Sunday, July 27, 2008

Concert Photo's

These photo's were of the Bay Area Rock Festival in San Francisco 5/18/2008.
We had a blast, behind the venue they had a LARGE cookout for all the bands that evening. It was like a giant 'band backyard bar-b-que'. Huge grill cooking burgers, hotdogs, steaks, pork, spicey sausage, and lots of beer... and soda's for people like me who 'fall down fast' after drinking the neck of a beer. I'm known for that 'funny limit' and the quite the guy to hang around in the bar with if you like beer with just the 'neck' drunk down... "Practically a full beer"... two sips, I'm done - anything past that and I get a bit wobbly... however, Donuts I can devour.

















For us Stick enthusiast's notice the positioning of the NS/Stick neck angle compared to the guitarists. I'm at about a 2 O'clock position while the guitars hang about 3 O'clock. I use that same angle for tapping, slide style playing and plucking. Just an observation that I got from looking at these pictures. For those that play, interesting information. In that first 'solo' picture of me, look close at my right hand, you can see the metal slide gripped between my 1st and 2nd finger.
Well, I'm here in San Francisco area at the moment attending a wedding as my brother-in-law just got married, it was a lovely wedding ceremony on the beach at "Baker Beach" below Golden Gate bridge and down the beach a bit. Just lovely and a perfect day for it. No one got around to getting a 'permit' to have the ceremony on the beach so it had a nice element of excitement looking over our shoulders to see if the beach patrol was comin' around to scoop us up. Alas, a perfect day! The Wedding ended at the beach instead of the downtown police station. It's an incredibly LARGE and funny family I married into and 'believe it or not' the wedding would have worked well eitherway.
Take care,
Don

Friday, July 25, 2008

Mysterious Me

So yea, that's my cousin in one of my childhood 'favorite' movies - "Mysterious Island". His name is Michael Callan and was also the charactor 'Riff' in the Broadway hit West Side Story. Ohhhh he's good.

Anyway, July 21st at 12:30 pm on TCM channel this movie will air. Your gonna love it, check it out., Giant Crabs, Captain Nemo, Monsterous Octopus and yes... Pirates! Ohhh it's a good one. And he gets the girl too, Yay cousin.



Hey, I was in a few movies... no crabs, octopus and I didn't even see a girl on the set however if you rent 84 CHARLIE MOPIC... I'm in the first 10 minutes of the film painting rocks white. Speaking of not getting the girl, how's this. There is the video I have out of the tune "Wait By The River" (check youtube you'll find it - or.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXHDvmBvXFA go their.


Anyway, I shoot my part and the director says "Yea and this girl will dance around and such.." I think, hey, wow, this is gonna be great! My video, I'm in it... Great looking girl!" We shoot the music portion first of me playing and singing and then I'm told we'll add the dancer. I get a call two days later... "Videos done, she was great!" WHAT!!!!! My own video I don't to even 'imagine in my head that I could 'get' the girl (married 32 years.. was never gonna happen in reality) BUT Ya Know It Would Have Made A Great Story In My Head!!! But no.... Never even saw her til the video. Ahhh Hollywood! Ah well, my cousin did just fine at least.
Excellent!
Don

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Sour Braten

Ah a lovely dish and delicious as well. It's a German dish called and spelled correctly sauerbraten. I bring this little story up as I hear Rocket Scientists are headlining a festival in Germany this upcoming November. Sure, I'll get times and dates but, really, this early I just think, Oh what shall I eat while I'm over there.

Well this is one of my favorite dishes. It also reminds me of the time my wife and I used to go to this lovely German restaurant in Las Vegas (When we were just kids in love). We'd order this dish all the time and kind of giggled at the name... one day I had bad breath, and to this day our 'code' name for 'bad breath' is "Honey, SauerBraten breath, have a mint!" Of course if it's my breath, it's "Oh my word!! Your breath is 6 feet long! do something about that!" Like, stand in then next room and call me on the cell phone. Yikes, whatta ya eatin' out garbage cans!

Ah, the gentler days of dating, no one farted, burped loud and Sauerbraten was just a food.
Don


Sunday, July 13, 2008

Guild Season 1 and "Walkin' the Dog again.

Aha! The Guild Season 1 DVD. Who knew it would be so popular! The next season already has sponsorship and will begin shooting August/September. I think I'll get in a few scenes next season that would be fun.

Well if you'd like to find out more and pre-order your copy go to www.watchtheguild.com and have a look around. Lots of good information their.

The "Guild Theme" ring-tone will also be available in a few weeks. Currently you can buy the theme on itunes as well as the "Christmas Special" we did last...."Christmas!". I'm sure that will be popular again in....oh say in about 4-5 months.

Okay, quick "Walkin' the Dog" story. Last time I told a dog story it was the one where I forgot to bring a Poop bag but had a small kleenex. So I balance the Large TURD in the small kleenex, Cell phone rang, I grabbed it out of my pocket, dogs lurched, Poops got unbalanced while teetering in the kleenex... Poop hit the phone just as I put it to my ear, ...... Smooosh!

The dog (Lovely Shepard mix) just love those walks and seems to relish a nice place to poop (has all day to do it at home) but would rather me carry it around the block instead. Walk the dog up, walk the dog and poop back. I have a technique where I put the plastic bag inside out on my hand, capture the poop, pull the plastic bag 'right side out' and the Hand comes out clean and Poop safely captured in the bag.... "To bad this bag had a hole in the bottom". Finger stayed inside the bag!" I must say, she's a warm dog inside... Quite the steamy turd! (I think I saw her laughing! with her funny dog smile with tongue hangin' out!"

Excellent!
Don

Friday, July 11, 2008

Excellent Tour

Well, it's been awhile since I last wrote, sorry.. whew between tired and busy, it just didn't happen. The San Francisco "Bay Area Rock" festival was grand! I took my wife up to San Francisco (we live in S. California). She has retired soooo now she has more time to "hit the road" with me. It was very cute as she got the nice VIP treatment at the club as she got to sit in the upstairs lounge area behind thick glass and comfy seats to watch the show down below.

I didn't even know they had such a thing at this club and as it was a rather large club I couldn't see her from the stage. My phone range, and since we hadn't started yet, I answered. She said, "I'm upstairs!". I said, "I didn't know they had one". As I looked up, there I saw a phone waiving back and forth. Ohhhhhh, there you are. Very nice, "Thanks, bye, gotta play now."

Oh yes, back to the 'cute' part. So mid show I have a rather large 'solo' spot. Well it goes over very nicely and the crowed just loved it. lots of applause and cheers. Well over ALL that yellin' I hear my wife's "Super Sonic" (thumb and finger to lips) pearcing whistle cutting through from the back of the upstairs - behind the class VIP room. I looked up ...smiled and laughed, "That's my girl!"

Then onto upstate NY. Another great gig and fun time on the road. From their I went to Philadelphia to see my family. It was a blast as always. I did bring Tasty Cakes home. I like the Butter Scotch Crimpets. We go back in late August. I'll get more, these didn't last two days.

The next tour is around August 24th, Chicago, Pittsburgh and upstate New York.  The promoters said they would take us to Niagra Falls and for a boat ride behind the falls. I've never been so it'll be GREAT!

You all take care, I'll write again soon.
Don