Keep Playing

I was asked this morning to write another article for a magazine that I used to write for. The timing was perfect as I'd received some news that put me in a contemplative mood. That, for me, usually equates to 'getting into writing mode'. 

OK, I finished the article and emailed it. Still in writing mode...so time to empty the brain a bit. What better subject than GUITAR? I thought you'd agree (and if you don't, neener neener).

I'm supposed to record some bass lines for a friend's project later. I enjoy playing bass. Always have. Some might even say I'm good at it. That particular instrument is a nice change in how I approach a song. While I've played guitar for over 40 years, I've only been primarily a guitarist for just over 30. Those other years were spent thumping basses. 

Regarding guitar, many have noted that I have my own style. I'm told that people can hear a recording and know if its me. Whether or not that's a good thing remains to be seen. I can, however, explain why my sound/style/whatever is my own. Laziness.

I have just never been able to concentrate on studying someone else's guitar parts. Sure, I HAVE done it but prefer not to. Its laziness, really. I'll be sitting there trying to learn the part...but then I think "gee, what if I go here instead" and go a whole other direction, forgetting about the song I'm playing, and zone in on something else entirely. This level of thinking has definitely helped my improvisation skills. That was always handy in bands where I'd be told by the person fronting the band to "keep playing". This often happens because that person has forgotten the words to the next verse, needs more time to get a beer, or in one notable occasion, had to literally jump off the stage and run to the bathroom due to a bit of extreme gastrointestinal distress. It is rarely because what I'm playing is so entertaining or masterful. I know this. I'm the guy playing it. I'm the guy having to wing his way through another lengthy solo when I know damned well I should just be chopping along playing the chords. 

This has led many to believe that I ENJOY doing these long solos. Again, no, I do not. I'd prefer to say (musically) what I have to say and then proceed with the song. I rarely find myself onstage with another soloist, so I get stuck doing it. "Keep playing!" They almost never bring me a beer for it. I guess the perceived glory should be enough. I'm not a jazz player. Grinding out improv after improv isn't as fun as it sounds. But I've learned to do it. 

I just uploaded an old live tune to the YinzTube. The recording is almost 30 years old. Sounds pretty high energy but also, at least to me, drunk and sloppy. I can hear where I would have liked to end the solo but also where I was prodded to 'keep playing'. I just started throwing in bits from other songs because I wasn't flooded with ideas at the moment. This was most likely because I'd had to do just that a dozen times already. If my memory serves me, I was probably being fed 'goodies' by a lady friend while onstage, so my brain may have also just stopped functioning at a proper level. 

At that point in life, I had learned to mix lead parts with rhythm parts, thus giving the front person all of the freedom to put on the best show possible, without having to also play rhythm guitar. Alas, this led to more 'keep playing' moments. Luckily, I try to find the lesson in everything. I'm probably lucky that I got all those 'keep playing' moments. They probably made me a better musician. 

I think back to the gear I was using then. I still have the guitars. I don't use them often but they're in better shape now than they were then. Back then, duct tape was key to getting through any given show. Switches would break, pickups would be falling out, knobs malfunctioning, speakers in various states of repair. (FYI, clear nail polish or wood glue works better than duct tape for this) That I was able to play all of those shows with such beat up gear is, at least to me, chuckleworthy. It wasn't cheap, shoddy gear. It just got beat up from constant gigging and unfortunately infrequent trips to the repair shop. That particular amp (an early blackface Fender Super) cost me $110 at a pawn shop. I later sold it for much more to a pretty well known picker. My main guitar then was an old Telecaster Deluxe. I bought it when I was 15 and still have it almost 40 years later. Its mostly been retired except for the odd studio session. One of these days I'll take it to a real pro and get it back in tip top shape. Until then, I have plenty of other guitars to get the job done. 

But I keep playing. Up until the plague hit, I was gigging regularly with a blues singer. Luckily, he could also solo. But alas, the "Keep Playing!" moments continued. And usually for the same reasons. Depending on the song and the show, I'd usually 'keep playing' but occasionally would just say NO. I had big ol' chords to throw in behind the vocals or his solos. That was more fun anyway. Yet people can still recognize my playing. I occasionally would come up with a solo for a song and stick with it. But rarely. I'd become comfortable in improvising. It became my comfort zone. I've found that I do that on bass too. I really can't think of many songs that I've actually learned the bass lines to...but there have been a few. On guitar, there was only ever one solo I learned note for note. Literally nothing else worked! Trust me, I tried. I really did not want to force myself to sit down and learn it. It wasn't that I couldn't...I just know my brain well enough. I knew it would take much longer than just winging a solo. And it did. Took me about an hour. This particular solo isn't exactly difficult. Its pretty easy in fact. Its a real credit to the original guitarist's mastery on the instrument and his solos. Since then, I've gone back and listened to much more of his work. He's a truly crafty SOB. He's not burning up the fret board or anything. He's playing just what needs to be there. Nothing more. Nothing less. And nothing else will do! So, I guess until the time comes that I learn that particular lesson, I'll just have to keep playing. 

In the meantime, go check out some Don Leady. 

Thanksgivus 2020...The Return!

 I've been posting this for what, 14 years? 16 years? I've lost count. Its 2020...time has lost meaning. Each day feels like a month. Some hours feel like weeks. But thankful? Damned right I am. If you're reading this...we made it this far! Time to dig in, avoid green bean casserole at all costs, and count our blessings. FYI...green bean casserole is what started this mess!

Thanksgivus: that's what she called it. The 'she' in question would be a very short, loud, middle aged black woman with retardation who I supervised for years. Her name is Omega...fitting because she truly is THE END!

Omega didn't exactly have a speech problem but I think her hearing wasn't 100% on the mark, as certain words would get slurred together such as "Thanksgivus". Another fave was her version of Social Security, which often sounded more like "sociable secretary" (of which I've known a few).

Thanksgivus (which is what I now prefer to call the US holiday Thanksgiving) is the last Thursday of November (this is for my overseas friends who may not be fully knowledgeable of the subject). It is the holiday where we Americans give Thanks to God for giving us BIG tasty birds, punkin pie & cranberry sauce...all courtesy of a tribe that we soon took great pains to wipe out. In short, when those Pilgrims (essentially English religious nuts) 1st landed at Plymouth Rock, they didn't have a CLUE what they were doing or what they were in for!

After that 1st winter (what do you mean "No Central Heating"???), most of the Pilgrims had died off. A few hearty ones remained (probably by eating the others...but that story seems to have vanished in the annals of history) and it was looking bleak for them, as they didn't know SQUAT about farming North American soil. Luckily, the Indians (bite me, I will NOT be PC) took pity on them, showed them what to do and the Pilgrims survived. They did sooo well, in fact, they had a big feast and invited the Indians. When the Indians showed up, they realized that white folks are either really bad at planning feasts or are just stingy, so they sent some braves to go kill a half dozen or so deer....gotta make sure ya don't leave the table unless yer ready to burst....STILL an American Thanksgivus tradition. NOWHERE on the menu was green bean casserole....PLEASE make note of that! (the Americans reading this will get the humor)

Finally, sometime in the 19th century, after decades of confusion as to what this "New England" holiday was and when it was supposed to be observed, some mad woman wrote everyone in the colonies suggesting the last Thursday in November...just in time to mark the start of Xmas shopping season!

Now, contrary to what some of my English colleagues have been lead to believe, Thanksgivus is NOT the American Xmas. Trust me, NO ONE on this planet overdoes Xmas like the Americans! Here it is, the Sunday BEFORE Thanksgivus and I'm looking out my front door at my neighbor's Xmas lights! 1 month 5 days before we celebrate the Man's b-day (even though we have the date wrong)...1 month 5 days of looking at those damned lights! Don't get me wrong, I love the holidays as much if not more than most people...but I like things to be done for the right reasons...not just to be the 1st, best or brashest.

For the holidays, I wish you all peace, happiness and a full belly. May your homes be filled with laughter (and not just the canned version coming from your TV). May your pockets never be empty, maybe your fridge always be full (with at least 1 6pack of decent beer...in case I should stop by lol) and may your troubles be few & far between.

In fact, I don't just wish you these things for the holidays...I wish them for you all EVERYDAY.

I'm having a few friends over (as usual) this year for Thanksgivus (2020 - actually, the better half's mum and brother...thats it this year) . It might not be the fanciest dinner but I hope to guarantee all a good meal, a full belly and someplace to sit and digest and enjoy some good company after (and before...as long as they stay OUTTA MY WAY in the kitchen.).

We will revel in the death of a turkey. We shall take delight in the taters, which will be mashed. The rolls will hopefully not be slightly burned on the bottoms (2020 making buttermilk biscuits this year!) ...but if they are, that's what butter, gravy & butter knives are for! The veggies will be plentiful and not overcooked. The pie will be chocolate cream...NOT PUNKIN! (my tradition...not yours, OK? ) And yes Virginia...there will most likely be cranberries of some sort...JUST NO DAMNED GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE...PLEASE!

Is It Time?

 I'm pretty sure no one reads this anymore...and really, I'm OK with that. So, this ones for me.

This whole pandemic thing has been hard on me. I know...BOO HOO. Its been hard on everyone. I just need to vent. It'll be good for me.

As I was saying, pandemic hard...me no handle well. For the first time in 40+ years, I have no shows booked. I had shows...but when I ceased working with Hawkins (for reasons most of you probably know) those shows went. 

Still buying gear...like a damned junkie. Bought a lap steel, a new guitar (both dirt cheap) and a surprisingly inexpensive upright bass. (its worth a LOT more than I paid...but I digress)

My depression finally kicked into full gear in August. It had been bouncing around, up and down, since March. Probably a similar situation for others who share this particular malady. 

I had been functioning pretty well. Just slower than I'd like. I've become a hermit. With the exception of necessary trips, I've not left my neighborhood. I stopped going for walks. I've mostly locked myself in. Being of a certain age and living with numerous health issues that put me in the COVID High Risk group, I've become a hermit. I thought I'd deal with it better...as I'm not exactly a social butterfly. I was wrong.

I was keeping busy working, writing, recording, and working on a film project. I finally set up a bandcamp page (another useless social media device). Due to the pandemic, I was months behind in personal health checkups, which due to the aforementioned health issues, are a bit of a necessity. I was finally able to set up the video visits but Sweet Jesus! they (the health corporations and insurance companies) don't make it easy. It took me 2 days just to schedule an appointment and blood work. 2 Days!!!!! That was the tipping point. 

While most of my health issues are under control, a few new ones have popped up. One, a skin issue that turned out to be not much, had my doc a bit alarmed. The other, a blood issue, seems to have the doc stymied. It does, however, explain why I'm so damned tired all of the time.

The continual runaround with the healthcare bullshit finally triggered a pretty nasty depressive state. I knew it was bad, so I contacted the doc. He knows I don't respond well to psych meds so we tried getting me in to a therapist. No luck. The one practice I managed to get through to...long story short, they're trying very hard to be young, hip, and marketing savvy...and their intake form was little more than a data mining expedition, so I told them to get fucked. Not the move of a healthy person but I never claimed to be one. 

I spent the next week fighting the depression, fighting the suicidal impulses, spending far too much time alone, and NOT making music. Most days I'll play for at least an hour, if only to keep up my chops. Now I go days without a note. I've managed to record a few things but my usual desire is well hidden, if not gone. Starting to wonder if its time to hang it up. That could be the depression talking.

I've been trying to keep busy with projects around the house...but again, I get so exhausted so easily, its taking forever. Painting my porch trim and front windows has taken over 2 weeks. It should have taken an afternoon. I started stripping the fireplace but haven't been able to get the product I need to finish the job, so that sits half finished. I have tools everywhere. 

I convinced the doc to let me try to start working again (still from home) and he kindly acquiesced. Work has, as usual, been a pain in the dick about it. I tried to log into my work computer this eve to clear out any unnecessary emails, etc...but my log in privileges have been put on hold. Knowing the company, this will probably take 2-3 days to sort out. I may just tell them, as I told the therapists' office, to shove it. Again, not healthy thinking...I know. But I'm just so damned tired of being tired. I'm over being an immobile lump. I miss having some level of enthusiasm. Hell, I miss my manic episodes! I miss the little joys I found in life...like music, cooking, baking, photography, etc. Instead, I just sit and lose time. The cats are worried. The better half is worried. I haven't spent any appreciable time with anyone else in months, otherwise they'd probably be worried. 

Being this tired, you'd think I'd be able to at least sleep. You'd be wrong. Sleep is intermittent and not at all restful. I definitely feel like it might be time to do something...just not sure what. Music might be in my past...which will probably destroy what's left of me. 

Not trying to be a downer or complain...but I'd feel lost if I could feel anything at all. And I really miss feeling things. 

What Would A Modern CONservative America Look Like?

photo by Nick Ker

It seems the country is ideologically divided. This is never a good thing. The so-called conservatives have the White House, control of the Senate and a majority on the Supreme Court. They've been going out of their way to fill judicial seats wherever they can. How does this play out in the long term? Something to think about.

Come November, there is always a chance of an extreme Red Wave. Complete and utter control of all branches of government. What if that wave extends through all 50 states? Then what? What sort of dystopian horror show might we one day soon wake up to?




Immigrants
Pretty easy to guess they'll be gone. Our borders will become super fortified. No one gets IN or OUT. You have to worry about that last part.
Immigrants aren't just migrant farm labor, housekeepers and drug dealers/rapists/bad hombres. A growing majority of doctors in this country are from other countries. Names like Singh, Patel, Chang, Hidalgo, Reyes, Nguyen, etc. They grew up in other countries, speaking different languages, and many have accents. Some very strong. Some are new enough to this country that they don't quite yet have a grasp of how healthcare in this country works. I say this from professional experience. There are immigrants working in all aspects of the country. Some are your neighbors, coworkers, local shop owners, some are even in positions in government...for now.

America First
I guess it'll be Made In America only, right? That would be putting America first. No more imports.
That'll show China! The problem is, most of what we have is cheap imports. Its why a lot of our companies send jobs overseas. CHEAP LABOR. Do you think self-professed REAL Americans will work those kind of jobs for that low pay? Guess again...they'll have to. And the prices of those goods will still go UP...why? Because MADE IN AMERICA! But what about the unions? No worries. They'll be gone. The Neo-Conservatives hate organized labor unions...unless they can get their vote.

Might as well throw out those child labor laws too. Those factory jobs could be good starter jobs for the little ones! Teach them the VALUES of hard labor! They won't need much education. Stupid and hungry masses work harder. Every dictator knows this. But they'll have to be in good shape. Even Hitler understood the value of promoting physical fitness. It also keeps down healthcare costs! But wait...what will the healthcare corporations and insurance companies think about that?

Get rid of Medicare, Medicaid, etc.!

That will really get the money flowing. Out of pocket costs will go through the roof. Can't afford it? Don't get sick! If you do get sick, WORK THROUGH IT! Trump said that some sick people got better by going to work! (3/5/20) The so-called CONservatives have been wanting to get their hands on Social Security for ages, so they'll probably take that too. Want to retire? I guess you should just work more.


Remember, America is a CHRISTIAN Nation!
And...here's where the shit is really going to hit the fan. For decades of dedicated votes, the religious right is going to demand their payback. Its already begun. What do you think the real message is when Trump surrounds himself with the evangelical right? Why do you think he pulled out all the

"I don't recall this from Bible study"

bluster he could muster for his big walk across the street for a photo op with a Bible? Theocratic rule. All laws will have to be based on scripture. Except the ones about being honest and ethical in business. We can overlook those.

Gays? Gone. Outlawed. Gay marriage? Not a fucking chance! Gay adoption? BURN IN HELL QUEER!  Ain't gonna happen! We might have been CREATED equal but you CHOSE to be that way! Just like Donald "Buz" Lukens, Jon Hinson, Barney Frank, Ed Schrock, Mark Foley, Larry Craig (feel free to Google those names) and on and on and on.

Womens Rights? The women will have the right to get married, settle down, raise a family, and do all of the housework. They will be submissive to their husbands at all times. The hags that can't get married off...well yeah, they'll have to work...but don't think they'll be getting paid MAN's wages! What do they need all that money for anyway? Its not like they have a family to provide for!

Any non white, non Christians who choose to remain...life won't be easy. They'll be on the fringes. Welfare? Not a chance. That will go the way of Medicare. Can't afford to eat? Better find a job! Homeless? Too bad. It's already illegal in many places and its also illegal in some place to help the homeless. Better GET WITH THE PROGRAM!!!!!

We could be looking at a future with incomes slashed for most, rights whittled away left and right. Wouldn't be long before the 2nd Amendment will come under fire. Sure...let them keep the guns. Just keep ammo too expensive for anyone to buy. People are feeling outraged and oppressed (imagine that!). Would they be able to vent on, say, social media? Ask how well that works in China or N. Korea. How many times have you seen a video blocked in your country/region? It already happens.

NO MORE FAKE NEWS!

You knew this was coming. The commercial media, the LAMESTREAM FAKE NEWS will be replaced with state run media. You'll get your regularly daily dose of the hand-picked information or disinformation that will keep the CONservatives in power. And to keep them in check, there will most likely be oversight by a committee of evangelicals to make sure the message stays in line with their interpretations of scripture.


DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE RICH
They'll be fine. Just as monarchs have done as long as anyone can remember, they'll claim their Divine Right to privilege. It must be God's will that they were so financially blessed. It would be wrong to squander it on the peasants who must work for their daily bread.

VICES
They'll still exist. They always have. They always will. They will just be under far more control than ever. I've never had a problem with drinking home-brew or moonshine, or back in the day smoking some home-grown...but you can bet it will all be controlled. It will be used to prove again and again how deviant the masses are, how in need of protection they are.

LAW & ORDER! 
Ask yourself...who do you want making the rules? Reasonable people from all walks of life? Or an ever shrinking minority of the rich and powerful, who owes debts to the religious right? The rules will be made not for the people but for those who keep them in power. All of this can be done much easier than you think. With the right spin, people can be convinced of almost anything. Look at Prohibition.

POLITICS
Government as we know it, government of the people, by the people, for the people will be replaced, by force if necessary (then later ratified by a Constitutional Amendment or clause) with something more self-serving to those in power. The recent Impeachment of the POTUS was likely a test run to show that those in power are above the law.

Sure, this is all conjecture...but with a POTUS who seems to go to great lengths to divide the country, ignore the Constitution, and who seems more comfortable with playing dictator than leader, is it really that far-fetched? I'll leave you with a quote from Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale...possibly one of the most terrifying things I've ever read or watched.

“There is more than one kind of freedom,” says Aunt Lydia in Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel, “The Handmaid’s Tale,” recently brought to life in an award-winning miniseries; “freedom to and freedom from. In the days of anarchy, it was freedom to. Now you are being given freedom from. Don’t underrate it.”

Don't fall for the con. - MM

Who You Diggin' Lately?

I've been a money-earning guitar basher for 40 years. Some might tell you I know what I'm doing. God and I will probably have a chuckle at that...but I digress.

People often ask me who I listen to. The answer could take weeks, possibly months, to answer...if its even possible. I listen to all sorts of music, for all sorts of different reasons. Some because its music I should listen to (Bach is at the top). Some simply because I dig it (The Blasters, The Beatles, The Ramones all come to mind). I love my blues! Gimme the Alberts (Collins/King), the Kings (BB, Albert, Freddie), the jazzier cats like Tiny Grimes, Bill Jennings, and Little Charlie. I listen to some music for inspiration, some for instruction. Some stuff I'll listen to on recommendation.

But just what the heck am I listening to these days? Aside from SEE ABOVE, this is a short list of my more recent go-to pickers...and what I dig about them.

Jim Campilongo: A bizarro Telebender. I first got hip to him when he was recording with the 10 Gallon Cats. It was sorta cowboy jazz, if you will. Really cool stuff. His post 10 Gallon Cats stuff is every bit as interesting. Whether he's playing solo, with his trio, with his country(ish) band, or anyone else...its always (at the very least) interesting listening. He's not a big effects guy. Give him a Tele and an old Princeton amp and let him rip. He also does a lot of how-to videos online. He has some pretty unique ideas. Definitely worth checking out.

"Splitsville"



"I'm Helen Keller and You're A Waffle Iron"



Redd Volkaert: I knew who he was from his work with Merle Haggard. I saw him live with Bill Kirchen and The Twangbangers. Pretty mindblowing country picking. Every so often I go online to see what he's doing these days. What he's doing is blowing guitar pickers' minds. His solo on "Crazy Arms" is just...crazy. Its like a trad jazz solo in the middle of a country classic...and it's AWESOME!

"Crazy Arms"



"Only Daddy That'll Walk The Line"



Kid Ramos: I first met the Kid years ago when he was playing with The Fab T-Birds (a band whose path I seem to cross frequently in my career). I always dug his playing. His choice of Vox amps was a bit mystifying to me...they either sound great or (to me) they sound brittle. Either way, he makes it sound awesome. When I'm in the mood to just hear some solid playing, Kid Ramos is a definite go-to.

"Burnin' The Chicken"



Junior Watson: Junior has been around forever. He should be more of a household name...but maybe I just don't visit enough households. He just might already be! His playing is what mine could be if I didn't goof off so much. He's got the whole jump/swing thing down to a science. I've included a version of his surf medley...just because it seems to be something us guitar bashers of a certain age start to do. Always fun!

"Surf Medley"



Naudo Rodrigues: Another of my go-to guys. Naudo is one of my fave pickers and I think, the one guitar player who has figured out how to do exactly what he wants to do. He makes his living playing in and around resorts in the Canary Islands. Just him and a guitar (and a small PA system). He's sort of a human jukebox. He can take almost any song and turn it into a virtuoso guitar piece. His playing style is kinda crazy too. I'd probably break a finger trying to do some of the stuff he does.

"Killing Me Softly"



Lianne La Havas: I love this gal! Most folks might be surprised at that, as she probably isn't what most would guess I listen too. Sorta jazz/R&B/soul/pop kinda stuff. Again, she should be more well-known (but I'm kinda glad she ain't...means she hasn't sold out...she does her thing). Prince adored her. That says a lot right there. I first heard her by pure coincidence about 8 years ago on the old Craig Ferguson show. Not only did I enjoy her song ("Age") but I really dug her playing style. And she looks sooooooooo damned happy when she performs! Nothing phony about her and her music. I've been listening to her for years now and I'm never disappointed. She's not a flashy picker. She's a chord gal. And she creates some beautiful music with some lush chords. She also shares a lot of similar tastes in guitars with me. And if that ain't enough, she's cuter than a bug's butt to boot!

"Ghost"

Close Enough For Jazz

"Close enough for jazz..."
That was a running joke between friends 35+ years ago. Its a phrase I still use today. Musically, I use it for whether I get a musical phrase right but more often, I use it in regard to tuning my instrument.

Most would believe that being in perfect tune is important. To that, I say BULLSHIT. I have a deep and abiding love for old blues, jazz, and hillbilly records. A lot of those are nowhere near concert pitch unless a piano was involved. Even then, its questionable.

Why? Back in the day, electric tuners weren't a thing yet. If you wanted everyone in tune together, you'd all have to tune to the one instrument with set pitch...like a piano. I remember doing that at home when I first started playing. Hell, I think I played guitar for almost 10 years before affordable electric tuners were available. Tuning forks were readily available but not exactly useful for solidbody instruments. Sure, I could have spent $300 (of 1980s money!) on a good strobe tuner...but that was the price of a brand new guitar or amp then. Wasn't gonna happen.

Probably unlike most guitarists, I didn't spend my time playing along with records or trying to pick out solos from records. That seemed tedious then and still does now. That said, I did try to perfect my pitch by tuning to the opening note of "Day Tripper" by Them Beatles. But here comes a lifetime WHOOPS! Either the recording wasn't in concert pitch or there was a slight drag in my turntable...so I basically tune automatically to somewhere in the neighborhood of E flat. It hasn't exactly slowed me down. It's only ever an issue if I'm working with someone using a set pitch instrument (piano, horns, etc). When necessary, I tune to them. And yes...I do use a tuner at most gigs simply because its just easier.

I love playing old blues and old country blues. LOTS of open tuning stuff. Again, concert pitch is rarely a concern. A lot of those songs sound better, more resonant and soulful in a less-than-perfect tuning. While discussing this phenomenon with Phil Alvin once, he described it as giving it 'the moan'. And as usual, Philip is correct.

While he could have easily (but thankfully didn't) go into the mathematics of it, suffice to say it simply has a more organic sound/tone. Listen to people speak. Listen to animals or the wind. Things are rarely in a perfect concert pitch.

I was just listening to an old Mississippi John Hurt tune. I wanted to figure a certain phrase he was playing, so I grabbed the nearest guitar. I knew roughly where on the neck he was playing but I also knew it was nowhere near concert pitch. So down I tuned...almost a full 1.5 steps down. But MAN it sounded killer. The low E string just had that BOOM! and the higher strings, where he was playing melody lines, had that moan!

So now my guitar is sitting here, in whatever pitch it is, and I've been playing different old blues and jazz bits and thinking
CLOSE ENOUGH FOR JAZZ!

Thanksgivus...again!

If you've been playing along with the home version, you should already know this. You should also know that I am, if nothing else, a creature of habit. That said, It's Thanksgivus Time!!!!!

Thanksgivus: that's what she called it. The 'she' in question would be a very short, loud, middle aged black woman with retardation who I supervised for years. Her name is Omega...fitting because she truly is THE END!

Omega didn't exactly have a speech problem but I think her hearing wasn't 100% on the mark, as certain words would get slurred together such as "Thanksgivus". Another fave was her version of Social Security, which often sounded more like "sociable secretary" (of which I've known a few).

Thanksgivus (which is what I now prefer to call the US holiday Thanksgiving) is the last Thursday of November (this is for my overseas friends who may not be fully knowledgeable of the subject). It is the holiday where we Americans give Thanks to God for giving us BIG tasty birds, punkin pie & cranberry sauce...all courtesy of a tribe that we soon took great pains to wipe out. In short, when those Pilgrims (essentially English religious nuts) 1st landed at Plymouth Rock, they didn't have a CLUE what they were doing or what they were in for!

After that 1st winter (what do you mean "No Central Heating"???), most of the Pilgrims had died off. A few hearty ones remained (probably by eating the others...but that story seems to have vanished in the annals of history) and it was looking bleak for them, as they didn't know SQUAT about farming North American soil. Luckily, the Indians (bite me, I will NOT be PC) took pity on them, showed them what to do and the Pilgrims survived. They did sooo well, in fact, they had a big feast and invited the Indians. When the Indians showed up, they realized that white folks are either really bad at planning feasts or are just stingy, so they sent some braves to go kill a half dozen or so deer....gotta make sure ya don't leave the table unless yer ready to burst....STILL an American Thanksgivus tradition. NOWHERE on the menu was green bean casserole....PLEASE make note of that! (the Americans reading this will get the humor)

Finally, sometime in the 19th century, after decades of confusion as to what this "New England" holiday was and when it was supposed to be observed, some mad woman wrote everyone in the colonies suggesting the last Thursday in November...just in time to mark the start of Xmas shopping season!

Now, contrary to what some of my English colleagues have been lead to believe, Thanksgivus is NOT the American Xmas. Trust me, NO ONE on this planet overdoes Xmas like the Americans! Here it is, the Sunday BEFORE Thanksgivus and I'm looking out my front door at my neighbor's Xmas lights! 1 month 5 days before we celebrate the Man's b-day (even though we have the date wrong)...1 month 5 days of looking at those damned lights! Don't get me wrong, I love the holidays as much if not more than most people...but I like things to be done for the right reasons...not just to be the 1st, best or brashest.

For the holidays, I wish you all peace, happiness and a full belly. May your homes be filled with laughter (and not just the canned version coming from your TV). May your pockets never be empty, maybe your fridge always be full (with at least 1 6pack of decent beer...in case I should stop by lol) and may your troubles be few & far between.

In fact, I don't just wish you these things for the holidays...I wish them for you all EVERYDAY.

I'm having a few friends over (as usual) this year for Thanksgivus. It might not be the fanciest dinner but I hope to guarantee all a good meal, a full belly and someplace to sit and digest and enjoy some good company after (and before...as long as they stay OUTTA MY WAY in the kitchen.).

We will revel in the death of a turkey. We shall take delight in the taters, which will be mashed. The rolls will hopefully not be slightly burned on the bottoms...but if they are, that's what butter, gravy & butter knives are for! The veggies will be plentiful and not overcooked. The pie will be chocolate cream...NOT PUNKIN! (my tradition...not yours, OK? ) And yes Virginia...there will most likely be cranberries of some sort...JUST NO DAMNED GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE...PLEASE!