News/Journal

MAY/JUNE/JULY 2010

Geezus, May and June are such a blur to me now…think it was Mambo’s party that did it….A look back….Oh yeah….here we go: Fred and Ethel played at a memorial concert for Katie Keller. A celebration of Katie’s life and a chance to reconnect with folks you haven’t seen in ages (Carrie and Sherri from the Bear’s Den…you ladies are still beautiful as ever).

Returned to the Bella in downtown Milwaukee…such a lovely room…and the nicest people…who REALLY APPRECIATE me…I never tire of performing there. I am booked there through November…Gallery Night in the Third Ward is July 24th and I will be there. Anyhoo this is supposed to be a recap not an update..not yet anyway. Played at Conways for the Women In Music Series. Such a talented young women…I appreciate Roxie Beane inviting me, the old gray mare, to participate. The Outta State Plates had their first Big Dance Night and had a great response. We have a photo shoot and video shoot coming up in July…. Randy, Mambo and I played the aforementioned party at the end of May…whoa hella good time! Hotter than blazes but we rocked!

Rocked the Ash for the last time this year…new blood…you know the scoop. In June, I got to open for the Tritonics, (my pals Tom Plutshak, Dave Bolyard, and Jeff Stehr) at Linnemans…NOBODY has EVER made the Martin sound as good as Jim Linneman did that night…I coulda played all night! Played the Solstice Celebration at Seven Seas (thank you Marco), that place is so freakin beautiful…I am always mesmerized by the Lake (Nagawicke I think)…it’s a magic spot for me. Maybe it’s because I go there on “power” days…I love it… and best of all, no flash floods on the way home this time around…

Had to fill in for Whitebird at SLGM. Did the whole service solo…I kinda liked it. Fred and Ethel were scheduled to play at Circle A but T.Lee was under siege with an arthritis attack so I did the gig solo and had one of the best shows of my life…Paul Setser cranked my sound and I let it flow…small intimate and TOTALLY receptive crowd…brought me back to who I REALLY am…an artist…not a JUKEBOX…anyway don’t bite the hand that feeds you bitch! So I also covered another FE gig at the Fixx…Shari is wunnerful so that makes it extra nice (without even askin me, she made me a strawberry smoothie,mmmmmmmmmmmmm).

ZiGZaG isn’t seein much action these days…Randy is busy with his other acts, Mambo has joined up with another band, so I am concentrating on MY band Outta State Plates more so than anything these days.  July is busy busy busy with the Plates. Photo shoot, video shoot, rehearsin like maniacs to build the song list and a couple of gigs.

I played another jukebox gig…(haven’t had one since April…I am so gun shy about solo gigs these days) and everything was a train wreck…the parking, the set up, trying to get a pitcher of water…(you’d think I had insulted the bartender’s mother)…I was drippin wet with sweat (I am sure that was a lovely sight), but the place was packed, I started playin and I was getting praise and requests…everybody was happy I swear!! BUT…wait for it… the management said I was too mellow…TOO MELLOW!?!?? These guys make me wanna bang my head against the freakin wall. It didn’t matter at all that the guests/customers were into it… and they were…totally!!! Maybe I should get rip roaring drunk during the gig and bust the place up, while I sing off key to a sequencer and walk on people’s tables swiggin from their glasses while wingin my guitar around in the air…will that work for ya??? Jiminy Cricket on a crutch!!!  Whatever…I don’t know what the hell these people want anymore…I thought a singer with a guitar was just that…I don’t have pedals and voice replicators/duplicators, drum machines or fancy electronics….I just use my raw God given talents…always worked before and still does at most places…. hmmmm maybe it’s the “old fat chick” thing again…. I reckon whatever your issues are with my show, YOU have the problem not me….AND my wonderful wonderful friends (old and new) rallied around me during and after the gig so there :P

August is gonna be Taste of Wisconsin, Bella Caffe Outta State Plates and ZiG ZaG returns to the Lates Edition. Onward thru the fog….

APRIL 2010

Oh boy! I caught that flu....or a combination of several things...the seasons' changing always brings on the allergies, then it all settled in my lungs like bronchitis (and THAT AIN'T GOOD). All because I accidentally breathed in some cleaning product while I was...wait for it...cleaning! Been goin on for two weeks now...yeah the time I was suppose to have off. I am so miserable. I am self-medicating...gonna have to resort to some sort of over the counter crap just to get some sleep. Had to cancel The Nice Ash, couldn't talk let alone sing. No band rehearsals either, couldn't sing at church. Absolutely no energy...this sucks. Weirdness in the air, funerals, sadness...I am so depressed.

LATER:

Feelin better and I can talk now...though it's more like a croak, but still can't sing. Went to lunch with a good friend who was in Milwaukee for a visit...I let him do all the talkin! Good to see you Rick! Glad you made it back from your trip overseas!

EVEN LATER:

Had a show with Roxie Beane at Rafters's on the 17th at Rafter's. Been a month since I had played out solo....thank gawd it was smoke free. Made it through the show, we alternated sets. Love sharing gigs with Roxie, she is so easy to work with and a real pro. We got a lot of compliments that night and our friends came out in droves....

So cured or not....I am back in it after four weeks. Still not 100% vocally. ZiGZaG rocked the Latest Edition again...whooooo doggies! The next day I played a short set for an artwalk at Art and Soul, a really cool gallery/shop on 58th and Vliet in Milwaukee. Got the Nice Ash comin up in May, Women in Music at Conway's, Bella Caffe and the Big Friday Night Dance with the OUTTA STATE PLATES. Be sure to check out the Calendar for the latest updates! Hey thanks for being a fan on Facebook, MySpace and Reverbnation!!! If you are not and would like to be...click on the logos to find my pages on any of those networks.

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2010

Randy, Mambo and I started off the month at the Latest Edition. I love my ZZ fellas. We are really finding are groove. Doctor Mambo's percussion is jam-a-licious and, we can let loose with jams and just be ourselves at the Latest Edition...THEY DIG IT! We are back there in April.

OMG! I am on YOUTUBE!! It's weird for me to see me....anyhoodle, my pal Gary recorded my performance on February 6th 2010 at Music On KK (courtesy Joyce Parker Productions). Watch it if you dare...this is a raw performance...I had a smoky bar gig the night before (can you say, spread too thin?)

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPWm4hf6C2c

You can also see it here on the MUSIC page.

Jimmy sure is keeping the band on our toes. Played a showcase he set up for us, a Las Vegas night gig in Oconomowoc. Froze my keester off haulin gear...then inside, it's a CHURCH so no booze until the show, no soda, and a lot of hurry up and wait...sometimes that is the way it goes, atno likey.... least I had a bottle of water! (Note to self...BYOB.) But we had fun AND there was a special "appearance" by Dean Martin...somewhere out there...there are pictures of Dino and yours truly.

Whitebird starting rehearsing again and blew the doors off the church service with four new tunes. Felt good to play some new stuff. Went the the open jam at Smokin Joe's that was hosted by Steve Grimm. My pal Randy was sittin in on bass...so I got to sing a couple of tunes with the boys...good times....the next night I covered a gig for Tom at the Fixx...love Shari, wonderful wonderful lady. Randy and I played at an open jam on Sunday night at a place in Tosa and met some real nice folks.

The next weekend I was back at the Nice Ash to do battle with their house pa...it kicked my butt last time...and you know what...it kicked my butt again that night too...I am bring MY OWN damn gear next time...I gots to have my touch o' REVERB...tired of sucking because I am at the mercy of the gear. Felt the long week vocally when I sang at church....but I am okay

The Outta State Plates played for a private party at the end of the month. What a fun bunch folks...and they LOVED to DANCE! We were treated to food, drink, good pay and a generous tip. Good vibe. I love singing with the boys in the band. Did a solo church service. Sound was really dry cause no Dan magic verb, and my voice was shaky, but the folks gave me great applause for my own tunes. Man...I love that I can touch them like that...I was shakin...what a rush. Startin to feel a hoarse though, got a week before the next gig...of course EVERYBODY around me is sick with some sort of flu...I keep washin my hands and slammin vitamin C...Keep your germs away from me!!!!

Played a place last year with another group I'm in and these folks found it in their hearts to stiff us part of our agreed pay. So like a fool, this year, I booked a solo gig there...because EVERYBODY said I would be perfect for the place...mellow, background. They were exicted to have me...blah blah....So know this place has a rep...I totally behaved myself; played the show, got a great response from the "guests", handed out cards to those that asked, even got applause (I was told nobody ever gets applause when I booked the gig...that it was all about  background). Well...to make a long story short...(TOO LATE), I have a small fan that blows air on me because when I play I...well...I like air blowin on me...so get this...they didn't want me back because they didn't like my fan!!! I  couldn't believe it! We are not talkin BARN FAN...it's a small 8 inch fan on the floor off to the side...OMG I would have laughed if it weren't so freakin ridiculous...they liked my voice and my song selection...BUT the fan "was a bit bunch." wtf?!?!? LMAO!!! I shoulda known better...At least I took em for some $$!!!

Randy and I went to a "win a gig"contest on Thursday night...turned out the place was a contest for a jazz gig, not an acoustic rock gig....Well the folks there were nice enough to let us play, but obviously we didn't get the gig...lol! Life is so funny.

Was invited to play St Paddys with cool group of folks at The Art Bar...a real nice place in Riverwest. Jim Seem, Melissa Hyman, my pal Roxie Beane and John Petty and his band. Good times hangin with Roxie and Pie. Lost my keys, found them...thanks gals. LOL...ya'll always watchin out for me. Got the next couple of weeks off. Got some busy work to catch up on and wanna work on some new tunes...so I am kinda lookin forward to it. See ya in April!

JANUARY 2010

Happy New Year! Thank you for all your support and love. I almost made my goal of 150 gigs in 2009. I met so many wonderful people and musicians. Rekindled some old friendships, and solidified new ones. I proved to myself that I AM a solo player, I fell in love with my Martin. ZiGZaG is really cookin now, and the band got an agent...the time has come for Outta State Plates. I got a feelin 2010 is gonna rock!

New Year's Day...I watched movies ALL DAY and RELAXED for the first time in MONTHS...it was great. I look forward to time off...and get so antsy when I am not playin...so two days later, I played at the Circle-A Cafe for the Sunday Alive at 8 music series. Bill the Fan brought Rosettes to share...with seven shots....good times.

Lookin at some time off in January but a few things are goin on....the band recorded live at the Wilson Center for a twelve song demo, mp3s should be ready at the end of the month. www.osplates.com

Still singing every Sunday at SLGM with Whitebird. Rehearsals with the band every week, and once a month with Randy and Mambo.

I am playing solo at the Bella Caffe on Friday January 15th...it's Gallery Night in Milwaukee and the weather is supposed to be good so I am really lookin forward to tryin out some new tunes there.

ZiGZaG is gonna be a the Redstone Pub and Grill on the 22nd...it's in downtown Waukesha...a new place for us....we would love to see you there. I happily return to the Nice Ash on January 30th. What a fun place...HUGE room, cigars, hookahs, cocktails and great people!

Check the Calendar for more information. Coming in February ZiGZaG is gonna rock the Latest Edition on the 5th, I am playing a solo matinee at Joyce Parker Productions on the 6th, and return again to The Nice Ash on the 20th...ciao!

DECEMBER 2009

Behind again with the journal...holidays depress the hell outta me...Scrooge, no...Bohemian, yes...enough about the holly jolly crap.

Randy and I started December with a ZiGZaG private party gig. The year before when we played on that date, we battled blizzard conditions on the ride home from Watertown, this year...we were in 'Tosa and it was almost sixty degrees...now that was darn nice! We had a great time playin for the folks and their party...

I caught a bad cold right after Thanksgiving...thought I had it beat and then WHAM...cough, hack, cough...the bronchitis took hold...brutal. I had to cancel four gigs cause I absolutely could not SING...bum me out. Finally, after lotsa rest, chicken noodle soup, Jagermeister and Emergen-C...oy.....I started comin outta the woods after three weeks of croakin and hackin...yeesh!

I played the Bella Caffe and boy did it feel good to sing...still a little weak but a good warm up for the band gig the next night. The Outta State Plates blew the doors off of Conway's. Packed house....Our other singer, Tom Charney, had the ladies swoonin' with his rendition of All My Only Dreams. Hell I needed a cigarette when he was done...the boy was HOT! I think our version of White Rabbit was pretty well received too....we encourage you to feed your head. Keep an eye out for more gigs with the OSPlates...We are recording a demo in January and have an agent...we are ready to RAWK!

I performed for T.Lee's Art Show Reception at the Fixx Coffeehouse in St Francis...wonderful crowd...we weren't sure because this is Packer country and there was a big game on, but a lot of folks showed up...T.Lee sold a couple of pieces of art...I had an audience...and got my portrait painted by Milwaukee poet/artist Tim Kloss...how effin cool is that?

Later in the month, Doctor Mambo and I played a ZiGZaG gig together at Sprizzo without the Reverend Randy...(schedule conflict). We had a special guest opener Roxie Beane with her cool soulful tunes (damn that girl is good). A fun night although don't think some of those other folks in the scene quite know how to take me. Well here's a little message for ya'll... I don't abide drama so you don't have to worry about me goin off...but in the future, you might wanna think twice about toyin with somebody's mixing board without askin...especially somebody you don't even know...I'm just sayin.....

Celebrated the Winter Solstice at Seven Seas and their Solstice Party. Hung out with Roxie, Stormy and Ms. Cream...Had some good chow...mmmmm...Had a cocktail and sat alone at a table listening to the other performers and watching everyone else texting....it was trippy, real trippy.

ZiGZaG took home December with a party for Doctor Mambo...yes there was a blizzard...yes there was ice...yes we got "mambosized" and had a BLAST! Happy Birthday Mambo! Night of nights! Food, booze and pup dogs everywhere...and generous folks who were ready to party and really appreciated the music!

T.Lee and I played the Christmas Eve Candle Lighting Service for SLGM. I did a solo version of "I Don't Know How To Love Him". Never played that to such a receptive crowd before. We also played New Years Eve for the annual Release Ceremony...then we went out for New Year's Eve dinner with some really dear friends...we had a great time (it was sooooo COLD). We got home before midnight....I spent New Year's Eve with my Facebook friends...it was really cool...maybe you think that sounds pathetic...but it was one of the best New Year's Eve I ever had...LOL!

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