Music

If you are a fan of the band James, then maybe you know they got back together last year, after breaking up in 2001. If you were sad like me and played Seven over and over again, maybe you were excited when the compilation Fresh As A Daisy came out last year. Maybe you really liked the new songs. So maybe you already have heard the new James record that came out in the US just yesterday, Hey Ma. Yes. If you have any taste in music whatsoever, you need to listen to it. Which is to say, if you know the difference between good music and bad music. If you think is there such a distinction. If you think anyone gets to decide what is music and what is noise. Or what is visual and what is audible. Anyway. Whichever. Bullocks. You need to listen to it. And, you know, maybe this here guy can help…

My fingers have not hurt this much since 2000 or 2001, back in the days of Dan, Paulie and Johnny Star rocking out on a regular basis to the heights of our Rock Days. Some clubs (Cafe’ Tatoo, Ottobar, Gopher Hole, etc.) and private parties. Nothing huge. But the rocking was huge. If you wanted your rafters dusted and heavy objects to fall from your shelves, you asked us to jam in your living room for ten minutes, prior to the poh-pohs shutting us down.  Our frontman got crowds into our funk songs and headbanging with the dark songs, with bass chords and Dan shredding picks and strings.

Triumphant rock.

Then I went to graduate school, and we all got older.  Even playing for the past year, we have not rocked like we rocked last night.  My skin is coming off, and every muscle in my fingers aches like a thumb-wrestling champion.  Cookie skin.  My thumb looks like I dragged it under my bike from playing 4-string bass chords sans pick.  I have blisters on my bass pumping fingers.  Typing this hurts.

Awesome.  With permission, maybe I’ll host and post some snippets of Rock.  One of these days.

I’m a little deaf today, too.

Awesome.