So close and yet!

So I stayed at the Las Vegas Hilton last week. It was wonderful. I have SooOoOOooo many great memories there from when I was the 'house bassist' for the showroom. That's where I got to play the Elvis show. Yes, it was incredible.

Some of my favorite Las Vegas adventure stories get to be quite long so I'll direct you to an E-zine that published a few of them in an interview... There are even has some spiffy pictures as well.

------------............Las Vegas Stories.......--------- 

However I'll tell a brief Elvis story here and tie it into this picture of me and the statue of Elvis.

First a little about this Statue, as it commemorates 8 YEARS of sold out shows. I was able to be apart of his last Hilton appearance as he died shortly after that gig in 1977.  Whoa already in my head as I start the story, I can see how long it can get, there are actually two cool stories, I'll chop the first one down to size and tell the other one another time. Sooooo there I am playin' the Elvis show, the legend that ya just couldn't take you eyes off of. I've seen his movies since I was 10 and NOW here he is right in front of me! It was great, however.... he was 'very' well insulated. Body Guards (very large ones) never let him out of arms reach except to go out on stage.

It was grand, the 2001 one music theme would start and he curtain was closed. It looked like a 'football' huddle and Elvis was in the middle of a circle of 'large' personal bodyguards. When the curtain opened, so would the huddle and out he'd go to a screaming, frantic, excited audience. You could "feel the rush". Okay, so the show ends and the 'huddle' awaits him and off he goes to his private elevator (backstage) on up to his suites.

Tony Decaprio (house guitarist) and myself get invited to his private party after the show, sounds simple enough however there were many stages of bodyguards to go through who didn't know us... fortunately at every 'way station' an 'inside' person was there that could vouch for us.

We get up to the "Elvis Suite" and right before we go in, two security guards spot 'movement' behind these giant potted plants. They RUSH over and haul out to woman hiding in them and drag them to the exits. A bit scary and intimidating I must say. AND so we then go in. I must add here that the 'high alert' was justified as at that time Elvis was getting a death threat that they hadn't been able to resolve as to who it is. Very nerve racking I'm sure as 'each' performance left him vulnerable the moment he left the huddle.

So, now I'm in the suite with a small group of people, most of whom I didn't know and we're waiting for Elvis. I'm thinkin' "Wow, what am I gonna talk to him about!?" Hmmm what could I possible say that he hasn't heard a million times already?" Well, I labored over that thought a good twenty minutes when all of a sudden... the entry double doors open up --- we look up excited when...... "A large necked bodyguard pops through and says, "Elvis doesn't feel like havin' a fuckin' party, everybody get out!"

Eh... so you see the picture picture of me with the statue, well, oddly enough is some ways, that's about as close as I ever got to him. I had planned on such great conversations, but saddly his untimely death. "God rest your soul Elvis!"

Epilogue: My impressions of who he was in no way reflect the bodyguards actions. I saw him as very generous, kind, someone that strived to be a great role model. In many ways he succeeded, the other stuff I cannot judge. How would all that fame, money and pressure have shaped my personality? I don't know, however.... I'm up for finding out!!! LOl!

Remind me when you see me to tell the other Elvis story, "It'll be the 'icebreaker' when we meet on the road. Mention "Doctor TCB".

Be well, and hold fast!

Don

Point (17 year) Break

I was talking to a producer (Gary Bromham) who I have not seen in YEARS. We met at Woodcliff Studio here in Sherman Oaks, California. I have done so many recordings there and since he was visiting from England on vacation and both love that studio and it's owner Frank, (Whew... long sentance) we ended up there. Of course I brought donuts, (after all Don is short for Donuts). Brump bump - but seriously folks.

Anyway, last I saw Gary he had hired me to play on some tracks he was producing for Sheryl Crow. This was the early 90's I think, and soI  asked "Gary, what ever happened to those songs?". I was curious as I recall playing Stick on them. As it turns out he said, "Oh, one of the tunes "Hundreds of Tears" went into the movie "Point Break" with Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves" (1991).

Well there ya have it. I never knew. I tend to do a session and leave, not keeping track of what happens after. In his case something delightful. As I recall, it was a rather fun easy going session. Both Gary and Sheryl knew what they wanted and also let me be free to do what I do. 

Well that's the story. I'll be in Gary's neck of the woods next month as we (Rocket Scientists band) go to England for the Rotherham Progressive Rock Festival. We'll be sharing the stage with "Wishbone Ash". So Gary and I will meet up again, this time without 17 years going in between. I don't think England has donuts like we do... maybe he'll show up with 'blood pudding'... Yikes sound awful, "But secretly --- I like it". I'll tell ya though, before I ate it I had to repeat the name so many times so that it didn't have meaning to me anymore, just a blurb of vowels and consonants. Once I got past that, it didn't look like it says. After eating it, I kind of compare it to our "Denny's Restaurant" sausage patties!

For some of you that probably doesn't say much for the sausage patty, but.... whatta ya gonna do. 

MTV

So this is fun, about a minute into this is the MTV show, the song "Neurosaur" by Erik Norlander starts. Big gothic choir sounds then keyboards drums and bass. It's off his solo CD. I remember playing on it some years back and now it shows up in a P Diddy MTV fashion show special. How fun... Yay Erik! Good job TEAM! 

• MTV
• Music Videos
• MTV Shows
• Entertainment News

e

Hells Angels

With the roar of his motorcycle  and rapper "Mike P" with handsome smile came over to start tracking in my studio.
He and partner Richy Valley will begin putting there 'clean' tracks together. They have the opportunity to have their songs placed on TV, the only problem was... the lyrics.
So they will be doing a few 'clean' versions "No GD cussing" as one of my cousin in-laws would say.
I never knew anyone in a bike club before, heard of the club, never knew anyone personally. This is gonna be fun.

Jet Set

Well, I'll be a travelin' man these next few months.

This is the restaurant at the 

'Los Angeles international airport. I ate up there once. It was very nice. It's 1960's future theme is like eating with the Jetson's. Very 'kooky space age" and lots of fun. If you get the chance, do go.

Here's a quick run down of my schedule:

April 11-13   -  with the "Frankie Avalon show" The Schiff Brothers in Las Vegas

April 24-28 -  with "My wife Cynthia, she is showing her art- the Las Vegas  Convention Center

May 15-18   - I fly to England with "Rocket Scientists" for the 

Rotherham Progressive Rock Festival with  "Wishbone Ash"

May 22-25 -  I'm doing a Stick seminar and "Don Schiff Show" appearing 

in concert at the "Jazz Cellar"  in Vancouver, Canada

June 28-30 -  I'll be with "Rocket Scientists" in Clinton, NY

Aug. 23-25  - Everybodies favorite town Pittsburgh, PA "Rocket Scientists" 

at the 3 Rivers Progressive Rock Festival.

More dates to be added, I put this up so we can all meet somewhere, as well as a reminder for myself.

For those that I met in Las Vegas, Baja, Mexico and then in Cleveland, thank you so much for coming out and introducing yourselves to me. I had a funny moment when someone came up to me apologetically saying, "I don't mean to bother you but I've seen your videos and heard your music- I feel like I know you yet I know you don't know me." C'mon... don't let that stop ya, step up and say hi, I'm tryin' to meet eveyone, if you don't catch me off stage to talk then it will take me twice as long to find you in the audience. If ya need an ice breaker just mention "Donuts" and I'll start talkin'.