January 2007

Went north to the Salebarn Ballroom
Phillipsburg last night with Blaine Younger
Big room, vroom
Place used to be an old…Salebarn
I kept looking for a ringman with a whip

Blaine keeps getting better. It’s been a long time since we two played a song-swap. The cold notwithstanding, the crowd was very solid. I’d never been to the Salebarn, though I’d heard about it quite a bit.

It was good to see Liz and Candace after seeing neither for several years. Old friends are like time capsules, good to dig up every now and then.

Friday was a rough one. Thanks for all the Jäger-nukes, everyone. I hope you’re happy, you bastards. That’s the secret to get us to play pop music, by the way.

Three Jägers for Aaron = Fishing in the Dark

Please don’t do it again.

Rolling to Longhorns in Manhattan on Thursday, then on to Olpe and Sun City to finish out this coming week.

Get it.

Its been awhile since the last post, as usual, but I’ve got some news about my other band "Guse". We played the Waka Winter Classic on Friday and took home the prize. So Guse will be playing Wakarusa Fest this year……hooray! Anyway all is well on myside of things. I’ve been in a constant search for a place to practice and let me tell ya’ man…….not that much fun. Living in an apartment is death for a drummer………I’ll figure it out soon though. I’m really looking forward to playing Longhorn’s on Thursday, its going to be a powerful show…….hope to see everyone there.
We were the featured artist today on the radio in Manhattan…………..damn sweet!

Well, not too much to update other than that. School has once again turned me into a maniac without any freetime but……..who cares! We’re playin’ Longhorn’s!

See you there.

Mason

Tonight, the Red Dirt Road radio show in Manhattan is featuring the ATB from 7-8. They are supposed to play a few tracks and talk a little about us. Give it a listen at 104.7 FM

The Longhorn’s all request lunch on 104.7 could be another time to hear us on the radio this week, especially if you request it. We are supposed to interview with them too. We will keep you posted.

Thanks to the great crowd that stuck around on Friday at Bobby T’s. Thanks to Greg, Josh, and the crew there for always making it feel like home.

Jennifer Taylor Pettersen opened and brought out a nice group of followers! If you haven’t had a chance to check out Jennifer, do so on February 7 in Manhattan at Radinas. I wouldn’t miss it. She is an exciting new artist and songwriter, not to mention a supercool person.

Thanks to Matt and Katie for running the sound/merch. It is always good to see them. Thanks to the Copeland’s for driving so far to see the show too! Hope you guys can see the rest of the band sometime before too long.

We are all excited about the upcoming week and hope you are too.

A final hats off to Mason’s band Guse for winning the Wakarus play in contest at the Bottleneck this past Friday. The bands in competition were top notch but couldn’t hang with the best drummer in the land. You will be able to see them this summer at the Wakarusa Festival outside of Lawrence. What an honor. Check out www.myspace.com/guserock for a free face melting.

Got back yesterday from Copper Mountain, Colorado. Went out Sunday for an auction confrence. It had been several years since I’d gone skiing, and it seemed like I was riding a bike.

We’re looking forward to playing tomorrow with Jennifer, and I’m looking forward to Saturday’s show with Blaine Younger.

Don’t forget about ‘horns Thursday.

Bobble bobble.

James McMurtry & the Heartless Bastards to be specific.

There are certainly a lot of cool band names out there but this one might take the cake; it might throw the cake in your face.

Our friend Dusty Feighner kept rattling on and on about "Choctaw Bingo," a song by McMurtry about, as the artist notes, "the north Texas, southern Oklahoma crystal methamphetamine industry." Well it is a story about a family reunion and people come all over the midwest to converge on Uncle Sleaton’s "cause he’s getting on in years."

Right on Dusty! That song was intriguing. Funny and crafty lyrics describe the events in a fresh way. I think the song pales to the rest of the two CD’s I have now of his.

If you are not familiar with this guy, I think you should be.
Check out all or any of the following songs and see what you think.
"Rachael’s Song"
"Out Here in the Middle" Robert Earl Keen covered this on an Farm Fresh Onions.
"Lights of Cheyenne"
"60 Acres"
"No More Buffalo"
"We Can’t Make it Here"

McMurtry captures life in the midwest like Chris Knight does the South.

OK, I thought I would pass on a couple of movie recommendations to the people while I am at it. American Dreamz and Little Miss Sunshine. I heard they were good from our best fan that can’t come to anymore shows.

I am still reading research so no recommendations there unless you want to check out the Handbook of Research on Teaching the English Language Arts. Interesting stuff.

In between checking all of that out, come out and play this Friday at Bobby T’s with Mike Kisner and Jennifer Pettersen. I have heard from several people that are traveling a ways to be here. Don’t be the only one not there as Diane says.

Then, next week is the saloon tour. Longhorn’s on Thursday, Branding Iron on Friday, and Buster’s on Saturday. Aaron’s truck will see some miles. We will be a fully catsup and nitrous powered combine on Thursday at Horns with the full band plus Mike Kisner, stolen for a show or two from the resting Blaine Younger Band. Aaron is solo on the other two but I am hoping to finish enough work to tag along and hose a few songs in Olpe and Sun City for him.

Till then,
g

…things gon’ get hot. Sunday’s show with Blaine, Pete, Titts, and Russell Kansas was good. I saw Randy Rogers again last night at Longhorns just to be sure.

I was thinking of what to write and a song from Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives hit me like a bad movie. It featured bad writing, bad acting, and an unforgivingly catchy soundtrack.

I’ve been watching a lot of House MD lately. A good show, it is.

We ordered some new merch. Look out for action figures.

Voices in my head.

Voices. Voices.

Like switching from "Coming up Crows" to straight blues "Bob and B." by the late Robert Lockwood, Jr. before eight AM.

Like waking up at 4:30 thinking about writing my dissertation.

Maybe more like doing that all weekend and then practicing on Monday with the ATB.

Good to see Mason and Bobbi! You Lawrence people that aren’t coming to Bobby (no relation to Mason’s wife) T’s (January 26) should go root on Mason’s other band Guse at the Bottleneck. Wakarusa contes–If they win, they’re in.

"Cass" by Lucero now off their latest Rebels, Rogues, and Sworn Brothers. Buy it.

"the anchor of my soul cut loose to drift…"

Panera should stick to bread. Bought some coffee there the other day.

Fast forwarding through "Long Tall Texan" by Lyle Lovett. Too early.

Funny thing about sleeping on my couch. I wake up ready to go to bed.

"Turn To The Whiskey" by Forty Twenty. It might be too early for that though I’ll listen.

Not to the voices.

"Wildflower" by The Mike Divide.

18.7 days of music is more than I will listen to.

Good to know it is there though. Like the warm blanket at the bottom of the bed.

Like Steve Earle crooning "you can have my machines but you ain’t taking my land"

"and the rain came down"

Check that Steve. The snow and ice came down.

Back around to Robert Johnson’s "Terraplane Blues." Robert Johnson is the father of all modern music in the opinion of people that matter.

I should end this. Johnson’s paralyzing, haunting voice seems like one to hang onto for a bit.

Till then,
g

from the toilet of my heart

the gold mine in your buns/ it’s like your biscuits over done

she won’t get under me/ until I get over you

I forgot my wife’s name/ but I woke up with a few

we used to kiss on the lips/ but now it’s all over

I’m the only Hell that tore out your heart

damn her black heart but my aim is getting better

keep forgetting you know the reason

before my best friend goodbye ran off with my wife

this heart is a quart low on love/ but I changed the oil

she got a honeymoon without the ring

just ask my beer if I want to