December 2005

Johnny Cash’s response to the oft asked question "Why do you wear black all the time, are you going to a funeral?" was a simple "Maybe I am." After finally seeing Walk The Line, I cannot help but regret never seeing Johnny Cash in concert. He is certainly one of my heroes.

Cash came around about the same time as Bill Justis did in Memphis, Tennessee and the two knew each other and worked together at Sun Records. Recording the platinum single "Raunchy" in early 1957, Justis went on to a prolific career of arranging and composing while also recording ten cover albums of his own throughout the 60’s. Back in 1947, he met my grandmother while attending the University of Arizona. After marrying and having one daughter, my mother, he continued with his music career, one that lasted nearly to his death in 1982.

Though I didn’t know my mom’s "biological" father and she had little contact with him after he gave her up for adoption, I am thankful for the music in me. Just like Cash, sometimes when listening to music I feel like I am going to a funeral and I guess in some ways, "Maybe I am."

cg

I just got back from Walk the Line
I want to take some pills
I guess they make you better

That Elvis sure talks a lot of poon

I just got back from Lawrence and Topeka. Too much driving of late. I’m looking forward to this week of rest. Give a dog a bone.

No I am not that frickin old yet but Ryan Adams’ latest CD "29" is a lament about being just that–29. Like the freakish RA fan I am, I was up last night at 12:01 buying the CD off of ITunes. I must say that some recent efforts by the artist have left me feeling cold, empty and full of despair. Wait a minute. All of his music does that.

This is his best effort in a couple of years and marks his first solo CD since Love is Hell Part One and Two. I believe it is strong because he worked with Ethan Johns on the album, producer of Gold and Heartbreaker, arguably two of RA’s strongest solo (post Whiskeytown) CD’s yet. 29 is in the same league. Go buy it. cg

The feeling of new strings under my fingers doesn’t come close to matching the new sound. Full of life. With personalities all their own these creations of twisted metal deepen the room, darken life, and deaden the silence…cg

Hey everyone, well, the weekend is over and I am left with a very cloudy head. It’s about 8:06 am and I am nearly asleep at my desk. I had a good weekend and even got a lot of rest, unlike Aaron. I think the problem is that I slept in too long during the weekend, 6:30 am came way too fast this morning. The important thing is that I made it through the weekend virtually unharmed, minus a few brain cells. We did live through the snow storm that went through the area over the weekend, I guess that’s good news. Why is it that everyone who sucks at driving in the snow and ice decides to go to the grocery store right when the weather is at its worse? I saw way too many wrecks while driving around Wichita this weekend.

MP

First, I’m sorry for missing a day or two. I honestly don’t know if I missed one or if it was two. It’s been that bad. We left Friday for Andover, left Saturday for Hutchinson, and left today for Manhattan. I just got home and it’s somehow Monday. We sold a bunch of powersports. I ate three, perhaps four times. Stayed in two different hotels. I didn’t drink nearly enough beer because I was too tired.

Tonight…technically last night…I, for some reason God himself couldn’t explain, talked Aaron into letting me go to Hays with him tomorrow…today?…I guess it will be tomorrow night before I can rest. Up early to go meet with someone in western Kansas. I’m sorry for the blathering blather. But not really, though.

Blather

Angry…hungry…and the other one that ends in "gry"…

Go get it.

Saw KevinNoland of Dorfus Cracktractor at the Christmas Party on Saturday. I had to throw out a blog entry in his honor. Thanks for helping me with the bass guitar man. You rock. It was good to see Kev and all the others at the party. Lots of fun. cg

I was most excited to see Stoney LaRue open for Ragweed last night in Wichita but was disappointed. Stoney played what I would call his "b-list" of songs and did it in a very lackluster manner. His portion of the show seemed rushed and like he had thrown together some people to play earlier that day.

The CCR portion of the show was juiced. The Cottilion was sold out and the majority of the people there were Cross Canadian Ragweed followers. I don’t know how many that place holds but it has to be at least 2000. Ragweed played a solid show and gave the people what they paid for.

But even their show had an unprofessional edge to it because LaRue wouldn’t get off the stage. He insisted on standing up there and playing with Ragweed. That would be fine but he didn’t know any of the songs. He watched Cody Canada play and tried to follow the chords on his guitar but didn’t do it successfully. It was really obvious that he was clueless. Hmmm, when Cross and Canada are both playing with a capo and LaRue isn’t, I wonder….???

OK, so I am on a roll here so I will keep going. Ragweed covered the Dirt Bentley song that is on CMT all the time. I don’t claim to know the name of it but do know how it made me feel. I almost threw up in my mouth.

Mason, sorry I didn’t get back to you after the show. I was so "tired" that I fell asleep in the middle of a sentence.

Aaron, I will be back in Manhattan the first of this next week and want to get together and practice if at all possible. I cannot imagine 78 hours in one week. Welcome back to the world on Monday. You might need to get really drunk sometime this next week. Hmmm, I bet we could handle that.

Getting ready for my parents party tonight.

The Mamas and the Papas
There’s a group about which I haven’t thought in a while
Heaven forbid I dangle a prepisition

78.25 hours last week
It will all be over on Monday
I can’t wait to work 9-5 again
Perhaps I’ll have time to work on websites

All the leaves are brown