Great End to a Great Weekend!!

Well, I got a ton of stuff done at home this weekend,... doors, trim, shevles painted... But it didnt end there...

We Had some fun, and and topped it all off with a 10am-4:30pm day at a REAL recording Studio!!

We were at the SONIC TEMPLE, which is partly owned by the couple of the former Thomas Trio and the Red Albino members...

Was in with Full Circle recording some of their originals... Was realy cool to have access to such cool gear.. (and people who know how to use it)

THANK YOU SCOTT, STEVE and SANDY for including me in this privilage.. Is much appreciated!!!

after a full day there, it was home for supper, then a night in My Studio with Wayne working on one of my originals...

While My gear is significanly less sophisticated then the real studio, I was pleased to learn that its "Compatible"... which is to say I can start a project here and finish it there, or vice/versa.... and while I lack a lot of the "bells and whistles, the core of what I have, is really all we need to do a full demo and/or Album.....

in any event... tonight was our first "planned" work session, and I think we made some real progress ..

We hashed through some fast tracks to get a working version of one of my originals..
Some of the lyrics, and arrangment may change. but we've capture the "intent" at least.. and can work from there.. then re-build it once we know what/how we want it to come together...


Some of the Words and arrangement will change, but its pretty good for a work in progress...

Anyway, here's some more pics from Sonic...
As soon as I figure out how to imbed audio, i'll put some samples on here too..






























These Guys know their stuff!!!

Willie gets a "Back Stage Pass" on Marine Atlantic Crossing

Just cleaning up old files and found these pics... I've had them for a while, and Can't beleive i didn't post them unitl now..

What u see here is WILLIE NELSON
Jamming with Troy Gillam.. in the Crew's section on the Marine Atlantic Boat...
Troy is along time friend of mine, fine guitar player, and fellow PortAuxbasques'er....


Troy was the guitarist in the VERY first Band I was EVER in...
We were called COVER-UP and i think I was in 7th grade...

Anyway.. Aparantly Willie loves to jam, and many of the boys on the boat play music as well, so the Marine Atlantic Boys rolled out the red carpet for Willie!!
I was not there, but I'm told it was quite the day!!! Im very very Jealous!!!


Wish I was there...

Better then any live concert... Troy can now forever say he jammed with a living legend!!!

AWESOME..

Next On the Radar!!!

Anyone who knows me, would also know that when it comes to music gear, I plan "excessively"

My Wife thinks its a never ending list of "I want", and to a certain extent, thats not untrue, for as times and technologies change.. I will occasionaly want to upgrade some things.. I wont deny that, but by and large... theres a "End" to the list of "I wants"


Essentially, the dream has been to have Everything I'd ever need to Write, Record, reherse and perform with a full band..

All the instruments, PA, Lights, Cabling, Effects, and a cool place to put it all...

Yes.. I realize I'm bordering on mental.. but truth is.. I've had a version of this "Music got to Have" list in my head for as long as I can remember... Now I'm not completely crazy... as I do also realize that I may not reach the "End" of the list until Well into my retirement years... but then that is the dream isn't .... to retire and be able to play with your toys all day!!! Just so happens that favorite of all possible pasttimes /leisure activities is MUSIC..

Anyways.. I'm slowly getting through some of it..

For example,. the Korg D32XD I can cross off because I got the Korg D3200... I'll likely not get the tascam FW-1884, not because its not great, but for what I need, its too damn expensive.. So When the time comes, I'll likely get one from Phonic instead..

I've already got the Korg padKontrol, (it kicks ass by the way) and the way things are now, Im leaning away from the Roland version of a Vocoder, and more in favor of a version from Korg or Yamaha... But that being said... these are just samples of the Ultimate "To Do" Music list... Depending on how long it takes for me to save enough to get the "next thing" the specific item may have become obsolete, upgraded, etc.. so it is a moving target....

But its not unachieveable.. At the end of the day, I could probaly get all of this stuff for less then the price of a new car (don't worry, I've made that argument once before) but I do ahve other commitments, So I'll have to get it piece by piece...

Now Heres where it gets just a little silly, but maybe not..
the best part of the "dream" is to also eventually have a cool place to Keep all this stuff... Ideally, in a room above a 2 or 3 car garage, separated enough from the house that you can jam at Full volume and not keep children awake...

I'd have all the features of a comfortable Mini-Pub... Heck.. I've even drawn sample plans (see grahic sample rendering)

now, you'l have to cut me some slack as my CAD program doesn't have sample 3d images of Drums, or PA Speakers.. so I had to improvise and use a weight bench to represent drums, a chest of drawers to represent speakers... etc... so While not completely accurate.. you get the point Im sure..

(by the way, if you click on each pic you can see them closer up)




Am I crazy??

Maybe... but I Don't think so.. Just Motivated...
I've always envyed folks I've met who can do something Music related full time.. And not just the musicians either..

I've met Agents, Sound techs, Recording Engineers, Promotors, roadies, publisist, you name it... And I am both happy for them, and Supportively jealous all at the same time..

At one point.. things could have gone either way for me..Actualy, a couple of points.. .

No, I've never been close to being a "rock-star", not by a long shot.. but I was accepted into St. FX music program out of highschool... I was also accepted at a recording arts program out of Ontario... and at one point, I probably could have had a bottom feeder entry level job at Spectacle Entertainment brokers (division of DKD from back int the day) if I really pushed it.(I knew some folks there, and did some limited work for them in early 90's for the band "Too Many Cooks", but thats a story for another blog). But i didn't do any of those things.....

I don't know if I would have been successful at any of those things or not... who knows for sure.. and to be honest, I wouldnt change a thing.. as its lead me to where I am now.. I've had some great times, met some great people, most important of all, Trena and Sarah..., So Although I'd be lying if saud I didn't wonder sometimes where i'd be today if I'd gone one of those routes, and worked as hard as I've worked in my current field, I have No Regret, as I also believe everything happens for a reason..
And Now that I've renewed this passion for music, in some ways it is very comfortable to be able to have it as a hobby, and not have to think of as "work"

but, when i think "pie in the sky" I also think of folks like Cheryl Crow who was almost 40 before her music Career took off...

So I really can't complain.. and who knows where it might lead.
Maybe knowwhere... just some fun.. but ya never know if you don't try...

overall, I think I actually have some pretty good 'balance'

I can go to work, work hard, come home, and play hard...

only thing i have to be carefull of is not to get too drawn into it...
I can easily spen 4 hours working on a song as if it was 4 mintues.. but then I have to suffer the next morning, dragging my arse around cause im so tired...


where was I going with this? see... I got all philisophical and lost my train of thought and started rambling... Must be tired... lol (its 11:20pm)

oh yeah... next on the "radar"

I'm now thinking of the next item on the "to do" list.... and The next thing I think I need are some good quality cables.. and a Cable snake..


Unlike the Motif and the Studio Board this Not a big leap, cost wise...

Ya got to have good cables to connect all this stuff together with.. otherwise all you get is static and hum, And the best part is that to my delight.. I just found out that these things are not overly expensive..

I'd thought a cable snake was like over 1,000 bucks.. but i was VERY wrong..
you can get a decent one for in the 100 bucks range an up (at least in so far as what i need), and I may be able to sell enuff junk... opps, I mean.. quality used and un-needed stuff on ebay to pay for it all...

Anyways... Not that it will be the Last thing I'll ever get, but at least once I have that, I'll be all set for portable Live, and in house studio recordings of Full Bands...

Fun Stuff!!! yee ha!
But it is a practical investment..
I can learn to do Live sound for other bands, (and maybe get paid for it also) and it will also be a big help for the Rockumentary project...

Yes, Yes... I know... "Im crazy"

But like I said before... Music is the best drug in the world...
But its legal, all, and all natural!

Copper Penny Rocked!!!

What a way to end the series!!

it was the last of our 5 gigs for the IWK wish cloud fund raiser and man.... it was awesome..

We started to a little drible of a crowd, but by the second set she was jarred full and, i hope this doesn't sound arogant, but we ROCKED ER!!!!

Chuck fine tuned the mix as well, and it was just the warmest stage sound i thnk I've ever had... a sheer joy to play in... That was the night I should have recorded... but alas... I left the studio board home.... oh well...


Special thanks to Christina Stevens, for coming out and bringing her entourage... And also for taking these pictures for me..

thanks to good buddy and Former bandmate Gord Pearce.. Gord came for the first set but had to leave before the 2nd...

And i think during the 2nd song of the 2nd set, the rest of the PortAuxbassques Mafia showed up...
Captain Newfoundland (aka Brother John) Derek Walters, Sticky, and Shannon... and a great friend I haven't seen in over 15 years... Jason Osmond (for you other PortAuxbasques folks, thats "highway Jason". not to be Confused with the other Jason Osmond, who is also a good friend and now lives in Bridgewater...

We'd also like to thank the two very well dressed ladies who were, ah, for lack of a better word, erotically suggestively enjoying each other on the dance floor right in front of the stage.... I think we all Truely Enjoyed that as well

Anyway... i was sooo excited when i got home (from the music, not the dancers) that I stayed up till almost 4am writing lyrics for that newest song i been working on and i think Im 3/4's done... then I was mesing around with the arrangement on one of Waynes.....

Trena let me sleep in, sort of... I was woken up at 7ish... like usual, but I did get to pull the pillow over my eyes and stay in bed till almost 10... then she made me breakfast.... very good treat indeed...


got a house to clean now...



Cheers...

Copper Penny Tonight!!!!

Could be the last gig for a little spell, so come check it out..
We start at 10 ish... as far as I know...

Good bar for live sound.. should be fun!!!

Hope to see you there... I'll be the dude on the bass guitar.... :)

The Newf's are Taking Over!

Some Buddies of mine, All from Port Aux Basques (and surrounding area) are Playing around Metro now, and have a GIG at the Timberlea Tavern for the 28th...

They played there last month and Kicked Ass!

Its a Halloween dance, so Dress-up...

If you want to check out the band... go to..
http://www.darock.ca//

Like I been Dragged through a Bag of Hammers

Thank God I get to start Chiro again this friday... cause I've never been in so much pain/discomfort my entire life

I dont want to do too much B.M.W. (B-tching, Moaning, Whining) but man... not a good day today.. but its been building up for a while...

I actually had to come home from work, take some meds, and lay down with alternating hot water bottle and ice pack....

I believe Chiro will help.. it was working before... so with anyluck.. this mess will be temporary... Although A year into know... feels like forever...


And thats my BMW for the week... From here out... Mr. Positive Attitude!!!!
(thats the meds talking, lol)

Oh yeah, thats not my back, just thought it would be cool to add that generic x-ray to the posting for "flare" lol

Tickets are HERE

I blocked out the details, to prevent any chance of someone making copies... hey, ya never know...
but they
Floor Seats, About 28 and 29 rows back, and I think Dead Center... Can you tell were just a little Excited???



Friends and Neighbors Mike and Michelle are going with us!! should be AWESOME

Being Mr. Mom

Man.. its rewarding, but hard work..
I have a whole new respect for the Single Parent..

I've dont his before... quite a few times.. but for some reason.. this time seems to be particularly exhuasting..

I think maybe its cause Works been so busy..

I can't leave till 8:15 ish in the am, and have to be home by 4:45... for the sitter...

Normally Trena and I share that, but with her in Toronto this week, its all on me.. So Im cramming 10 hours of work in about a 7 hours day... bring work home with me, tending to Sarah, Supper, bath, walk to playground, errands, clean house, stories, playtime, THEN, i try to get some Home Maintenance in.. Last night I painted some moulding anf trim... Not hard work, but Time Consuming and tedious.. Add that with the taping, and then trying to keep the house clean, dishes done, and I'm wiped...

I think... No painting tonight.. just rest..

Nah.. I got to do something... But I'll likely not do too much.. its 9pm, and I need a nap...

I Rest My Case!!!

Well, half of it... lol...

Red Green I aint.. but I'm almost finished making a Kick Ass travel Case for my Studio Board...

Mom gave me this old, but really Cool, Hard-Shell Suit Case last week. And, while a cool suit case.. Trena and I already have luggage sets... So what was I gonna do with this thing??

I had been looking up ATA cases on the net, and the best deal I could Find was 250 bucks (estimate) from Ocean Cases....

then I thought.... why not make my own...

So I took this case, another smaller one that used to hold a Long Gone MC-500 Sequencer and My Korg T1 ATA-Case and for 65 Bucks (taxes in) they Fixed the latch on my Korg Case, Re-Made the MC-500 Case to Hold My Bass Effects Unit, And the Foam (mostly pre-cut) to make this....

It Fits like a glove...

I cut the foam to fit last night.. and got the cloth at Walmart tonight...













Now i just need to do the top and I'm totally portable with no Stress!!!

Fun Gig at the Seahorse

Not as Big a Crowd as we had at the Pogue the other week.. but man.. it sure was fun.. First off, we did'nt open for anyone.. We were headlining... which is cool... And the crowd that was there.. was really into it.


The Only complaint I'd have is that I think the stage could have been set up different... they had me in the back, behind everyone else... which I was none to happy about.. Ok, I was pissed off... . but oh well.. once we started playing.. I just zone out anyway.. I could be backstage for all I care...

thanks to Gill (Gill is the bass Player for Da' Rock) and Todd for coming out...Both Fellow West Coast Newfoundlanders now living in HRM...

Also thanks to Jeremy for taking the pics for us...



So Now thats 4 Gig's down.. and One to go... then its time to focus on some other stuff for a while...

I Got to get my house ready to sell, got to finish my PFP course, and want to do some writting/recording and more work towards the Rockumentary....

Richard (Father in Law) came up today and helped me get TON of stuff done round the house... Now Im just puttering, cleaning, and Im soon ready for the couch...

Nite all

631

thats exactly the number of kilometers my 2002 dodge Grand Caravan can go on one Full tank of gas before it stops, shuts down, out of gas, dry as a Popcorn Fart....

How do I know that? well, there was a time when we were kids... 16,17, 18 years old... Your driving with your buddies, so excited just to be driving that you purposely run drive till you run out of gas, not knowing exactly how long that would be... just to see how long it really would take to run out.... But... ALSO, to see where you might be when it happened... what street, what town... and what party you could Start, find, or crash when you got there.....

Those were great times... Some of the best memories I was to drunk to remember....

This recent knowledge, however, of the 631..... was NOT... one of these times....

In an act of sheer stupidity, I allowed the van to run out of gas... part way between the bedford and kerney lake road exits, about an inch off the pavement, with rush hour trafdic speeding by so fast that the van SHOOK as if a dinasour was walking next to me with a dinasore sized Boom Box blasting led zeplin through mamoth sub-woofers...

Ok, maybe I'm embellishing just a little bit... But the point is...
thats the same side my gas cap is... and pouring that in with cars and trucks speeding by me, is not an experience I'd soon like to repeat...

oh well.. Live and learn....

Seahorse Gig Tonight

Were at the Seahorse tonight.. i think we start 10:30ish

drop by if you can...

Also.. If you like Hard Rocking Blues (like Alman Bros) check out the Horsepower band on thursdays... I've Jammed with them before and those guys are AWESOME!!!

gotta love technology....

Well, a few years back I bought a 2nd hand Presonus Firestation interface.. Worked good for a while too, but it required keeping the computer on service pak 1..

anyways... I had to upgrade to service pak 2, but that essentially rendered the firestation useless...

Not the end of the world, I got it real cheap, but still kind of a bummer...

Anyways, just got my SDIF/COAX converter...

So Now my formerly useless interface will now serve as a "2 channel, tube Pre-amp" and also up the KorgD3200 from 12 tracks to 14 of simultaneous Audio recording capability...

I'll hopefully have it by tomorrow... Now I just need some stuff to record...

doing a Xmas Ep with a lady from work in November.... And hope to do some live stuff in the early new year....

Holy crap, I've become a Music geek!

did i ever mention??

My dads store was mentioned in this magazine back in the 80's

Memories from Summer 2005

these were snapped by Chris's Fiancee, Sarah, during a family reunion BBQ in South Shoret in 2005.
Was an awesome time, but just got these pic's sent to us and thought i'd post them.
these were taken just a few months after Sarah was born



This is me and My Brother in law (Trena's brother Chris)
we think he looks like that actor, from the "Notebook"
Can't remember the actors name..
Anyways, We always have fun when they come home.. Wished they lived closer, they are up in iqualiut.. (I know im not even close to correct spelling, but too tired to check it)

Spoke to soon.. but oh well... better half then none at all...

Well, I was able to find the first set... Second Set, still missing..

not sure why i could recover one and not the other... it may still be on there somewhere.. but I'm far to tired to look...

I've been up far to late mixing this down to CD... Its not hard, but sure is time consuming...

its now 10 to 6... and I know Trena's gonna kill me (big plans for work around the house today) but can't be helped... Music is My addiction!

There is a GOD!!!

Ok.... I literaly stoped what I was doing and said a little thank you.....

I really don't know what I did to restore it... (actually, I think I do) but most importantly, I got it Back!!! All of IT!!!!

And it sounds pretty damn good...

I'm struglling with the Eq settings.And I didn't use any Pre-Amps,which would have made it sound a lot warmer, But overall.. pretty freaking cool..
It has one of those elaborate style of EQ processors, but with me not being a "sound tech", Im a little lost in getting to sound the way I want.. ... (why can't it just be Bass/treble) lol.. oh well, I'll leanr..

I got it sounding as good as i can for now, but if someone who knows how to adjust these eq setings, I'm sure I could give it a lot more balls...

Regardless, i got it working .. and I have all weekend to play with it... Yee-Hah!!!!

the Pitfalls of the Digital Era

Tape has its drawbacks, but once its on tape.. its on tape.. In stark contrast... digital audio can literally "vanish"

in short, I took the new digital recorder to the gig tonight, and I think I may have made a lstupid mistake...

How Stupid was it??? As a matter of fact, Page two of the owners manual clearly says NOT to pull the cord or hit the Power switch without doing the "Power Down Procedure"

And what does Rob do?, after recording two full sets of tunes???

in my haste to tear down, and get all my stuff put away.. I Pulled the freaking cord out..

lost.. gone.. never to be heard again..


Oh well.. although a Very Small Crowd, the gig went well.. Sounded very good... too bad i lost the recording..



I think I'll leave it home for the Seahorse gig... good sound there, but awfully crowded stage, and very easy for someone to spill beer over your gear..

But I will take it to the Penney... and will make Frequent Back ups!!!!

live and lean...

Gonna Miss the P.E.2. trip

Few years Back, our buddy Jonas hosted one of the best Camping weekends on record at his Cottage in P.E.I.

We were to have a sequel to P.E.1, (P.E.2) on the 20th weekend.. and were all set to go with sitter and everything, but just found out we had to cancel. Trena's gonna be in Toronto all that week, and I'm playing Mr. Mom again..

silver lining? it does mean that I'll get to play a Gig on the 20th.. but I think that PEI is gonna be much more fun...

Oh well.. Have fun without us boys (and girls) and count us in for P.E.3.!!!

My Gig's with Full Circle have changed

Were still at North End Pub tonight, starting at 9:30.
but the Saturday nite gig at Copper Penney has been changed.. Instead of tomorrow night, it will be Friday Oct 20th at the Penney.

While I was looking forward to it, I'm actually pleased for the change.. Allows me to spend some more time at home this weekend, especially being a long weekend...

Anyway.. Will keep ya posted..

Cheers.

Studio's Coming together.. slowly, but surely.. as they say

To busy to spend much time in here lately... More focused on getting house ready for sale.. but she's coming together..

Hope to have more time to play come November.. Putting push on now to get house sold. We missed out on the dream home.. Well, modest dream home, but it was awesome none the less, and now its sold... So, can't miss the next one.. have to get this place done asap..

Anyone handy with a paint roller?????

Trena's My Hero

She had this Flu first.. and held it, and the house, together..
I've had it less then 3 days... and I can't hold together a single thought....

what was I just talking about anyway???



Anyway... hope to feel better by weekend.. was gaining some real momentum there.. and now stuck in 2nd gear...

Being Sick Really Sucks....

I dont really knwo the diff between the cold and the flu (they were talking about that today on CBC radio) but I do know that I feel like complete and total crap!

Hoping I feel better tomorrow.. had good nap, its 20 to 10-, and Im going back to bed...

arrgggg

Multiplicity??? if only

Ok, i'm beat...

Go to work, work. Come home, Work.. I need two weeks of to get caught up around the house, 2 days to get caught up at Work, and a week extra to recover.. and i've pretty much used up all my vacation days till xmas...

Only thing I can think of then a snotty nose due to flu, is blowing dry-wall dust up allong with it...

Ok.. sorry.. i think that falls into the category of "too much information"