The Musical Schizo

So…things have been pretty busy/interesting in Schizoland.

Got a new drummer in the Roman Holiday – her name is Rachel Fuhrer, and she totally kicks ass, both as a drummer and as a person. We’re looking forward to having her with us as part of our little “gang”.

Let’s see…what else…oh, I’m filling in with one of Central Texas’ best party bands this weekend for the first time – it should be fun. Lots of tunes from back in my Slaphappy days, so it’ll be a nice walk down memory lane. Plus I get to do a 30-minute acoustic set to start the night, so it should be just dandy!

My pals in Something Distant just released their debut EP on iTunes – go check them out and buy the album. It has 6 new songs and 2 live bonus tracks. They kick ass in a mainstreamy sort of way, and it has my favorite rhythm section in Jacksonville, Florida on there – Jon Kretzer and John Palmer. A lot of the tracks (perhaps all the studio ones?) were produced by former Monkey The Fish (Jax people might know them)/current Story: Side B frontman/musical genius Lu Rubino.

Also, this Friday up at the Duck in Temple will be our last Roman Holiday gig with Rob Wade on drums – we will miss him immensely.

I’m going to be working on some new music and some remixes of my songs really super soon, so hopefully I’ll have some new shizz to share within the next week or two.

And as a footnote, I’d like to share this:
www.coolsucks.com/tripperph.mp3

I loves me some Jimi Hendrix. And Chef.

I just realized I haven’t posted in quite some time, so here it goes…

My musical life is pretty much the same, with one notable exception:
Roman Holiday’s drummer is quitting the band!

So, my FAVORITE process begins again, going through and hearing drummers, trying to find just the right guy to fit our weird little “80s-and-more-power-trio” dynamic…let’s just say it’s something I really don’t enjoy. I like playing with people, but sometimes it can turn out so bad…just either a complete asshole personality or bad drumming. I’m not absurdly picky, but being a singing bass player, the drummer needs to have solid time and consistency, otherwise it makes my job really hard, holding down a groove while singing.

Our recent shows have almost all been pretty awesome. I just wish I had more time to work on music – I essentially have just about none…not even time to really rehearse the songs we are currently playing.

I haven’t written anything since the American Idol song (which didn’t make the finals – no shocker there), but I have remixed a couple of the songs with Jon on drums and those mixes will hopefully make the site soon.

I think my next step is finding a means to get out there and play some acoustic shows – I know I’ve mentioned this scores of times on this blog, but I think it would be super fun to do. I got a teeny taste of it after our show at the Duckhorn up in Killeen, and it reminded me how much I really want to do it.

Time to make a demo!

Also, time to find a good drummer!

Until we meet again…

I entered the competition, wasting $10, probably, and writing one of the sappiest songs of my songwriting life.

EXTREMELY ROUGH DEMO: Only Just The Start

Lyrics:
It’s always been my passion, it’s always been my life
It’s time to take action, I just want to get it right
Will they see just who I am, will their words cut me like a knife
Can I give my everything so my star can shine so bright

I have waited all my life to sing a song for you
I have battled through the tough times and worked to see it through
And now I stand before you, and open up my heart
This is not an ending, it’s only just the start

You’ve shared with me your courage, you’ve given me such hope
Don’t want to be discouraged, I just want you all to know
That it’s taken me so far, all the love and all you do
That I’ll give my everything, and I’ll give it all to you

I have waited all my life to sing a song for you
I have battled through the tough times and worked to see it through
And now I stand before you, and open up my heart
This is not an ending, it’s only just the start

All the times I will cherish, memories of you and me
And our love will not perish, you know it will forever be
And as I walk uncertain, to a future where we part
This is not an ending, it’s only just the start

This is not an ending, it’s only just the start

This is not an ending, it’s only just the start

Schmaltzy almost to the point of being disgusting, but I think it’s appropriate for the “I just won American Idol” song.

But who knows? Maybe by some freak act of chance I’ll be a finalist. It took me 20 minutes to throw it together, so not too much time wasted on the effort.

As I mentioned in my last post, my “little brother” Caleb came down for South By Southwest and I got to spend some time with him on Saturday.

It just reminded me how sad I am that I don’t live closer to him, because I think that more than just about anyone I’ve actually written songs with, Caleb and I could really come up with some amazing music together. He hears the same things I hear, he notices the little things/chord progressions that I use that no one else pays attention to. He has that same level of care about the little things that make simple sound great.

I guess if it’s meant to happen, it’ll happen. Anyway, Caleb – thanks for making time for hanging out with me. Next time we’ll take more time…

Also, much love to my cousin Ryan who came up to visit from Houston. You’ve grown up into a pretty kick-ass guy, and I enjoyed wandering aimlessly around downtown Austin with you on Friday night.

And this (the Roman Holiday demo video – it’s all we’ve got for now):

So my throat performed reasonably well at the gig on March 1st. I’ve even got video proof of it that I’ll be cutting together pretty soon for a brand-spankin’ new Roman Holiday video promo reel!

I already made a live DVD (warts and all) for family and friends of the band. As much as we appreciated David’s work with the camera, there were starts and stops in weird places (endings and beginnings cut off, etc.) and it was just super-sloppy, partially because the way we have to set the lighting up in that particular club just doesn’t lend itself well to videotaping.

The bizarre part about it for me was that it was the first time I’ve ever really seen myself perform. I’ve been doing this for the better part of 10 years, and I never had the occasion, save a couple of brief shots on Channel 4 in Jacksonville in the background of a news report, to see myself singing and playing on stage.

Shockingly, it wasn’t horrifying. I think I do need to learn how to sing without closing my eyes, and I think that I could stand to lose a few pounds, but overall, I was relatively pleased.

It was funny to me that I screwed up Super Freak, and funny to see me take bass solos and groove with Rob – I actually look like I know how to play the damn thing. It kind of weirded me out, to be honest.

The best part? It made me want to do it again, and to do a whole show this time with a good board recording as well instead of the on-board camcorder mic.

Anyway, hopefully I’ll be able to cut that thing together in the next couple of days and post it here.

South by Southwest is this coming week, and I’m thrilled that I’ll have a chance to spend some time with my “little brother” (from another mother) Caleb. He’s coming down for the festival from his current home in Arkansas. He’s become quite the songwriter and guitarist, and I’m so happy to have been able to know him since he was just a little kid, trying to convince me that his GTX guitar was actually something a lot nicer, and listening to the progression of his music and songwriting from its Pollen Dance beginnings through all the great stuff he writes today. Not to mention the leaps and bounds he’s taken as a guitarist. He impresses me endlessly, and I figured I’d give him a little tribute here on the blog. I really wish he lived closer so we could make some seriously funky-ass music together. Or whatever. I just love the guy, and I’m happy to have him coming to my town, even if only for a few days.

Look out for the video, and enjoy yourselves. Life is short even when it’s long.

In closing, much love to my dear departed Grandma V. – we loved you and we will miss you. I hope I’m wrong about the afterlife, so you can have a wonderful time in Heaven with Grandpa and Uncle Peter and all your friends.

I just can’t control my voice, because there’s so much phlegm and crap down deep in my throat – it’s like I can’t clear it. The break in my voice used to be easy to manage, and now I have no idea what it’s going to do. It’s like my voice is changing all over again.

I don’t know if it’s allergies or what, but it’s annoying. I need to see the doctor.

Grit never hurt before, now it does.

Anyway, I’m sure there’s a scientific explanation for my vocal maladies…and if I have time, I’ll be sure to have it checked out. It is getting a little better, so hopefully I’ll be back to normal soon. I just hate sounding like this – it makes me feel like I’ve taken a 10-year step backward in my vocal abilities.

Sorry, had to vent. 🙂

Next show is in Killeen, Texas – The Duckhorn with Roman Holiday (not that anyone actually reads my blog…)

I’m starting a new thing with a guy from work who plays with a fun (though ragtag) local band called “The Empire” (at first I thought they were a Queensrÿche tribute band).

It’s interesting, because I think he’s a talented cat, and I think we’re going to have fun, but putting it together will be a process, because I don’t think he’s ever worked with anyone quite like me. It might scare him off completely, or it might be inspiring.

Either way, look for our little duo out playing guitars and singing sometime before the summer. It might end up as another trio, too, but I hope not, because I want to play guitar.

If we go by the songs he picked from my “I already played this crap” list, it’s going to be mostly modern rock stuff. Of course I’ll be doing my acoustic show standards, Lionel Richie’s “Hello” and Britney Spears’ “Baby One More Time” (Fountains of Wayne style). We’re probably going to incorporate our original stuff, too, so it might be a really fun project.

I’m sure that it will just inspire the work I’m doing with Roman Holiday, and just make me better as a singer…plus it scratches my guitar itch.

Sometimes it can be really fun to switch it up some.

Wednesday night, Ned and I rehearsed some of the band’s tunes, but Rob (percussionmeister) couldn’t make it, so I grabbed the mic and brought it over to the drumkit and rapped/sang the songs (two rap tunes, one funk) while I played the drums. It was borderline scary, performance-wise, but it was a whole lot of fun.

It reminded me that if I ever really wanted to be a decent drummer, I probably could if I just invested the time. Plus it sort of freaked me out that I was able to keep a beat at all while I was singing (rapping).

It really made me want to buy a drum set, actually, but I don’t have any room for one. Perhaps when I finally get my garage cleaned out I can do that.

I really want to come up with a tune where we can switch it up during the song, since Rob plays guitar pretty well and I’m sure Ned can figure out the bass. Almost like a chinese fire drill, but with instruments!

Tonight is Killeen – it should be a blast! We love the duck!
(and no, that “u” is not supposed to be an “i”)

Commentary on the the year that was:
I started 2007 playing bass and singing a little bit in Roman Holiday. That was my only job at the time (other than taking care of the kiddos).

In May, two major things happened:
1. I began working at Clear Channel radio, and it’s been great, but it’s really sapped my energy. I don’t play nearly as much as I used to, and rarely have a whole lot of time to concentrate on music stuff, resulting in a lot of “half-assedness” in my performing (forget about my writing and recording…that’s been nearly nonexistent).
2. I was all of a sudden thrust into the position of “frontman” for the band (as well as still having to fulfill my bass duties).

The first part is difficult for me to take, not wanting to suck on a regular basis, but I feel that my idea of “suck” tends to be most people’s idea of “not so bad”, so I’m fine.

The second part has been nothing but enjoyable, stretching me to the limits of my multi-tasking ability. Who knew that I’d be able to play such “pat head-rub belly” tunes as “Brick House” and “This Love”? Certainly not me.

I’m a very conflicted musician at my core, though, since I want to play guitar as much as I want to play bass, and I can’t do both at the same time.

As an “artist” (not a title I generally apply to myself, since I consider my compositional ability at more of a pop garage band level), 2007 was incredibly unstimulating. Just hashing out covers I’ve been playing for years. But you know what? I had a whole lot of fun.

Thanks go to everyone in the extended Roman Holiday family: Ned, Rob, Mike, Patrick, and Casey, and to Luis for giving it a shot (though we ultimately didn’t seem to be on the same page), and to Lee Thompson from The Extractors (my former band) for filling in on one gig and then being able to tolerate me when I finally gave you a call months later (and profusely apologized for not calling after the fill-in show in the first place). As tumultuous as this year has been, it was a fun one, with the exception of the period from July to August when we were auditioning invisible drummers and bassists.

Looking ahead, I’m sure 2008 will be more fun with Roman Holiday – hopefully we can keep this lineup together and keep enjoying ourselves (which seems likely, since we all get along really well). I really want it also to be a year when I’m finally able to get those songs I’ve got posted on the website re-recorded because there are so many that I can play and sing so much better now than five or six years ago when I recorded them. (I can even record them better now than then…)

So I think it’d be wise, if you give a crap, to keep an eye on this page. I’ll be tracking all the progress with songs – re-recording, writing, etc. – and hopefully I’ll have a really productive year. It shouldn’t be too hard if I can manage a little self-discipline and not watch so much TV. The writers’ strike is helping that quite a bit, I must admit.

Have a great ’08!

Well, life has been pret-ty damn good for ol’ Schizo. We’ve had a few successful gigs with the band – private parties, both great clients and really fun shows. We’ve also added three new songs, which I always enjoy, because I’m very tired of the vast majority of songs we play, though you’d never know it from the way I perform them – gotta SELL IT, BABY!

I wrote a very personal song to my wife on her birthday. I can’t really listen to it without crying, because it’s so emotional.

I really want to write songs that touch me that deeply, that really move me like that, but it’s just not been something I can really handle, because as much as I love being emotional, I usually try not to drive myself to tears like that.

You can hear the song over at my site. I doubt you’ll have a similar reaction, because it’s too “inside”, but I don’t mind coming off cheesy. It’s who I am, to some extent.

Well, another private party tomorrow night, and hopefully a lot of relaxing guitar playing over the holidays (I’m definitely going to do it at work as well). Maybe I’ll be able to put together a few more demos and update some of the old songs (perhaps re-sing them). We shall see…

Until next time…