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Something I’m thankful for: Naps with Chester. Photo credit goes to my dad for this one, though it looks like the flash woke Chester up. We always have Thanksgiving at my parents house, and this year was no exception. Nothing particularly exciting, just shoveling down obscene amounts of food at a rapid pace. For what I’m guessing is at least the 10th consecutive year, I slept too late to watch any of the Macy’s parade and was dressed about 10 minutes before everybody got here. The Cowboy game was pretty great, good to see them get off some big plays for a change. I plan to join Chester again later in the evening after possibly running to the store and returning/picking up another film. I watched The Goods with Jeremy Piven last night and had a pretty good laugh, and I’m hoping I can find the documentary We Jam Econo that was made about The Minutemen. We’ll see how legit my local Blockbuster is. Planning to hit up Best Buy at 5am to visit my friend Lew who will be working and hopefully documenting some of the carnage. Also picking up season 1 of Eastbound and Down for $10. I hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving!

Something I’m thankful for: Naps with Chester.

Photo credit goes to my dad for this one, though it looks like the flash woke Chester up.

We always have Thanksgiving at my parents house, and this year was no exception. Nothing particularly exciting, just shoveling down obscene amounts of food at a rapid pace. For what I’m guessing is at least the 10th consecutive year, I slept too late to watch any of the Macy’s parade and was dressed about 10 minutes before everybody got here.

The Cowboy game was pretty great, good to see them get off some big plays for a change. I plan to join Chester again later in the evening after possibly running to the store and returning/picking up another film. I watched The Goods with Jeremy Piven last night and had a pretty good laugh, and I’m hoping I can find the documentary We Jam Econo that was made about The Minutemen. We’ll see how legit my local Blockbuster is.

Planning to hit up Best Buy at 5am to visit my friend Lew who will be working and hopefully documenting some of the carnage. Also picking up season 1 of Eastbound and Down for $10. I hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving!

--Tagged under: kthxgiving--

Fun Fact: Guitar Center will give a broke 22 year old male $3000 in credit With a new band comes the need for new equipment. Quite the investment up front, but both essential and awesome (not gonna lie, I’m excited for new stuff). Since the majority of the material Space Rockers perform is hip hop and dance music, a 5 string bass is pretty much mandatory. Playing some of this stuff has been a tuning nightmare without a low B string, so playing a 5 string will be quite an adventure. The other necessities purchased were wireless systems, both instrument and in-ear. The in-ears I’m especially excited about, as I’m used to never being able to hear anything ever. The idea of having my own personalized mix is incredible to me. I’m back in Dallas till probably Sunday to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. I can’t wait till tomorrow for the morning paper so I can fully assess the Black Friday situation, I’m hoping to get up early with the camera to capture the carnage. Also psyched about the food tomorrow. Damn do I love the holidays.

Fun Fact: Guitar Center will give a broke 22 year old male $3000 in credit

With a new band comes the need for new equipment. Quite the investment up front, but both essential and awesome (not gonna lie, I’m excited for new stuff). Since the majority of the material Space Rockers perform is hip hop and dance music, a 5 string bass is pretty much mandatory. Playing some of this stuff has been a tuning nightmare without a low B string, so playing a 5 string will be quite an adventure. The other necessities purchased were wireless systems, both instrument and in-ear. The in-ears I’m especially excited about, as I’m used to never being able to hear anything ever. The idea of having my own personalized mix is incredible to me.

I’m back in Dallas till probably Sunday to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. I can’t wait till tomorrow for the morning paper so I can fully assess the Black Friday situation, I’m hoping to get up early with the camera to capture the carnage. Also psyched about the food tomorrow. Damn do I love the holidays.

Adam and Roni met me at Showdown in San Marcos last night to celebrate, because I got the gig playing bass for The Space Rockers! For those that have been reading this every day, you know that I have been doing nothing but pursuing this and constantly practicing for about the past month, so it felt very rewarding to get the gig. For those of you not familiar with The Space Rockers, they are a cover band that plays a variety of hip hop, dance, and rock music (while dressed as super heroes from outer space). Check out their promo video: As you can see, this is a pretty intensive production. In addition to learning a repertoire of 50+ songs, there are also dance moves and small skits worked into the set. I’m still in the long process of learning all of the material, but I’ve been having a blast doing it. It is quite the departure in style from what I have been doing with Blunt Force Trauma, but a welcome change none the less. A few weeks ago I was very apprehensive to pursue this opportunity because of what I would have to compromise, but I quickly came to the realization that playing music all the time is both what I want and need to be doing right now. I have a lot of older musician friends that are married and have children, and they all have told me the exact same thing: “Get it in while you’re young and have nothing holding you back”. I’m looking forward to getting on stage with these guys, and assuming the identity of Neuron! Right now it is looking like December 15th will be my first show (though this is subject to change), so I’ve got a lot of learning to do in the coming weeks. This is really one of those moments that make me glad I started this blog, as I never expected 151 days ago that I’d be doing this. Lets hope for more excitement to come!

Adam and Roni met me at Showdown in San Marcos last night to celebrate, because I got the gig playing bass for The Space Rockers! For those that have been reading this every day, you know that I have been doing nothing but pursuing this and constantly practicing for about the past month, so it felt very rewarding to get the gig. For those of you not familiar with The Space Rockers, they are a cover band that plays a variety of hip hop, dance, and rock music (while dressed as super heroes from outer space). Check out their promo video:

As you can see, this is a pretty intensive production. In addition to learning a repertoire of 50+ songs, there are also dance moves and small skits worked into the set. I’m still in the long process of learning all of the material, but I’ve been having a blast doing it. It is quite the departure in style from what I have been doing with Blunt Force Trauma, but a welcome change none the less.

A few weeks ago I was very apprehensive to pursue this opportunity because of what I would have to compromise, but I quickly came to the realization that playing music all the time is both what I want and need to be doing right now. I have a lot of older musician friends that are married and have children, and they all have told me the exact same thing: “Get it in while you’re young and have nothing holding you back”. I’m looking forward to getting on stage with these guys, and assuming the identity of Neuron! Right now it is looking like December 15th will be my first show (though this is subject to change), so I’ve got a lot of learning to do in the coming weeks.

This is really one of those moments that make me glad I started this blog, as I never expected 151 days ago that I’d be doing this. Lets hope for more excitement to come!

A little behind...

Photos from today and yesterday in a bit.

"So I got up and strolled over
to the other side of the cantina
I asked the guy, “Why you so fly?”
he said, Funky Cold Medina."
— Tone Löc- Funky Cold Medina
For the first time in over 8 months, I can actually see my face. I didn’t think I would celebrate my 150th day by shaving my beard, but life is funny like that. I almost didn’t recognize myself in the mirror. My audition with Space Rockers is tomorrow and seeing as I will have to shave if I get the gig, I figured it could probably earn me some cool points for the time being. I’ve been going over the stuff all day long and will probably put in another 3 hours or so tonight before I hit the sack. I’m almost not sure how to approach this as; more an audition or a job interview. This is a pretty tough audition to begin with, but considering how much hangs in the balance in regards to my future financial situation, I’m really nervous. I really can’t afford (literally) to not get this gig, so I really hope the rest of the band thinks I’m the guy. I talked to Alan (guitar player in my current band) about it today, and thankfully all the guys in BFT are behind me 100%, which really means a lot. If I had one wish it would be that I could play as often and make as much money with BFT as I would be with The Space Rockers, but when you play crossover hardcore music things just don’t work that way. The positive in all of this is that a complete change in my musical style is really pushing me to become a better player, and I think in the long run playing in this band would make me a much more versatile player than I am now. Tons more practice ahead, wish me luck for tomorrow!

For the first time in over 8 months, I can actually see my face.

I didn’t think I would celebrate my 150th day by shaving my beard, but life is funny like that. I almost didn’t recognize myself in the mirror. My audition with Space Rockers is tomorrow and seeing as I will have to shave if I get the gig, I figured it could probably earn me some cool points for the time being.

I’ve been going over the stuff all day long and will probably put in another 3 hours or so tonight before I hit the sack. I’m almost not sure how to approach this as; more an audition or a job interview. This is a pretty tough audition to begin with, but considering how much hangs in the balance in regards to my future financial situation, I’m really nervous. I really can’t afford (literally) to not get this gig, so I really hope the rest of the band thinks I’m the guy.

I talked to Alan (guitar player in my current band) about it today, and thankfully all the guys in BFT are behind me 100%, which really means a lot. If I had one wish it would be that I could play as often and make as much money with BFT as I would be with The Space Rockers, but when you play crossover hardcore music things just don’t work that way. The positive in all of this is that a complete change in my musical style is really pushing me to become a better player, and I think in the long run playing in this band would make me a much more versatile player than I am now.

Tons more practice ahead, wish me luck for tomorrow!

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