Burning Light

April 22 2009

Bullet Points

And that's what they is... starting with the longest one....

• Reading (for a second time, having just finished the first go-round) Robert Gelinas' Finding the Groove: Composing a Jazz-Shaped Faith. Applies the jazz-as-faith metaphor to community, spiritual disciplines, calling, outreach, etc., and it works very naturally every time. I tracked with this very easily, even though my jazz fandom pretty much begins & ends with Coltrane. Being a musician probably helps, but I don’t think there’s anything that’d go over people's heads here. I like it so much I've offered to buy it for co-workers (and 5 have taken me up on it). Simple Spirituality is still my favorite book so far this year, but Gelinas' creativity is just rubbing off as I read it (and in some cases, being blatantly lifted :D). And being not even 2/3rds of the way into a 78-lesson curriculum (and yes, Seasons 5 & 6 are looking pretty good for approval just now), I could sure use the spark right now.

• As a consequence, been checking out Ken Burns' Jazz. Yeah, it's 20 hours long, but great storytelling. In a big way, it's the real story of racial equality and music as the universal language, but all big themes aside, it's worth watching just to see the joy on Louis Armstrong's face (and, of course, hear the music). And Duke Ellington gets more fascinating as we go along (yeah, I'm still on Part 4 of 10/mid-'30s right now).

• Speaking of music, got the new Willie Nile and Slaid Cleaves CDs, and haven't worked up the inspiration to write about either as of yet, though both are pretty decent. The Slaid one may grow on me further, too, as it's much more subdued than his earlier stuff. If nothing else, great title: Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away. We'll see.

• Fueled by tim's enthusiastic thumbs-up -- and the dual knowledges that a new album is due in the fall and that the first one of this decade is still so far the best by ANYONE this decade -- I may very well do a Divine Comedy discography soon. Especially having discovered 1998's Fin de Siecle and "Sunrise," which -- and I'm not exaggerating -- may be the most beautiful 3:17 of pop music I've ever heard.

• And as for said curriculum, Seasons 1 & 2 just got out of copy-edit. FWIW, the copy editor really likes them. :)

As always and again, we'll see.

Posted by: burninglight at 02:44 | link | comments

April 20 2009

Y'know what?

It’s easier to let tim to the talking, and talk he does. So, for the benefit of the other tim/TE fans out there, here 'tis:

(And hopefully I'll get photos up soon. If only of that bank marquee. :D)

april 2, 2009

I just want the date down in magnetic ink because today has truly been the best day of my life. If I were to die in my sleep tonight, and as sick as I've been, who knows, I would pass gladly knowing that my life has amounted to something. And, also if I were to die in my sleep tonight, I would want the parties involved in this glorious revelation to know just how much I appreciate them as friends and cohorts, partners in the crime of punk rock and teachers, always teachers.

I awoke this morning still reeling from the flu. Having been sent home from work last night, my 1st stop had to be the store, where I needed to apologize to Melissa, who had to close the store for me last night AND be there at 4:30 in the morning to open. The 1st words she said to me were 'Are you OK?', followed quickly by 'Did your friend get ahold of you?' This is my boss, people, and I can only hope that one day, you too, work for someone as sweet and decent as my boss Melissa. I am one lucky guy.

The 'friend' in question is Rick Neblung, who travelled over 2,000 miles, driving over 300 miles after an 8 hr flight to come to Fowler to reunite our old band Tension Envelopes. We touched base last night but he was fried and so was I so it was this day, April 2, 2009 where we connected after almost 20 years.

Our bass playing friend Carl Simmons drove down from Loveland w/his son-in-law Dave and met Rick and I, along w/Kenny Morgan from my local band Flashback at the Tank 'n Tummy. Both Rick and Carl nearly crashed their cars when they saw the words "Tension -- Envelopes" flashing on the 1st National Bank sign, which was graciously put up there by Letha Bradshaw at the bank. I'm sure she has no idea what a Tension Envelope is but that small act made 3 old punk rockers deliriously happy.

We all hooked up w/Rob Poulignot and his lovely wife Marla (w/a nod to my buddy Steve) and went down to Flashback drummer Dan's place in La Junta to jam and bring equipment back to the theater. When we got there, Dan, Rob and Kenny gathered in the kitchen and let Carl, Rick and I shake off the dust. The guys in Flashback have been so gracious in welcoming my old friends into our rock and roll batcave. It strikes me how over the course of 30 (!) years I've managed to be found by men like these, brothers of the power chord, and if that sounds hokey, well, screw you if I'm suddenly down w/hokey.

The 1st thing we played was Television's 'Friction', which Carl sings. For some reason I hopped behind the drums and as Lester is my witness we pounded it out like we'd done it yesterday. We then moved on to 'Slamming Door Repeats' which we played drummerless and it was during this tune that the loss of original Envelope drummer Mike Hegger filled the room. There were tears by the end of the tune and goddamit I've never felt so loved.

Somewhere in there we did a drummerless version of 'Car Actor Actor' and that's when I knew we still had it. It's the trickiest of Envelope 'arrangements' and we had it nailed by the 2nd chorus. And a version Of Carl's 'Schooland' that sounded like the freakin' Clash, and this is after 25 years, people. And you know what? I have no doubt that Laramie, the drummer from Fantastic .45, who'll be playing it as an Envelope on Saturday night will tear it up like he wrote the motherfuckers, and I haven't even met him yet. That's how sure I am that this event is blessed.

The 'set' ended w/Dan jumping on the drums and we ripped thru 'Sweet Jane' by the Velvet Underground, one of the few songs both Flashback and Tension Envelopes play. When Rick and Carl (on mic) and Dan and Kenny (off mic) hit the background vocals on the chorus, I had to back away from the mic, it was so beautiful. And as I looked up, I saw Rob standing, watching and smiling like he'd won the moon in a contest, watching his old friend have fun w/his old friends. Like it was one big 30-year-spanning band. Like I said, I am one lucky guy.

On the way home Rick and I stopped by the La Junta library so he could meet my ex wife Lynn. They'd spoken on the phone before but hadn't met. When I saw the one that got away come out of that office I realized who I was gonna be playing to come Saturday, but the less written about that the better 'cause Lynn's really shy and she's mine, goddammit. (You know what I mean, Lynn).

Then back to Fowler where Sherry and Paul let us use the microwave at the store to heat up the pot roast and potatoes that Carl's wife Marion graciously sent along (they know I live like an animal and have been trying to civilize me for years and, yes, I love them for it), which we took over to Rob's house, where Kenny was hanging out and we just ate like fools. The 1st real food I'd had since like Sunday. And then the six of us (me, Rob, Kenny, Rick, Carl and Dave) talked for hours like we'd always known each other. To have all these people in one room, all these people in one DAY, is a gift I cannot fathom deserving, but, hell yeah, give it here, because as I said this has been the best day of my life.

Now don't nobody go dying in yr sleep tonight, 'cause there's gonna be one HELL of a rock and roll show on Saturday. The Very Groovy Rev. Simmons is particularly on fire. Watch THAT boy, he's going places.

april 3rd, 2009

     Woke up around 9am, still a little weak, maybe feverish and was just walking Buster and Sarah back into the house when Neblung pulled up. I was still trying to wrap my brain around the whole 'Neblung (and Simmons) in Fowler' thing, but we were both already smiling the crocodile smiles of the seriously blissed out, so apparently the phenomenon is both real and very, very good. We had all of Flashback's gear set up at the theater and the guys were a'rip-raring to go and, truth be told, I was still feeling like 25 seconds behind everything but I had decided that this weekend I would basically do what I was told and see how it came out. We stopped at Rob's for coffee and hit the stage around 10:30am, after warning the grocery store next door it might get a little loud, and banged out versions of the Envelopes' 'greatest hits' w/Dave on drums. Now, Dave has never, I repeat never, played drums in his life. So at first he just kept a simple 4 beat on the bass drum, which - as any real drummer will tell you - is harder than I just made it sound. It was servicable and really helped us set tempos and remember chord changes and arrangements.

     At this point I have to confess that I was the only one who needed to be reminded of chord changes. Rick and Carl had the songs down! Carl has this Ibanez bass that somehow sounds just like the Rickenbacker he played back in the day while Rick brought new bloodstains to his buzzsaw blade guitarsound of yore using Rob's Tele through my Peavey Classic 30 w/a Boss Distortion pedal while I ran my PRS into the cutest little Marshall Mini-Half Stack you've ever seen. 12 watts solid state, 1 1x8 cabinet, about a foot and 1/2 high and white. And it screams.

   Anyway, Dave! Yeah, suddenly, going into 'Slamming Door Repeats', I think it was, the snare drum made its 1st appearance as Dave discovered the wonders of the backbeat. Within 4 songs, he'd brought in the hi-hat, cymbals and rudimentary fills on the toms. Now, Keith Moon isn't gonna rise from the dead and start losing sleep over Dave's technical ability or anything, but he was able to feel the music enough and express that feeling and hence became a part of the music as he contributed to it, and that to me is a musician's joy and job, in anybody's book and my blog.

     And I can't imagine what it's like to play a Television song w/yr father-in-law. Ah, the wonders of punk rock.

     We took a lot of breaks because I was still a little sick, but it was beyond describably cool to sit and yap w/these guys and listen to some great music courtesy of Carl. I'm particularly taken w/a CD he left me entitled Regeneration by The Divine Comedy (see reviews on Carl's motime page Burning Light. Seriously go. Now. Carl's a much better music writer than I am) but I have to confess A Love Supreme by John Coltrane -- yes, THAT A Love Supreme -- hasn't done anything, and I mean anything, for me yet. Yet. But I think he's right about Regeneration being the best record of the last decade, although I'm holding out my final call in case there's a new My Bloody Valentine album. The single on their Myspace page is magnificent, btw.

     Anyhow, we broke for lunch at CJ's Cafe, where Marla works and had burgers and Rick and Carl found a home and base of operations for the weekend. I was having so much fun watching them fall in love w/my town. Everyone who met them treated them like kings and I realized that that's how I get treated everyday. This weekend just kept getting better and better!

     Speaking of better, when we got back to the theater Fantastic .45 showed up, 2 guys Chris on guitar and vocals and Laramie on drums and vocals. Chris played through the Tele/Peavey rig and Laramie had the punkest drumkit I'd seen in years: cymbal stands held together w/chewed up drumsticks and duct tape, a huge hunk of metal missing from the crash cymbal, like a passing shark had chomped it, a cowbell madeup almost entirely of rust. It was fucking beautiful!

     So they set up and start playing while Rick and I are out front having a cigarette. At the 1st clarion call of that ragged guitar and drumsound clatterous ROAR that emanated from the theater we both turned on our heels and ran, yes RAN, into the house and just marvelled at how good these guys were. Confident, brash, rhythmically boisterous and highly adventurous, melodically subtle amidst the semi-shouted vocals. Just plain solid, different and good. We will all hear more of this band, both on this page and in the world. After their mini-set, we thanked them profusely for doing the show and told them how great we thought they were. Not a problem. We set up w/Laramie on drums and ran through 2 Envelope tunes, 'Answer...' and 'Danny Miller' I think and it was apparent that Laramie was going to be great and that we were lucky he agreed to do it on such short notice. I was doubly impressed when I found out he hadn't even listened to the CDs yet. Amazing.

     The rest of the night was a blur of burgers and old tunes and old stories and new arrangements and introductions. My sister Tara and nephew Chris came down and I showed him how to work the curtain and smoke machine that Dan brought along w/Phil from Smile As it Dies. Me, Kenny and Dan jammed on a couple of Flashback tunes and a great time was had by all of both generations.

     Before you knew it it was 10pm and time to go to Rob's for coffee. 2 great days in a row and tomorrow was showtime.

april 4th, 2009
the show goes on

The day started off sunny and shining w/promise. We 3 old-man Envelopes ran around the town making new friends and 'causing no small amusement for my sister Tara. "Lock up yr daughters' she laughed, watching us run across the street like punk rock hoodlums, streaked w/gray and the occasional generational aches and pains. 'And keep an eye on Grandma while yr at it!' I shouted back.

I went down to the corner of Main and Hwy 50 to videotape the bank sign ('Rock and Roll Food'---'Drive Fowler'---'Theater April 4th' -- '5:30 by Tension'---'Envelopes'---'Free Checking/Free Checking/Free Checking'), and when I got back to the theater Rick, Carl and Dave were setting the marquee. 'Rock n Roll Food Drive April 4th 5:30'. And, if I'm not mistaken, pretty much every move we made after that was photographed by someone. We ran through 4 or 17 tunes over the course of the morning. .45 were supposed to show up at 2:00, but being musicians, rolled in around 3:30. We ran through 3 more tunes w/Laramie and basically went to lunch.

Showtime was approaching rapidly. Dan showed up and was hugging the heater in the lobby, as that old devil Colorado wind had kicked up and the weather consensus was essentially that it was 'fucking cold'. Nonetheless, starting around 5pm folks started dribbling in and this gig suddenly became real. Elaine from the Fowler Tribune was one of the 1st to show. She's been our biggest supporter since this whole crackpot scheme emerged, and as a result there are some great photos on the Trib's website.

As the seats filled w/maybe 70 people and the bags of food started materializing we all fell into support roles w/out being asked, told or yelled at. I set the tape recorders up in the projection room (now dubbed The Control Room in the interest of self-importance), while Rob, Dan and Kenny worked the door, schmoozing the locals and Rick and Carl managed the activity backstage. Before I knew it, I was in The Control Room checking levels when I heard Rick from the stage: 'Welcome to the 1st Annual Fowler Rock n Roll Food Drive. Please welcome to the stage, Fantastic .45.' The curtain parted and opened on a dream. Chris and Laramie hurled themselves into their 1st number and didn't look back. The volume sheared off the 2 or 3 old folks who came to check out the show simply because it was there, but no one left angry, just holding their ears.

During their set, Laramie's friend Celia came up and sang a song called, I believe, 'Fuck Religion', that phrase being one shouted repeatedly over a reggae skank chord progression w/Lear jet volume and intensity, along w/'Fuck Americanism' and 'Fuck Nationalism'. The band had warned me about the song and, at 1st I demurred, saying that 'I didn't want to give anyone a valid reason for not letting us do this again' and told them that I had songs w/the F-word in them but had chosen not to sing that word. They were nice about it and said OK. Then they went onstage (at rehearsal, the joint was empty but for Envelopes - and yes, I'm counting you, Dave) and played the song. I immediately ran onstage and said 'Forget what I said; don't change a fucking word'. I hope to have this tune on the 'net as soon as I get a hold of the tape of their set. I will write at more length about this band in the near future, but suffice to say, I have seen the future of rock and roll and she will scare the shit out of you.

After .45 cleared the room of the faint hearted,and according to my sister's introduction, it was time for Flashback's set. I'd been lovingly run ragged working w/the Envelopes throughout the weekend and joined my brothers onstage as Flashback and it was like putting on a favorite jacket. Comfortable. And apparently it was a smoking jacket 'cause we played the set of our lives and have the tape to prove it. (Yes, CDs will be available, you know it just takes me forever to get this shit done. I am, as always, working on it.) It was Rob's debut as frontman and he nailed it, 1/2 Willie Nelson, 1/2 Johnny Cash, he sold every song w/a smile w/his 17 year old daughter in the front row, gaining, I'm sure, a new appreciation for the old man. We churned out as solid a set of classic rock and blues as ever was churned out, Dan even graced us w/a drum solo and, yes, the crowd went wild. I left the stage more in love w/my band then ever and was met by Simmons whose 1st words were 'Oh yeah, you've smoked us already.' Neblung told me to 'save some for later' but we were all smiling, and I suspect we're all smiling still.

I went out to the lobby and saw that Rob's sister Cindy had boxed all the food up and it looked like 7 or 8 big boxes. Kenny and like 3 little kids were sweeping the lobby carpet and everybody was shaking my hand and saying things like 'wow'. It was great.

Smile As it Dies loaded the stage w'the biggest amps this side of Blue Cheer and asked me to introduce them as a Jonas Brothers tribute band, so I did. These young men ripped it up and I spent much of their set explaining what Thrash metal was to my sister and her friends and that, yes, that's what they're supposed to sound like. I loved them. Powerful, fast and just a little funky. No, I couldn't understand a word the singer was singing either, but it was clear to me he meant every word and, baby, that's enough. Dan's son Phil is their bass player and I have to admit half the fun of their set was watching Dan and his wife Norberta rocking out in their seats, Dan waving his sticks and yelling like a 16 year old.

Come to think of it, a bunch of us old guys were acting like 16 year olds all weekend and that was the best part. Getting back in touch w/something we thought we'd lost but apparently only misplaced 'cause there it was on that stage in the middle of nowhere: the grace and terror of live rock and roll w/a community of spirit ages old but just met. Beautiful.

Smile chased all the mice out of the theater and sent them to the hardware store next door w/a massive set of thrash that cleared not only the soul but the sinuses, and now it was time for Tension Envelopes to rise from the grave.

My sister introduced us again, a nice touch, and we opened w/a roar and 'The Manifesto'. Laramie had purchased a fake moustache that he was rockin' w/shades and a headband so he'd 'fit in w/the old guys'. It was hysterical and the humor was greatly appreciated. The boy's a born Envelope. And he didn't disappoint. W/Neblung explaining arrangements on stage, ON STAGE, ladies and gentlemen, Laramie swung when swinging was required and bashed when we didn't need bashful. I can't say enough about this young man's fearlessness and raw talent. You really couldn't tell he'd never played the songs before. Again the proof is on the tape and video. Yes, video, we shot the entire Envelopes set and I'll have it available on Youtube ASAP.

Neblung's guitar was like an insane electric razor and the whole set went by soooooooooooo fast, but we did right by the old songs and the memories and even brought a renewed energy to them. Put it this way, we're already planning to rent the Theater again in July of 2010. Neblung's bringing a 16-track recorder (which along w/my 8-track gives us 24 tracks!) w/plans to record a Tension Envelope album. I already have 3 new songs. Basically we 'got back to where we once belonged' and have no intention of letting go.

Flashback, Fantastic .45 and Smile As it Dies have all signed up to do the next Food Drive in Rocky Ford next month, I'm just waiting for a return phone call on a building. In lieu of the Envelopes I'm gonna open the show w/an acoustic set of new material and I bet we get even more people and food this time. In the meantime Flashback got 2 paying gigs out of the Food Drive and a local music teacher wants to 'get w/me' about some promising players she knows and I'm knee deep in turning my 'novel' into a musical of some sort ('Rock Opera' is the kiss of death, but it kinda is, an opera that is) because I can hear the lovely and dangerous Celia as the voice of Sister Mary Something, frontwoman for the 'Whores of Babylon' and I intend to perform only as John the Raptist, a Christian Gangsta rapper who's hit (which I haven't written yet) is called 'Jesus' Gonna Bust a Cap in Yo Ass', a title which I stole from Dave.

Oh man, this life just keeps getting better and better, don't it? And, if'n it don't, what are you doing wrong? Think about it.

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Posted by: burninglight at 02:44 | link | comments

Posted by: burninglight at 19:43 | link | comments (3)