Ugly Dried Plaster

            I was in the studio yesterday. We’ve wrapped up “I’ve Come Upon Hard Times.” We need to lower the cymbal crashes, but beyond that it’s finished. I’ll post the mix real soon. Now we’re working on “Things Have Gone and Changed.” It’s probably one of my favorite songs. It’s obviously a song about change, a break up song. Someone has done messed up and is wondering why things have gone and changed. I wrote it before I had an inkling of  a break up, or mess up, but that’s what happened we broke up. In essence, the song came before the event, which is a first for me.

            I was working on a new song last night, but the words wouldn’t come. I have the chord progression, the figure, but the words I was singing were no good. I’ve learned over the years not to make compromises with words that are no good, otherwise you’re stuck with them and it can ruin the song forever. It’s synonymous to fresco painting, if you mess up while painting a fresco, you're left with ugly dried plaster.  

The Working Bee

I drove out to the suburbs to visit my friend Lou. I tend to get depressed when I go out there. We usually drink a few beers and I’ll sleep it off before coming home. I woke up at five in the morning and thought it a good idea to come home early. The sun was rising and the birds were singing.  I was looking forward to a nice leisurely drive on the five freeway. I had my top down on my convertible. I was going to cruise back. I got on the freeway and everything turned manic in an instance. There were cars everywhere traveling at a high rate of speed. I felt like torpedoes were shooting at me from all directions. I was the neutron and there were protons flying all around me. This is no way to live.

            I was driving in the slow line. I was being tailgated by a hyped up worker bee. He was right on my bumper, as if there were no other lines to pass me with. Even the semi trucks were speeding. I was holding on tight to my steering wheel, thinking this is crazy. What’s the damn rush? It’s five in the morning. The sun is coming up. The birds are singing. Lets ease on into it and have a good time. 

Found Bill

            I found out what happened to Bill the smog guru. I went to his shop once more before asking my friend Jessie Sweet to contact Norman a mutual friend of Jessie’s and Bill’s, to ask if he had heard of anything about him. Norman is in the music business, or was, I’m not sure.

            Sure enough, the smog guru is in the hospital with gastro intestinal problems. He had a removal of parts and a resection of others. Norman asked Bill if he could visit him in the hospital, but Bill declined. The smog guru is a private man, even in ill health. 

            I received a text from Bill in response to my “Are you alive?” text. It read, “barely, should be out early next week.”

            I sent him a text back, “did you see the pearly gates?”

            He sent back, “grizzly details to follow.”