Just because it’s 1:42 PM and I’m home on a Wednesday, I figured it’d be cool to make a little blog post about my musical pursuits. First, a happy 4th of July to my American readers. I hope you have the day off, too. Happy birthday to my musical brother Caleb Rose (aka Salib Ali Baba from Jive Town Jimmy and the Knights of the Purple Cadillac). Now to musical stuff.

I was going through my book I keep of lyrics for songs that I perform acoustically (as rare as that particular event happens to be), and I happened upon some songs I thought I still knew. Sadly, there were chunks missing. I’ve always had a very good musical memory, so I started to play through the tunes and eventually figured out most of what was missing (I think), but the fact that it was even absent made me wonder if I’m starting to lose that skill, that steel trap of a brain that remembers how things go even if I haven’t even thought about the song in years. Probably not, but as I age, I don’t feel as fleet on the fingerboard as I once did. I sweat profusely from pretty much the first lifting of equipment before a show all the way through the end of the show, no matter what the temperature or how I’m dressed. Even though I haven’t been cursed with the graying or the loss of any hair, I think I’m finally getting a little old. Of course, that’s okay. It’s just a weird thing for someone who likes to play pop music, which is so focused on youth and vitality, to start to feel old.

Of course, then I think about the guys I see in “grandpa bands” having fun while being stunningly boring, and I realize it’s what you make of it. Who cares if you’re feeling old? Just rock out the way you know how and to the limit of your ability, and you’re still serving your audience and yourself, and being honest. I still endeavor to put on a high-energy show with Roman Holiday, and being the youngest dude in the band (and the most mobile), it’s my job to do my part to keep it moving. Thankfully I have two great foils in Ned and Lee, who both love cranking up the energy level.

As for writing and recording music, if I can get everything cleaned up and rearranged in the studio to foster creativity, then I think I’ll be able to make some progress. I recently acquired an electronic drum kit that sounds great and has USB so I can record parts into the computer more easily (and fix them because I’m a shitty drummer). Once everything is moved around a bit and streamlined, it’ll be a place where I can finally bring all the old songs to life the way I hear them in my head and hopefully write some better, newer songs that represent who I am now. As I finish projects, I’ll start releasing them on iTunes, Rhapsody, and stuff like that. But I have to finish stuff for that to happen. We will get there. 🙂

Thanks for reading, and have a great 4th of July!
TMS