Express Post

Tomorrow night is the first practice with the new band. I've been busy writting out tabs and chord charts for the tunes. It's amazing how little lead-guitar I remember -- and my ear and guitar technique are conjoined enough to make it easy to decode.

I'm working on content for the new website -- I really like when bands take the time to write some stuff for their online world, so I sent an Email out to the Barn Flyz down in Guelph -- I got back a "from the desk of a barn fly" letter in about 10 minutes (I guess the -10 weather is giving the boys some time for internet use). I need to write some more stuff, and do some more graphic design.

Ex-Parkas frontman Grady Kelneck is coming down to hang out with Peja, Sienna, and I, and do some recording in the studio. I'm going to drag him along to the Barn Flyz practice -- he plays a mean accordian, and I want to use it to fill in for the harmonica parts I'm not so adept at playing avec guitar.

Did I just use some french to get out of a messy sentence?

Whoops.

Thanks to Adam and Tara for always carting out the comments.

In Grand Caymen, we had this bus driver from Jamica who would always ask us to "speak to me, when you speak to me, it makes me feel better".

Off to the post office -- I hope there's a line-up, and that the person in front of me is express-posting invitations to a 300 person wedding.

Jay.

Promotion. . .

I'm hangin' with Peja today -- she's getting a bit of a cold, and it's just plain COLD outside, so I'm splitting my time between pretending I'm a dinosaur, and playing with Peja (that joke depends entirely on how seriously you take your commas).

The show is still a couple of months off, but I'm working on the poster. So, the big ol' picture of yours truly is either the saddest acceptance of personal vanity, or my attempt to connect with people using a face instead of a name. Well, I guess it doesn't have to be 100% one way or the other. . . But, I mean, to pretend that I'm not REALLY aware that my image is there (look up in the right hand corner of this blog for what I prefer to appear as), would just be so dishonest. I mean, when the shop windows are reflecting outwards, it's time to make sure your ass isn't hanging out, right? (sorry mom, I've been trying really hard not to swear).

Oh, hey, google analytics (www.google.analytics) have been telling me that a few people have been stopping by, so I just wanted to say "hi" to anyone who hasn't been here before.

Hi!

A skeleton of the new website is up somewhere online, when it's done, it'll be moving over to somewhere easier to find, and then I'll give you the link. Want it done faster? Head over to www.adamhewgill.com and give him hell.

This blog will still live here, because blogger is so easy, but there'll be links from here to there and from there to here.

Jay.

The kid calls me "man"

Went to the Banff Mountain Film Festival last night -- it's a touring festival that Sienna's work sponsors every year. I worked the raffle table, smiling at people while wishing them luck at winning the size 14 right boot in the prize display. The show was quite good, and even better, Peja went to sleep for her Ba-Chan, a.k.a. Sienna's mom, and was still asleep when we got home at 10:45 -- I think our first evening out that didn't end with the consolation of screams. High times indeed.

It's all part of the general trend back towards being human beings, a trend that is sure to waver as we move through this bizarre adventure of parenting, but right now, the skies are clear and the Dad to Jay ratio is looking better all the time. The kid has started to call me "man", and that alone makes me happy about everything.

The first all-band rehersal has been scheduled for next week. Lead guitarist / head Dorian guy Tim Tran has been kind enough to donate the music school for jams, so Sienna and Peja won't have to suffer through our awkward phases. The band is a 5 piece, a number that gives me pause; with a 3 piece, a band is almost assuredly going to sound tight, as long as everyone is listening to someone, the whole band will be locked together. With 4, you can pair-off and lose cohesion fairly easily. But I am hopeful, I think the musicians I've somehow bribed, borrowed, and/or stolen are all very good, thoughtful players, and I'm really excited about hearing them all play together.

The Piano Man

Today I jammed with a fellow BMLSS Grad, one Nick Peat, who plays some mean keys. Grady did not lie, the kid is great. We worked on the new folk/country version of City Lights, and a few other things, and each time he came up with something great to play.

And, although I have yet to manage to get the whole band in a room together (I'm hoping to do so sometime in the next couple of weeks, I swear), I'm really started to think you should all buy advance tickets for the show and help us sell it out!

The challenge is going to be getting my electric piano to the venue - they have a grand-piano there, but Nick was coming up with some great Rhodes, Organ, and Vibrophone stuff, so I think I'm going to have to find someone who's back seats fold down (alas, mine do not -- why, Ford, why?).

Had a very nice dinner tonight with Sienna's folks -- they were kind and had a fork, knife, and spoon waiting for me. I practiced with her dad for a while after dinner, picking up raw rice, and I think next time I'm going to brave the chopsticks at the inlaws dinner table. I mean, Peja's actually getting pretty good with them, I could at least try.

The New Barn Flyz. . .

The live show is planned for Saturday, March 24 -- it'll be at the Salvation Army Church by Victoria Park. It's funny that two main choices for downtown venues are bars or churches.

Because the real Barn Flyz aren't even speaking with me right now (enough re-takes will test any friendship), I've been putting together another kingston set of Barn Flyz to fill in.

Josh from Cedar Speeder will be rockin' the bass, and my very cool boss Tim Tran will be taking lead guitar duties. I'm meeting with a keyboard player tomorrow, Nick, who was recommended for the gig by a Grady Kelneck, ex Parkas singer/guitarist. So the band is just about put together. Now, uh, all we have to do is, you know, learn the songs. . .

I put together a set list, and dug through and found all the cd's and stuff to make up mix cd's with the right tracks in the right order. Man, I couldn't find a copy of Free Soup to save my life -- I had to download 15' away from the Radical Dudez website.

Oh, and Peja and I bought a new Harmonica Brace yesterday -- live harmonica is going to take some practice. . .