A FEW THINGS...

A few things… I’m procrastinating—it is cold outside—but procrastinating really is one of those things that by rights should be done later.

Got speakers from next door neighbor Bob that may work for the square dance caller setup. They’re not super-large but they’re as large as the ones our instructor uses—and he’s able to fill a grange hall with sound. I have Dick Ackerman’s old Radio Shack amp (that we used as the basic engine for 45 Degrees North’s amplification), and my ancient 6-channel mixer (ditto); I think both have a “line in” port. Since the amp is a 2-channel, the mixer might be unnecessary. I will need to get or make a cable that will run from the laptop to whatever the “line in” port is (I think they’re RCA jacks—all this equipment is old).

And because I insist on everything being able to do at least double duty, if the speakers work for square dance calling, they make the amp/amp-and-mixer setup usable for small gigs, too. It all can be upgraded piecemeal later on to newer equipment—and I will do that, once (or if) I get a real job.

Played (which amounted to practicing) “I Want a Man for Christmas” and Don Varnell’s “Another Crappy Christmas” at Jane’s housewarming party. Both were pretty well-received. Got an update, too, on the “Blue Krishna” video project. Film is still being collected. (Good to know I haven’t been forgotten about.) Piecing the final product together will be lots of fun.

And I did figure out the melody to “Chipmunks Roasting on an Open Fire.” I knew it had to be simple country music if I’d done it, and it was. Mel Torme’s original may be chock full of fruity jazz chords, but I didn’t use anything more complicated than a couple of sevenths. And that signature riff? It’s just a simple bass run. And I can sing and play it at the same time. I think that means I’m read for the Christmas show at the Thirsty Lion.

I’ve been wrestling with Lorelei Loveridge’s suggestion on how to better stay in touch with a growing fan base. She recommended a “Golden Rule” approach: what do I as a fan want out of the people whose music I buy? The “fan generated” video of “Blue Krishna” is part of it, I think. “My people” (if I dare call them that) want to be part of whatever creative enterprise I’m up to; they are not just listeners, in other words. Now, the “Blue Krishna” project doesn’t involve a whole lot of people. The next one should involve more. I’d like to do a video of “I’m Giving Mom a Dead Dog for Christmas” with a whole bunch of singers—that one’s chorus tends to encourage singing along. (And the singers could dress up in their Christmas finery for the production.)

I’ve run across one artist who did regular progress videos from the studio while she was putting her album together; I couldn’t do that precisely—Deathgrass actually spent only a few hours in the studio because the Dead Things in the Shower album was recorded mostly live and in one take—but some film about the process might be educational (and worthwhile). How does one pick a studio? A sound engineer? (I know how I did it, and I could talk about that.) Some talk with the sound engineer about what stuff he has, and how he uses it, perhaps, and some footage of a song being recorded—not much, because the way we do it, it doesn’t take long.

Two trips to Portland this week—Thirsty Lion on Tuesday, square dance calling class on Wednesday. On the radio for the Arts Center Thursday morning, and music at the Tsunami in Wheeler Thursday night. Good thing I have Friday to rest, ‘cause Saturday gets real busy—a Relay for Life retreat in the morning, music at the Library in the afternoon, followed by a reception that wants me to bring cookies. I think the next week is even busier. ‘Tis the season…

Joe