The Seasons Of My Life

Guest Blog by Marvin Manning ( My Uncle ) Written at age 94 As I move through the seasons of my life and summer turns to fall, I find that the Golden Years are not so golden after all. The junk food that I loved so much has been replaced with lettuce, celery, carrots and…

November 25, 2019
I Have A Dream

Do you have a Dream? I dream and have dreams of success. I once dreamt I was a chicken. I am not sure what the underlying psychology of chicken dreams means in relationship to reality, but there it is. Cocking my head and eyeing the gravel, looking for that kernel of corn. I thrust my…

November 22, 2019
Don’t Quit Your Day Job

Your day job might be the anchor you need. The Day Job I love to play music, I love to record, and, to the best of my abilities, I love to produce music. But what I also love is a super cool job, health insurance, and stability. Call me double-minded. I have been a Sommelier…

November 15, 2019
Superpower

I have been reading a lot about tapping in to my super power. Most people who know me know that I am not super powerful, which is disappointing to myself since my own self expectations are so high. I wish I wasn’t prone to error. I wish I would not forget arrangements. I wish that…

November 8, 2019
Ice-T At The RKCNDY, 1992

Guest Blog By Todd Ainsworth By the time I heard that Ice-T was going to play the RKCNDY, I had been listening to him since “Power”, which came out in 1989; along with Public Enemy, NWA and others. Some of my “Rock Only” friends looked at me sideways and wondered why. I knew I was…

November 7, 2019
Distractions

A Normal Morning In My House Get out of bed, wander down to the coffee maker, get some Joe brewing, wander over to the lap top, fire it up, oops, my feet are cold, wander back up stairs, put on some socks. I got to pee, wander in to the bathroom, pick up the tooth…

November 1, 2019
The Phantom

“Someone’s talking in the guitar solo.” “What?” “There is someone talking in the guitar solo.” I listened to the track over and over and could not hear the voice. I went through every single track. Nothing. During the guitar solo I muted every track that was inactive. Nothing. “Dude, the voice is still there.” “What?…

October 25, 2019
Hyberbole, Standard Operating Procedure

Aggrandize, to increase the power or reputation of something. For me, it implies some sort of exaggeration. It is endemic in the world of music. Please understand, I am as guilty as the next person when it comes to past pretence. I see it in Facebook adds. I see it in band names. How…

October 18, 2019
Habits

I have read the books. I have stood in front of the mirror yelling at myself. I have gone to the conferences. I have read the blogs. I have reaffirmed my affirmations. Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah. I have found out what habit is – its habit. The daily routine is what moves me forward. No…

October 11, 2019
Somewhere, In The Very Early 90’s

By Todd Ainsworth Writing for a music blog hasn’t been on my radar, but music is one of my passions and an important part of my life. As my generation gets a little older ( I never expected to live to 50 when I was 18 ) and I start to look a little more…

October 7, 2019
Prodigy

We are always going to run into someone who is a prodigy. A Child Prodigy Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. So I’m hanging in the lobby waiting for my lesson, listening to what I perceive as a high school student laying down a super congruent groove. I’m saying to myself, ‘Man, I wish I could have played…

October 4, 2019
Breakfast of Champions

Rehearsal, 10 am. Hey I got time for breakfast. I’m heading over to the closest breakfast chain anticipating some great morning grub. I’m hoping to have a breakfast of champions. Man, I can taste those hash browns with my over easy eggs and some wheat toast with strawberry jelly. Lotsa coffee. I’m in Baby. 8:30…

September 27, 2019
Groundhog Day

September 20, 2019
It’s All About The Gravy

Things I’ve Learned From Otis Trust Your Friends It’s all about the gravy. There are many different ways to enjoy it. Otis has good friends. Smokey comes to visit from down the street, leaping and bounding because he is so excited to see his buddy Otis. I have never seen two cats so comfortable with…

September 13, 2019
Caffeine, Its a Life Style

What motivates me everyday? One guess. Coffee. Caffeine, it’s a lifestyle. The Daily Ritual Every morning I participate in the ritual. At least a pot down the gullet. Not to mention the daily Quad-Americano just to finish out the evening. What the caffeine does for me is to facilitate concentration. My best and most productive…

September 6, 2019
The Brave New World and Corporate Technology

It’s a brave new world out there. Corporate technology is at the forefront of the surveillance of citizens. Social media….. Everyone of us who participates willingly hands over every bit of information that our sign-up requests. George Orwell thought it was going to be the state. Actually, our government does not have to concern itself…

August 29, 2019
Hammond B3

Want to talk Monster, Wall of Sound……Hammond B3 Organs powered by Leslie Speakers. The Hammond is an electric organ first manufactured in 1935. The organ generates sound with a metal tone wheel near an electromagnetic pickup. Recording these beasts, the mics reveal the the tone wheels firing. Truly awesome. Traditionally, Leslie Speakers were used. The…

August 23, 2019
Stop Bugging Me

The Story This is a story of how I nuked some cockroaches in my hotel bed. They had to stop bugging me. The Trip In On the road and a plane flight later we arrive at the club. Part of the contract stipulates accommodations, of which we are immensely grateful. It always helpful to defer…

August 16, 2019
Tales From The Crypt

On A Saturday Night Far, Far From Home This is my tale from the crypt. “Dude, Steve is lit. He put down a fifth and a half of Jack and is quitting the band.” Great. Thirty minutes before we’re supposed to go on and the keyboard player quits. Can it get worse? “I tried talking…

August 2, 2019

Bryan at Mackncheeze