but not under the gun
And I thought I was finished, I was sure that I was done
I guess I’m not defeated, ‘cause it turned out that I won
‘Cause it’s about survival

Her driving beat, guitar licks, and multi-layered vocals reached out and grabbed my ear. Granted I'm a whore for rockin' female folk, but still. This is good. It has a classic rock influence with a bunch of soul and gospel thrown in the mix.

UPDATE: While down in LA this weekend, I found myself at the Santa Fe Springs Swap Meet on Saturday. I have some new friends and I showed up in support of Highway to Hell, an AC/DC tribute band. And I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Then I got back to MudHole, I discovered a YouTube "Back in Black" from Danielia Cotton. It is no Highway to Hell, but ya'll know how much I geek on the cover songs. Check it out.

Life's Lyrics 4

I'm on my way to the O.A.R. concert at the Anaheim House of Blues tonight. From Daylight the Dog ... I'll be singing this lyric rather loud (if they play it).

There is something you need to know
Charge the wall
Tear down the hull
Make a point to have a point of view
It doesn't matter what you say
And no, I can't come out to play
Because I've got something else to do

Hoping for daylight to follow me
If your lost in the dark get to where you can see
There is somewhere we're supposed to be
And you know
In a matter of time you set yourself free