©2008
Entry No.36; August 2008 A Reliable Angst View Slideshow
After Gillen & Turk's mid-west tour, we stopped in at Antoinette's, our favorite place with some of our favorite people, before heading out to California. We came into Los Angeles, not with a couple of keys, just our guitars. We found 'em left on the curb, unattended after hearing my name paged. I never quite heard the page but figured it was something like, "Turk, have a little angst, we're leaving your and Gillen's guitars." We rescued the guitars and left our angst on the curb. We'd acquire more shortly. Once we landed, our friend Russ Irwin told us about mountain lions in the hills of Laurel Canyon. Man, the music business has really changed hasn't it? David Garber blogs "Notes on a Napkin," about our gig in LA at Genghis Kahn. Randy Newman was right, "I Love LA." We next made our way to Malibu Creek Canyon to test our ability to handle a mountain lion should we encounter one. Do you remember the most fun you ever had towards your opponent at Wrigley, Shea or your hometown park? It was powered by Heineken. That's how you take 'em on, sort of, and you can throw stones! It didn't happen. The angst remains. We hit Oxnard and points north. Wide Open Wednesday's is a cool scene and Judy Valencerina is the hostess with the mostess. The venue is a converted Woolworths, with all the funk still in it. It's a very progressive scene with great ice cream to boot. We've been covering Woody Guthrie's "Vigilante Man", a carry-over from Hope Machine. Now in the heart of California farm country where Woody wrote some of his greatest songs, those fields still look much the same. We sing for today's workers and for Woody G., we honor thee.
Our coffee buzz allowed us to ride the crest of this wave as we were on the KUSP airwaves shortly after the fires began. Fred did a great live vocal for "Killing Machine." His whisper-sing is compelling. Look for it on the KUSP archives. Tracy Chesebrough ably sat in with us at Henry Miller Library on cello adding a rich, indigo tone to our sound and an amazing vibe. Soquel is mellow. We always have fun playing in the stage window, but sometimes I wonder if I'm going to lose my dance and bounce and crash through the window onto the street. Maybe someday we'll make a film to that effect. Back from the coast, we hit our favorite festival, Clearwater's Hudson River Revival. We opened the festival and there is video of "It Really Matters" on The Hudson Valley Music Channel. We may even release the whole set on DVD. They pulled the plug late Sunday afternoon due to major lightning storms. An hour later it was gorgeous. Major angst. Though some may remember it as the year the fest was cut short, I'll always remember it as the year nobody was hurt and there's no angst in that. Entry No.35; June 2008
Entry No.34; May 2008
On the eve of a road trip that takes us through the midwest with our new recording Backs to the Wall, it seems this album started a year ago when we auditioned for Music Under New York, the MTA's arts in transit program. We found ourselves playing music in a completely new, exciting and challenging environment. Playing in the subway for the straphangers is a hot experience; endorphins take off. Check out the video of "Broadway" in the 125th St. and 8th Ave. station. The tune's originally off What Gives, & gets a different treatment here from Fred and I - washboard and funky acoustic guitar, groove and boogy - love the dancing generations. We meet all kinds of folks in the subway, homeless folks too. Some come & say hi. We meet a lot of cops in the subway too. They like to check in. Some are looking for our papers, our documents, our permit, one asked me if I had the goods. Others want to say hi. I like that. Once, an officer told us to shut it down because it was interfering with her checking bags. I understand where she's coming from. We are singing "We Shall Overcome." We all have a little of Marlon Brando from "Apocalypse Now" in our soundtrack now.....repeating over and over.... "The Horror." In the subway at a MUNY gig, Ryan Daniels, a graduate student took black and white photos that are edgy & vibey. It was at Union Square, where my grandmother Bette, Pete Seeger and many others would go in the 30's. Union Square has great history. Workers rights. Jeffry Braun, Backs to the Wall's designer used Ryan's pics in his creation. The plastic that holds the CD is even made from recycled bottles. About Backs to the Wall, Acoustic Live's Richard Cuccaro says, "from acoustic folk to blistering rock, love songs, rants, empathy for soldiers, virtuoso musical commentary. I'd say this one nails it." Time to go, one note at a time. We do with songs and with small amps, mostly borrowed from our friend Steve Kirkman. It was great making this record with Fred Gillen. He knows his way around the studio. Our friend Tom Staudter was really helpful in every way and I appreciate his positive influence in the making of Backs to the Wall. Green means go. 
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I recently have been taken by the "Orchestra of the Damned, " a series of paintings by 
The sight of elephant seals slumbering below Hearst Castle has a certain irony to it. I like the seal's attitude. They seem to handle their angst well.
We were getting somewhere. It was a perfect intro to the magic of Big Sur. The fire in the flowers would soon be usurped by real and gnarly California wildfires.
Animals would come out of the woods in droves seeking safety. Danger and horror mix with joy and produce a reliable angst! 
Backs to the Wall