Hey all,
Yup, I dropped off this blog thing for a few months. Sorry.
Anyway, as 2009 comes to a close, I look to 2010 for some changes in my schedule and activities. It's been a fun year of performing with various bands, but there needs to be some reduction in projects. Not only do I want to put in more time with my home studio and music, I also need to have more free time to just relax. So, there will be some changes, but I'm not announcing anything quite yet.
It also looks like 2010 will be an exciting year for progressive music tours. Prog super group Transatlantic is going on a brief tour of the USA in April, and I'll be at the Chicago show with good friend Adam Talley. In June, UK celtic/progressive group Iona will be returning to the USA shores for a brief tour. They are kicking things off at Nearfest in PA, and closing the tour with a show at Cornerstone Festival in IL. The band is working on dates to fill in the two weeks between these dates, and I'm hoping they get a bit closer. However, Nearfest also has Steve Hackett (ex-Genesis guitarist) performing, so that has my attention.
In general, I'm hoping to do a better job keeping sites updated, and just enjoy what I have. I've had my fill of trying to do everything I can.
Happy Christmas - Merry New Year - and thanks for reading.
Tim
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
Thoughts on new Porcupine Tree and Megadeth
Here are some of my initial thoughts on the new releases from Porcupine Tree and Megadeth:
Porcupine Tree - The Incident
I'd give this 8.5 out of 10
I have been a fan of this band since hearing their 2002 release "In Absentia". I've had the pleasure of seeing the band twice, and they are amazing. Main songwriter and frontman Steven Wilson has not only released a fantastic solo album in 2008, but also continue to work with numerous other bands and projects. I was a bit skeptical about how good this new Porcupine Tree would turn out, considering how busy Steven has been.
The first time through the disc was a bit of a disappointment. I had read it was going to be a concept album, but they have been doing some of that lately anyway. However, "The Incident" is much more of a layered piece, compared to past releases. The version I bought has two discs. Disc one is a continuous piece that is framed as "The Incident". This entire disc lacks a typical "song" structure that I expected, but has more of a "story" flow to it. Sections flow together, and some tracks are just over a minute, while others are over 11 minutes. Their previous "Fear of A Blank Planet" featured longer songs, but they seemed more structured. So, this has taken me some time to get comfortable with, but after a few days, I can now say it's very good and fits with their past work. Disc 2 features a selection of individual songs from the same recording sessions. However, these supposedly did not fit within the "Incident" story. These tracks are good, but do need to be taken separately. The entire disc 1 comes across a tad more "down tempo" than I expected, but they mix up things pretty good during the 50 minutes.
I would say this is a release that simply takes a few listens and time to get familiar with it. Steven and the band have created a project that both catches me off guard, while also finding enough familiar ground to keep me connected. I like that they were able to find that middle ground, and challenge my expectations. It's an impressive release, and will probably continue to grow on me.
Megadeth - Endgame
I'd give it 9.75 out of 10
For most of us, Megadeth hit their peak with "Rust In Peace". The couple following releases were good, but the band continued to lose momentum. In recent years, band founder Dave Mustaine has marketed each new release as a return to the "Rust In Peace" sound. However, in my opinion, he fell short. Until now.
This is the Megadeth release most of us have been waiting for. With almost an entirely new band (nobody left from the "Rust In Peace" days), Mustaine and company finally correct the recent past shortcomings. "Endgame" opens up with a brief instrumental piece called "Dialectic Chaos". This is basically a 2 minute old school thrash piece, with some great solos. This certainly takes you back to the early days with Marty Friedman. Finally, I don't find myself missing Marty. Afterward, we get into ten more classic Megadeth compositions.
Mustaine has managed to recapture his snarling vocals, and also brought back all the elements that fans have been looking for. Few ballads and no more of the "modern" sounds, help lift this new release to almost classic status. The drums are pummeling, the guitars are crunchy, the solos are amazing, and the songs are fantastic.
My only reasons for not giving it a 10 rating is that Vic Rattlehead is missing from the cover, AND I still wish Marty Friedman was still around. I realize those are minor issues, when compared against how well this release delivers on the expectations. Oh, and this is WAY better than the latest Metallica, as good as that one is.
If you've been waiting for the proper follow-up to "Rust In Peace"/"Countdown To Extinction" era Megadeth, this is for you.
Porcupine Tree - The Incident
I'd give this 8.5 out of 10
I have been a fan of this band since hearing their 2002 release "In Absentia". I've had the pleasure of seeing the band twice, and they are amazing. Main songwriter and frontman Steven Wilson has not only released a fantastic solo album in 2008, but also continue to work with numerous other bands and projects. I was a bit skeptical about how good this new Porcupine Tree would turn out, considering how busy Steven has been.
The first time through the disc was a bit of a disappointment. I had read it was going to be a concept album, but they have been doing some of that lately anyway. However, "The Incident" is much more of a layered piece, compared to past releases. The version I bought has two discs. Disc one is a continuous piece that is framed as "The Incident". This entire disc lacks a typical "song" structure that I expected, but has more of a "story" flow to it. Sections flow together, and some tracks are just over a minute, while others are over 11 minutes. Their previous "Fear of A Blank Planet" featured longer songs, but they seemed more structured. So, this has taken me some time to get comfortable with, but after a few days, I can now say it's very good and fits with their past work. Disc 2 features a selection of individual songs from the same recording sessions. However, these supposedly did not fit within the "Incident" story. These tracks are good, but do need to be taken separately. The entire disc 1 comes across a tad more "down tempo" than I expected, but they mix up things pretty good during the 50 minutes.
I would say this is a release that simply takes a few listens and time to get familiar with it. Steven and the band have created a project that both catches me off guard, while also finding enough familiar ground to keep me connected. I like that they were able to find that middle ground, and challenge my expectations. It's an impressive release, and will probably continue to grow on me.
Megadeth - Endgame
I'd give it 9.75 out of 10
For most of us, Megadeth hit their peak with "Rust In Peace". The couple following releases were good, but the band continued to lose momentum. In recent years, band founder Dave Mustaine has marketed each new release as a return to the "Rust In Peace" sound. However, in my opinion, he fell short. Until now.
This is the Megadeth release most of us have been waiting for. With almost an entirely new band (nobody left from the "Rust In Peace" days), Mustaine and company finally correct the recent past shortcomings. "Endgame" opens up with a brief instrumental piece called "Dialectic Chaos". This is basically a 2 minute old school thrash piece, with some great solos. This certainly takes you back to the early days with Marty Friedman. Finally, I don't find myself missing Marty. Afterward, we get into ten more classic Megadeth compositions.
Mustaine has managed to recapture his snarling vocals, and also brought back all the elements that fans have been looking for. Few ballads and no more of the "modern" sounds, help lift this new release to almost classic status. The drums are pummeling, the guitars are crunchy, the solos are amazing, and the songs are fantastic.
My only reasons for not giving it a 10 rating is that Vic Rattlehead is missing from the cover, AND I still wish Marty Friedman was still around. I realize those are minor issues, when compared against how well this release delivers on the expectations. Oh, and this is WAY better than the latest Metallica, as good as that one is.
If you've been waiting for the proper follow-up to "Rust In Peace"/"Countdown To Extinction" era Megadeth, this is for you.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
U2 - Soldier Field, Chicago, Sept 13, 2009
U2 - Soldier Field, Chicago, September 13, 2009
As many of my friends will tell you, I have often sworn off of going to concerts at football stadiums. Not only are the venues beyond huge for a musical performance, but the huge crowds also tend to lend themselves to various frustrations. So, when I first heard about U2 kicking off their North American 2009 "360" tour at Chicago's Soldier Field, I said "no thanks".
However, my wife was being sent to McCormick Place for a trade show that her employer was having a booth displayed. She was going to be working at the booth from Friday thru Monday. She was looking for something to do for the weekend, and came up with the idea of trying to see U2 on Sunday night. It turns out that Soldier Field is within walking distance of McCormick Place, so I said maybe I'd come along. She asked if I could find some tickets. We found a guy on CraigsList who was in Grand Rapids, but had two spare tickets for Sunday night. He had bought four, and could only use two. He was letting me have the other two at face value. So, we took the chance, got the tickets, and had a surprisingly good time.
We walked over to the stadium, from the Hyatt hotel. I waited until we got into the actual venue before pursuing some souvenirs. In 2005, we remembered getting U2 tour shirts that ended up being "form fitting". So, I had my wife help me come up with a choice that hopefully is a bit more "loose' fitting. They had a nice "Soldier Field" specific shirt, but those were mostly sold out by the time I got to a vendor (I checked about 4 different tables). So, I settled on a shirt and a program. I chose to use a credit card, and their "wireless" systems were running very slow. Turns out that some of the stage technical gear was causing problems with other systems around the stadium. I'm sure it had something to do with BlackBerry sponsoring the showing - LOL.
The "360" tour features a custom "spaceship" stage, with a 360 degree minimally obstructed view of the band. There is also a 360 degree video screen that would descend and ascend as needed. Check around the internet for details, but the story we see says this contraption takes 2 days to put up. To say massive is an understatement. Yup, it's a bit much for 4 guys playing music on stage.
Opening band "Snow Patrol" kicked things off right around 7:15pm (local time). They played about 40 minutes of very U2 influenced pop (think a more bouncy Coldplay). They were OK.
Around 8:30 local time, the lights went down, and David Bowie's "Space Oddity" started playing. After the first verse, a separate ambient track came in, and the band emerged from a back stage entrance. They individually walked up some stage stairs, with drummer Larry Mullen being the first on stage. Edge, Bono, and Adam followed, and the band kicked into songs from their new CD. Sorry, I can't remember the song titles. Check here for setlists
The band played a little over 2 hours. There were plenty of songs off the new CD, and they seemed to be picking other "obscure" tunes. We still got staples like "With or Without You", "Where the Street Have No Name", "Vertigo", "Beautiful Day", "Sunday Bloody Sunday", etc. But we also got treated to "Until The End Of The World", and a nice acoustic version of "Amazing Grace". What we didn't get was "Pride (In The Name of Love)".
Edge seemed a bit more animated that I remember him being in 2005. Bono seemed to get the most enjoyment out of being close to the audience around the stage perimeter. Adam is adequate, and does what he is supposed to (the luckiest average bass player on the planet). Larry actually impressed with his consistent drumming all night long. All four worked well as a single unit.
The stage is amazing, and they must have an entire I/T department to keep the thing running. It's a technical marvel, not unlike some of the best ideas Genesis has had in the past. And each band member did make at least one complete trip around the entire outer circle.
In general, I'd say the show wasn't quite as "energetic" as the 2005 show we saw in Detroit. This year's setlist didn't seem to pack the same punch, but the band was more interactive.
The attendance numbers have indicated there were around 65,000 people there. For that huge of a crowd, U2 still managed to make it feel like a much smaller venue. Bono truly tried to connect with the audience.
I'd say it was worth the trip, but I'm not sure I'll be endorsing the football stadium concert idea yet. It's still something very few bands can pull off. U2 is a rare group in the regard.
Keep in mind that U2 is coming up on 30 years since their first CD, and it still is the same four guys. Not bad, if you ask me. They seem to continue to evolve and yet maintain their own style. I don't mind calling myself a fan.
One point of note: This is the second time my wife and I have gone to Chicago to see a band that was not making a stop in Detroit. Chicago is becoming the town to see the "special" shows. Sorry Detroit.
Thanks to Scott for setting us up with the tickets.
As many of my friends will tell you, I have often sworn off of going to concerts at football stadiums. Not only are the venues beyond huge for a musical performance, but the huge crowds also tend to lend themselves to various frustrations. So, when I first heard about U2 kicking off their North American 2009 "360" tour at Chicago's Soldier Field, I said "no thanks".
However, my wife was being sent to McCormick Place for a trade show that her employer was having a booth displayed. She was going to be working at the booth from Friday thru Monday. She was looking for something to do for the weekend, and came up with the idea of trying to see U2 on Sunday night. It turns out that Soldier Field is within walking distance of McCormick Place, so I said maybe I'd come along. She asked if I could find some tickets. We found a guy on CraigsList who was in Grand Rapids, but had two spare tickets for Sunday night. He had bought four, and could only use two. He was letting me have the other two at face value. So, we took the chance, got the tickets, and had a surprisingly good time.
We walked over to the stadium, from the Hyatt hotel. I waited until we got into the actual venue before pursuing some souvenirs. In 2005, we remembered getting U2 tour shirts that ended up being "form fitting". So, I had my wife help me come up with a choice that hopefully is a bit more "loose' fitting. They had a nice "Soldier Field" specific shirt, but those were mostly sold out by the time I got to a vendor (I checked about 4 different tables). So, I settled on a shirt and a program. I chose to use a credit card, and their "wireless" systems were running very slow. Turns out that some of the stage technical gear was causing problems with other systems around the stadium. I'm sure it had something to do with BlackBerry sponsoring the showing - LOL.
The "360" tour features a custom "spaceship" stage, with a 360 degree minimally obstructed view of the band. There is also a 360 degree video screen that would descend and ascend as needed. Check around the internet for details, but the story we see says this contraption takes 2 days to put up. To say massive is an understatement. Yup, it's a bit much for 4 guys playing music on stage.
Opening band "Snow Patrol" kicked things off right around 7:15pm (local time). They played about 40 minutes of very U2 influenced pop (think a more bouncy Coldplay). They were OK.
Around 8:30 local time, the lights went down, and David Bowie's "Space Oddity" started playing. After the first verse, a separate ambient track came in, and the band emerged from a back stage entrance. They individually walked up some stage stairs, with drummer Larry Mullen being the first on stage. Edge, Bono, and Adam followed, and the band kicked into songs from their new CD. Sorry, I can't remember the song titles. Check here for setlists
The band played a little over 2 hours. There were plenty of songs off the new CD, and they seemed to be picking other "obscure" tunes. We still got staples like "With or Without You", "Where the Street Have No Name", "Vertigo", "Beautiful Day", "Sunday Bloody Sunday", etc. But we also got treated to "Until The End Of The World", and a nice acoustic version of "Amazing Grace". What we didn't get was "Pride (In The Name of Love)".
Edge seemed a bit more animated that I remember him being in 2005. Bono seemed to get the most enjoyment out of being close to the audience around the stage perimeter. Adam is adequate, and does what he is supposed to (the luckiest average bass player on the planet). Larry actually impressed with his consistent drumming all night long. All four worked well as a single unit.
The stage is amazing, and they must have an entire I/T department to keep the thing running. It's a technical marvel, not unlike some of the best ideas Genesis has had in the past. And each band member did make at least one complete trip around the entire outer circle.
In general, I'd say the show wasn't quite as "energetic" as the 2005 show we saw in Detroit. This year's setlist didn't seem to pack the same punch, but the band was more interactive.
The attendance numbers have indicated there were around 65,000 people there. For that huge of a crowd, U2 still managed to make it feel like a much smaller venue. Bono truly tried to connect with the audience.
I'd say it was worth the trip, but I'm not sure I'll be endorsing the football stadium concert idea yet. It's still something very few bands can pull off. U2 is a rare group in the regard.
Keep in mind that U2 is coming up on 30 years since their first CD, and it still is the same four guys. Not bad, if you ask me. They seem to continue to evolve and yet maintain their own style. I don't mind calling myself a fan.
One point of note: This is the second time my wife and I have gone to Chicago to see a band that was not making a stop in Detroit. Chicago is becoming the town to see the "special" shows. Sorry Detroit.
Thanks to Scott for setting us up with the tickets.
Monday, August 03, 2009
It's been awhile - What's new? Well...
Check my website www.timhamm.com for more details on performances
Updated information has been added to www.hammsterwheel.com Coming soon will be an online store with only music that has some direct connection to Hammster Wheel. I hope this will help promote these artists, and make it easier for people to get some great indie music.
Got some various performances coming up. One of note is the August 23 date with my friend "dete tilma". This promises to be an evening of great music down in Marcellus, Michigan. We are also planning on having former Sojourn drummer Dennis Jeltema join us. Also, dete's new project "Glass of Water" is at the manufacturers, so actual CDs will be available soon. I plan on having online ordering available at my Hammster Wheel site.
Desperate Measures has some dates coming up, and we are also adding more songs with our female vocalist. There are other possible changes coming up with this band, so I'll keep you posted.
I have been helping out a Rockford, Michigan based group named "Sol Tap" (pronounced like "soul tap"). These are some friends who have a somewhat different take on the "cover band" concept, and their setlist is a bit different from most. They also have some good original music. More info coming soon, and I'll keep you posted on performances.
I've got my laptop all updated with the latest version of Cakewalk's Sonar Producer Edition, and I also have loaded up some additional soft synths. It's pretty much the way I want it, and now am able to get some multi-track recording done. Now, to just carve out the time to get going on the original ideas.
With any luck, I'll be updating more frequently (I know, I've said that before)
Until next time...
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Does the church need bylaws?
So, I'm sitting around a dinner table with my mom and extended family. My step father (a retired pastor) and his daughter are talking about a recent church meeting where there was a debate about the church constitution and bylaws. The debate was at a "general council" meeting (which includes churches from around an entire region), but these type of debates also go on within individual churches.
After hearing them talk about the issues that were discussed and the debates, I asked if they could answer a question. My question was:
"If the Bible is the the final word from God and all we need, why do all the various denominations need additional constitutions or bylaws? And how can they sometimes be so radically different on specific issues, if they are all said to be bible based churches?"
We all agreed that it was simply man-made church government issues, and frequently does lead to individual pursuits of political power within the church.
Is this the way we want the world to see the church? I'm not so sure I like the impression this leaves with those who may be watching.
Thoughts?
Hammster
After hearing them talk about the issues that were discussed and the debates, I asked if they could answer a question. My question was:
"If the Bible is the the final word from God and all we need, why do all the various denominations need additional constitutions or bylaws? And how can they sometimes be so radically different on specific issues, if they are all said to be bible based churches?"
We all agreed that it was simply man-made church government issues, and frequently does lead to individual pursuits of political power within the church.
Is this the way we want the world to see the church? I'm not so sure I like the impression this leaves with those who may be watching.
Thoughts?
Hammster
Thursday, May 07, 2009
For God's Glory, or your own?
Bear with me, as I ponder out loud a topic of interest:Over the past few years, I have read quite a few books that contemplate the validity of what American's recently call "Christian Church". Authors like John Fischer, Donald Miller, Charlie Peacock, and (more recently) Larry Crabb all seem to point some light on a trend away from conviction or true repentance. Churches getting more wrapped up in how we serve each other for our own glory, rather than for God's glory.
Has the Americanized version of "Christian Church" become more about "feel good" music and sermons, rather than challenging believers? We've got the right building, sound system, lighting, suits/ties, choir, programs, etc., etc. Have we gotten to the point where we know all the right "phrases" and "songs", in order to conform to the image of the "good Christian? (by our own definition). When was the last time you heard a pastor offer a sermon about his own challenges with sin, and how none of us will become perfect in this life? Was the intended message of Jesus Christ based around our own feelings, or was it more about action (loving your brother) and helping bring hope to the lost, for God's glory?
I began watching Steve Taylor's movie "Second Chance", last night. I'm only about half way through the film, but I can see he has already tried to balance challenging problems with both the "suburban mega church" and the "inner city street church". He clearly points a finger at the "mega-church" crowd looking to support the "street church" purely with dollars, rather than actions. He also maintains the alternate perspective of the "street church" feeling the "mega-church" crowd is simply pandering to the street people (no real intention to get connected or "dirty").
The whole issue brings up the question of whether the American Christian Church has gotten too wrapped up in their own "ministries", and have gotten disconnected from what Christ truly taught. Perhaps we are so concerned with having the right "look", that we lose sight of serving God.
In Larry Crabb's book, he mentions a recent lack of interest in attending any Sunday morning church service. He comments on how he gets more out of a good discussion at a local coffee shop, rather than sitting through a prepared "worship" service and lecture (sermon). I can see his point, and don't completely disagree.
For decades, there has been the debate of Christians creating their own subcultures and separating themselves from society. Could it be that this has finally gotten to the point where many Christians see themselves as "reaching out to the lost", when in fact they are only doing what is expected to earn that next "scout badge"? Possibly church has become the new "country club", where you get your membership card, pay your dues, and earn the respect of your neighbors based upon your church affiliation. Nothing else. Just image and public appearance.
I know there are millions of people who simply like a "pep rally" and "motivational speaker". They come to church to get their uplifting message, put on a friendly face, and present themselves as "model Christians", while feeling a certain sense of pride that they are better than the "lost" who didn't make it to church. It all makes sense, and certainly is rewarded. However, is this what the bible teaches, or are we simply using the bible as the "justification" for our misguided pursuits? Are we supposed to come together as Christians to simply make each other feel better about themselves?
Granted, there are some believers who are very sincere in their love for Christ, and have no interest in their own edification. I enjoy it when I meet those folks. However, when the issues mentioned above are brought up to some of my fellow Christians, I generally see looks of confusion. Most Christians don't want to consider that maybe their "church participation" is purely based upon selfish desire for recognition. It's almost an attempt at gaining more power, in that they aren't there to pursue God's glory, but their own. They are more concerned with looking good to man, rather than God.
So, does that mean I give up on the Christian church? Not quite. There are plenty who are truly looking to follow Christ, and want nothing but to live for the glory of God. None of us are perfect, and God still continues to use us. I believe God has truth seeking people in place to help reach out to those who are also truly seeking God. We can pray for the others, in hopes they will join us in this humble pursuit.
What do you think?
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Meeting Phil Ehart (from the band Kansas)
Here's an interesting story from this past weekend:
I am playing bass in the backing band for some friends who call themselves "J3" (www.j3girls.com). The group is comprised of three ladies who have names that start with the letter "J". Their style is mostly country.
Anyway, this past weekend we had the pleasure of being one of the opening acts for national country artist Heidi Newfield. The show was at a Grand Rapids venue known as "The Intersection". We were scheduled to go on at 8pm, and was surprised to find we were given 40 minutes to play. Just after sound check, we were told that an extra artist was added to the evening and would perform an "acoustic" set just before J3. The artist was a guy named Nathan Lee Jackson, and he had two backing musicians. He was scheduled to go on at 7:30pm, and was going to get around 30 minutes. No big deal, and we were happy to see the show get started early anyway.
While hanging out backstage before the show, I got into a conversation with one of Nathan's guitar players. The guy was named Keith, and we were talking about various music topics. At one point, Keith mentions that Nathan's manager had shown up and was standing off to the side talking with the other guitar player. Keith casually mentions the manager is also the drummer for the band Kansas. After the initial shock of this comment, I ask "which Kansas are you talking about?". Keith says "you know, the one from 'Carry on my Wayward son'". I say "Phil Ehart?", and Keith says "Yup, that's Phil". After trying to not offend Keith with my excitement over seeing Phil, I ask Keith if he could introduce me. Keith has no problem with this, and takes me over to meet Phil.
Now, I need to mention that Kansas is one of my all time favorite bands. I have been a fan since the late 70s, and got to see them in concert a few times (first back in 1979). Original member Kerry Livgren has continued to be one of my inspirations, but I do know Phil Ehart is a major factor in the band's existence.
Meeting Phil was a true pleasure for me, and was a surprise I did not expect for the day. I told Phil how I didn't want to come off as "gushy", but that I had been a fan for decades. He was kind and polite, and even let me get a photo with him. I had my wife Michelle take the photo, and then Phil said why not get a photo with him and my wife. Note that my wife is familiar with the band, but isn't a big fan of progressive rock. She didn't mind the fun, but certainly wasn't as familiar with Phil and his involvement with the band.
To continue the show story, Nathan Lee Jackson's set was great and he was also a super nice guy. I was VERY impressed with him, and would recommend his music. The J3 performance went off fine (no major problems), and the crowd seemed to enjoy the girls and their music. They had a decent crowd hanging out back at their merchandise table, after our set. A Detroit based band named "Redhill" performed after J3, and they had a solid set of original country rock. Heidi Newfield was very professional, but seemed a bit "generic".
Here's the two photos with Phil Ehart.
Thanks to Phil for being so accomodating and making a memorable night just a bit more special for me.
I am playing bass in the backing band for some friends who call themselves "J3" (www.j3girls.com). The group is comprised of three ladies who have names that start with the letter "J". Their style is mostly country.
Anyway, this past weekend we had the pleasure of being one of the opening acts for national country artist Heidi Newfield. The show was at a Grand Rapids venue known as "The Intersection". We were scheduled to go on at 8pm, and was surprised to find we were given 40 minutes to play. Just after sound check, we were told that an extra artist was added to the evening and would perform an "acoustic" set just before J3. The artist was a guy named Nathan Lee Jackson, and he had two backing musicians. He was scheduled to go on at 7:30pm, and was going to get around 30 minutes. No big deal, and we were happy to see the show get started early anyway.
While hanging out backstage before the show, I got into a conversation with one of Nathan's guitar players. The guy was named Keith, and we were talking about various music topics. At one point, Keith mentions that Nathan's manager had shown up and was standing off to the side talking with the other guitar player. Keith casually mentions the manager is also the drummer for the band Kansas. After the initial shock of this comment, I ask "which Kansas are you talking about?". Keith says "you know, the one from 'Carry on my Wayward son'". I say "Phil Ehart?", and Keith says "Yup, that's Phil". After trying to not offend Keith with my excitement over seeing Phil, I ask Keith if he could introduce me. Keith has no problem with this, and takes me over to meet Phil.
Now, I need to mention that Kansas is one of my all time favorite bands. I have been a fan since the late 70s, and got to see them in concert a few times (first back in 1979). Original member Kerry Livgren has continued to be one of my inspirations, but I do know Phil Ehart is a major factor in the band's existence.
Meeting Phil was a true pleasure for me, and was a surprise I did not expect for the day. I told Phil how I didn't want to come off as "gushy", but that I had been a fan for decades. He was kind and polite, and even let me get a photo with him. I had my wife Michelle take the photo, and then Phil said why not get a photo with him and my wife. Note that my wife is familiar with the band, but isn't a big fan of progressive rock. She didn't mind the fun, but certainly wasn't as familiar with Phil and his involvement with the band.
To continue the show story, Nathan Lee Jackson's set was great and he was also a super nice guy. I was VERY impressed with him, and would recommend his music. The J3 performance went off fine (no major problems), and the crowd seemed to enjoy the girls and their music. They had a decent crowd hanging out back at their merchandise table, after our set. A Detroit based band named "Redhill" performed after J3, and they had a solid set of original country rock. Heidi Newfield was very professional, but seemed a bit "generic".
Here's the two photos with Phil Ehart.
Thanks to Phil for being so accomodating and making a memorable night just a bit more special for me.
Thursday, April 09, 2009
J3 Video from about a month ago
Last night I spent some time putting final touches on a "compilation" video from one of the groups I'm performing with. The group is called J3, and they performed numerous times at an "Arena Racing" pre-race party at Grand Rapids "Deltaplex". This particular video is from a February 28, 2009 performance. I took some clips from a few songs, as well as a clip of the girls singing the national anthem before the race. Enjoy.
I will be performing next with the band when they have an opening slot for national artist Heidi Newfield. This show is Saturday April 18 at The Intersection, in Grand Rapids.
Over this coming weekend, I hope to also get a similar video compilation completed for the cover band I'm currently playing with. This band has some dates booked, and I need to get the MySpace page filled with some music and video.
Have a great Easter weekend,
Tim
I will be performing next with the band when they have an opening slot for national artist Heidi Newfield. This show is Saturday April 18 at The Intersection, in Grand Rapids.
Over this coming weekend, I hope to also get a similar video compilation completed for the cover band I'm currently playing with. This band has some dates booked, and I need to get the MySpace page filled with some music and video.
Have a great Easter weekend,
Tim
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
EZ Drummer loaded and other updates
Hey all,
Well, last night I got EZ Drummer loaded (by the way, the manufacturer is named Toontrack). The product started up in Pro Tools LE just fine, and does resemble "Strike" quite a bit (the Digidesign virtual drummer software). At this point, it looks like EZ Drummer has a bunch more presets/loops, but documentation reads like "custom" patterns are limited in the basic version. This may explain the larger amount of samples, versus "Strike" being more "customize" friendly. In any case, I hope to make some more progress with this program, and see if we can get some music written/played.
Also, I found the 2 CDs I had been looking for. Got the new Les Claypool solo release ("Of Fungi and Foe"), and the latest disc from British metal band Saxon. Last night I dumped them both into my iPod, for enjoying during the next day (today). Trouble is, I manually handle transfers (for numerous reasons), and apparently I didn't transfer the Saxon release to the iPod. Guess I get to do that tonight. The Les Claypool disc is a bit more odd than usual, but similiar to the previous release ("Of Whales and Woe"). If you've enjoy Les, you'll like the new one. On a side note, the new Queensryche CD is growing on me, and I'm not really warming up to the new U2 yet (this will probably be one that I'll understand in a few years).
Finally, for those Bjork fans, I have seen that she is independently releasing versions of live recordings from her most recent tour. The CD she was touring was called "Volta", and I got to see a performance in Detroit. The show was amazing, especially if you like Bjork (but interesting even if you didn't like her). There is just a DVD version, then a 2-CD and 2-DVD version, then another "Deluxe Vinyl" version. I've ordered the 2-CD and 2-DVD version. Since it's coming from overseas, I don't expect to have this for at least a month or so.
That's about it for now - too many little projects to get done. I'll update more on those, once I have some more solid information.
Later,
Tim
Well, last night I got EZ Drummer loaded (by the way, the manufacturer is named Toontrack). The product started up in Pro Tools LE just fine, and does resemble "Strike" quite a bit (the Digidesign virtual drummer software). At this point, it looks like EZ Drummer has a bunch more presets/loops, but documentation reads like "custom" patterns are limited in the basic version. This may explain the larger amount of samples, versus "Strike" being more "customize" friendly. In any case, I hope to make some more progress with this program, and see if we can get some music written/played.
Also, I found the 2 CDs I had been looking for. Got the new Les Claypool solo release ("Of Fungi and Foe"), and the latest disc from British metal band Saxon. Last night I dumped them both into my iPod, for enjoying during the next day (today). Trouble is, I manually handle transfers (for numerous reasons), and apparently I didn't transfer the Saxon release to the iPod. Guess I get to do that tonight. The Les Claypool disc is a bit more odd than usual, but similiar to the previous release ("Of Whales and Woe"). If you've enjoy Les, you'll like the new one. On a side note, the new Queensryche CD is growing on me, and I'm not really warming up to the new U2 yet (this will probably be one that I'll understand in a few years).
Finally, for those Bjork fans, I have seen that she is independently releasing versions of live recordings from her most recent tour. The CD she was touring was called "Volta", and I got to see a performance in Detroit. The show was amazing, especially if you like Bjork (but interesting even if you didn't like her). There is just a DVD version, then a 2-CD and 2-DVD version, then another "Deluxe Vinyl" version. I've ordered the 2-CD and 2-DVD version. Since it's coming from overseas, I don't expect to have this for at least a month or so.
That's about it for now - too many little projects to get done. I'll update more on those, once I have some more solid information.
Later,
Tim
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Gotta love computers!!
So, last night I intended on loading up my new copy of the EZ Drummer and seeing what sort of fun that would provide. I went to my audio computer, and first turned on my Digi 003 hardware interface. Then I powered on the computer, and was met with the dreaded "blue screen of death". The error read something about a system file being either missing or corrupted. This didn't sound good.I got onto my other computer, and began researching the error code on the audio computer. From what I was reading, either I had a dead hard drive or corrupted reigstry. I did some diagnostic tests on the hardware, and was confident all hard drives were functioning. So, it must be the registry. I found some Microsoft tips about restoring a corrupt registry, and began going down that road.
The first problem I had was that I had the wrong "Windows restore" CD. We have 3 separate Dell desktop computers, and I was apparently using the CD from one of the other systems. The caused an error three separate times before I found out my mistake.
So, now that I've convinced myself that I would be probably reinstalling Windows, I made one final attempt at rebooting the PC. I turned everything off (including the Digi 003 hardware) and only booted up the PC. It came up fine.
I promptly loaded up my copy of "Registry Mechanic", and did some cleaning of the registry. The PC seemed to be fine. The only thing I could conclude was that the Digi 003 was causing some problem with booting up the PC.
I do know that I have recently upgraded the Pro Tools LE software to the newest version (version 8), and the software had been running fine within Windows. I also believe the software updated some drivers/firmware in the Digi 003. This was certainly the first time I had the Digi 003 turned on before starting Windows, since upgrading the software.
So, moral of the story: Not every error code means what it says. Had I continued down the road that I was being led, I most likely would have ended up reformating the hard drive and reinstalling Windows (wiping all previous data from the hard drive). This was not necessary. Be sure to check all other options before you start taking any radical steps like reformating a hard drive. Sometimes a minor issue may be represented by a major sounding message. That was the case with me.
Oh, and I didn't get to loading the EZ Drummer software (ran out of time last night). I'll probably try that tonight. Wish me luck...
Monday, April 06, 2009
Updates and thoughts
So, welcome to Easter week 2009. This has frequently struck me as a busy time of the year, as I've usually been involved in church programs related to Easter. It wouldn't be unusual to spend the entire work in rehearsals/setup, and then spend the whole weekend working at performances. There wasn't any time for "family gatherings" or fancy dinners, as all the family was already tied to the church programs. I don't say this at all out of complaint, but more out of a perspective that I don't really connect with people who see the weekend as something akin to Thanksgiving or Christmas. It's just not that sort of holiday for me - it's more "personal".
I have mentioned in the past that I purchased the Digidesign virtual drummer software known as "Strike". It has plenty of capability, but I had also read many reviews comparing it to a product known as "EZ Drummer". Well, this week Guitar Center has the "EZ Drummer" software on sale for $99, and I had a 10% off coupon. So, I've picked up a copy, and plan on installing it tonight. There are plenty of tips on how the program interacts with various programs, and the manufacturer website (I forget their name) has numerous video tutorials. I'll let you know what I think, once I have a chance to try it out.
I've been rehearsing with both J3 (www.j3girls.com) and the cover band (now know as "Desperate Measures"). J3 has an opening slot for Heidi Newfield at Grand Rapids "The Intersection" on Saturday April 18. There are some ongoing issues with performance time, but we are assured we will get to play. Also, J3 has managed to talk guitarist Jim Cash into joining us when possible. Jim is a good friend and knows how to work within the J3 style, so this has been fun for me. Jim will be joining us for April 28. Desperate Measures has April 24-25 booked at a bar in Allegan, so this should be an interesting "maiden voyage" for this group. We have worked out quite a few various tunes over the past couple months, so we've got enough material. I graduated high school in Allegan, so I'm a bit conflicted about whether I want to run into any past friends or not (this is unlikely anyway, since many have moved away).
Movies I've watched this past week:
Revisited "A Nightmare On Elm Street" parts 1 and 2 - Part 1 still holds up pretty good. Part 2 has one of the better opening scenes (the bus in the canyon looks spooky), but the overall movie is a bit weak for me.
Revisited "Hellraiser" - Still holds up well, with the exception of the monster that crawls along the hallway walls. I'm sure this looked promising on set, but on film it looks cheap. Other than that, much of the film looks good, and is one of my favorites.
"Zombie Strippers" - I picked this up at the rental store, mostly because Robert Englund was in it. Some reviews said it was campy enough to be amusing. Overall, it was pretty much exactly what you expect from the title, but there were some amusing nods to other genre films. The ending "summary" of how the virus got out was very funny, and certainly didn't take itself seriously. I'd rate the film a C+/B-.
Music:
Picked up the new Queensryche CD "American Soldier". I've only gotten through it a couple times, and it should please most Queensryche fans. It's not amazing, but it's working a bit better for me than "Q2K" or "Tribe".
Bought "The Trumpet Child" CD from Over The Rhine. Picked this up at their concert, and the CD is nice pop stuff with a jazz slant. The first few songs are similar to some slow New Orleans jazz, before they move on to more traditional pop tunes. Good stuff.
I'm trying to find a copy of the new Les Claypool solo CD, as well as the most recent Saxon release.
Concerts:
I was around town Saturday with my friend Steve Reid, and we were catching a few free "Festival of Faith and Music" shows before the main event Saturday night (main event wasn't free). Around 4:30pm, we watched Katie Chastain at Schuler Books. Katie was reported as being from Boston. She had a supporting guitarist, but I can't remember his name. She has potential, but this specific performance seemed a bit weak vocally, and she came across as quite timid. The 1 and 2 acoustic guitar arrangements seemed lacking, so I'd be curious what the CD arrangements sound like. Next up was a 6pm performance by Aaron Roche, at "The Fish House" at Calvin College. Aaron said he now lives in California, but only recently moved there from Nashville. Aaron seemed a bit more confident than Katie, but he didn't have much stage presence. His voice was decent, and he is a good guitar player, but it just seemed to come across as dull. The final show of the night, was the main event at the Fine Arts Center at 8pm. Opening the show was Aaron Strumpel, an independent guy who won a band competition related to the weekend festival. Strumpel brought a few supporting musicians. The music had a bit of a celtic flavor, but overall seemed chaotic. He performed about 4 songs, and I never really took a liking to his music. I guess I expected more. Next up was Julie Lee. Julie had supporting musicians, including Aaron Roche (see earlier solo performance notes) and a guitar player from Jars Of Clay (who stayed solely on slide guitar). Julie played her entire new CD, and she did keep my interest for most of the set. But, I think she played a tad longer than she should have. About 1/2 way into her set, I was ready to buy the CD. By the end, I decided not to. Finally, we had Over The Rhine. I had never seem them before, but was familiar with the name. The band is a husband wife duo, supported by 3 additional musicians. The music was mostly mid-tempo pop tunes, with a bit of jazzy flavor thrown in. The vocals were fantastic, and the entire set was well prepared and tight. One of their encore numbers was a piano and vocal version of "Love Hurts", and this was very strong (despite the minimal arrangement). I ended up a fan, and picked up a CD (see noted review above). I'd recommend Over The Rhine, if you like some quiet pop/jazz that is a bit off the beaten path.
That's enough for now. I'll update again in the next few days.
Later,
Tim
I have mentioned in the past that I purchased the Digidesign virtual drummer software known as "Strike". It has plenty of capability, but I had also read many reviews comparing it to a product known as "EZ Drummer". Well, this week Guitar Center has the "EZ Drummer" software on sale for $99, and I had a 10% off coupon. So, I've picked up a copy, and plan on installing it tonight. There are plenty of tips on how the program interacts with various programs, and the manufacturer website (I forget their name) has numerous video tutorials. I'll let you know what I think, once I have a chance to try it out.
I've been rehearsing with both J3 (www.j3girls.com) and the cover band (now know as "Desperate Measures"). J3 has an opening slot for Heidi Newfield at Grand Rapids "The Intersection" on Saturday April 18. There are some ongoing issues with performance time, but we are assured we will get to play. Also, J3 has managed to talk guitarist Jim Cash into joining us when possible. Jim is a good friend and knows how to work within the J3 style, so this has been fun for me. Jim will be joining us for April 28. Desperate Measures has April 24-25 booked at a bar in Allegan, so this should be an interesting "maiden voyage" for this group. We have worked out quite a few various tunes over the past couple months, so we've got enough material. I graduated high school in Allegan, so I'm a bit conflicted about whether I want to run into any past friends or not (this is unlikely anyway, since many have moved away).
Movies I've watched this past week:
Revisited "A Nightmare On Elm Street" parts 1 and 2 - Part 1 still holds up pretty good. Part 2 has one of the better opening scenes (the bus in the canyon looks spooky), but the overall movie is a bit weak for me.
Revisited "Hellraiser" - Still holds up well, with the exception of the monster that crawls along the hallway walls. I'm sure this looked promising on set, but on film it looks cheap. Other than that, much of the film looks good, and is one of my favorites.
"Zombie Strippers" - I picked this up at the rental store, mostly because Robert Englund was in it. Some reviews said it was campy enough to be amusing. Overall, it was pretty much exactly what you expect from the title, but there were some amusing nods to other genre films. The ending "summary" of how the virus got out was very funny, and certainly didn't take itself seriously. I'd rate the film a C+/B-.
Music:
Picked up the new Queensryche CD "American Soldier". I've only gotten through it a couple times, and it should please most Queensryche fans. It's not amazing, but it's working a bit better for me than "Q2K" or "Tribe".
Bought "The Trumpet Child" CD from Over The Rhine. Picked this up at their concert, and the CD is nice pop stuff with a jazz slant. The first few songs are similar to some slow New Orleans jazz, before they move on to more traditional pop tunes. Good stuff.
I'm trying to find a copy of the new Les Claypool solo CD, as well as the most recent Saxon release.
Concerts:
I was around town Saturday with my friend Steve Reid, and we were catching a few free "Festival of Faith and Music" shows before the main event Saturday night (main event wasn't free). Around 4:30pm, we watched Katie Chastain at Schuler Books. Katie was reported as being from Boston. She had a supporting guitarist, but I can't remember his name. She has potential, but this specific performance seemed a bit weak vocally, and she came across as quite timid. The 1 and 2 acoustic guitar arrangements seemed lacking, so I'd be curious what the CD arrangements sound like. Next up was a 6pm performance by Aaron Roche, at "The Fish House" at Calvin College. Aaron said he now lives in California, but only recently moved there from Nashville. Aaron seemed a bit more confident than Katie, but he didn't have much stage presence. His voice was decent, and he is a good guitar player, but it just seemed to come across as dull. The final show of the night, was the main event at the Fine Arts Center at 8pm. Opening the show was Aaron Strumpel, an independent guy who won a band competition related to the weekend festival. Strumpel brought a few supporting musicians. The music had a bit of a celtic flavor, but overall seemed chaotic. He performed about 4 songs, and I never really took a liking to his music. I guess I expected more. Next up was Julie Lee. Julie had supporting musicians, including Aaron Roche (see earlier solo performance notes) and a guitar player from Jars Of Clay (who stayed solely on slide guitar). Julie played her entire new CD, and she did keep my interest for most of the set. But, I think she played a tad longer than she should have. About 1/2 way into her set, I was ready to buy the CD. By the end, I decided not to. Finally, we had Over The Rhine. I had never seem them before, but was familiar with the name. The band is a husband wife duo, supported by 3 additional musicians. The music was mostly mid-tempo pop tunes, with a bit of jazzy flavor thrown in. The vocals were fantastic, and the entire set was well prepared and tight. One of their encore numbers was a piano and vocal version of "Love Hurts", and this was very strong (despite the minimal arrangement). I ended up a fan, and picked up a CD (see noted review above). I'd recommend Over The Rhine, if you like some quiet pop/jazz that is a bit off the beaten path.
That's enough for now. I'll update again in the next few days.
Later,
Tim
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
So, what's new? - Well...
Hey all,
I've been lacking in blog updates lately, and I won't bother making excuses. So, here's some updates.
Bands:
I have been filling the bass guitar role for a trio of ladies know collectively as "J3". They frequently take a backing band with them for performances, and their previous bass player recently retired. Their style is based mostly around the country genre, and that had me a little more than concerned. But, I had much respect for them as musicians and friends. So, I've been learning their current material, and have (so far) been a part of 4 performances. It has been more fun than I expected, and they have been very welcoming to me. The picture below is from a recent performance at Grand Rapids Deltaplex arena, at a "pre-race" show for an Arena Racing event. I've also got some video that was shot that same evening, but have yet to review the video.
I have also been asked to join some good friends who are putting together a "cover band". I've had a few past experiences with this sort of thing, and rarely found it rewarding. However, because of the past relationship with these guys, I'm giving it a shot. We haven't settled on a final band name yet, but have made a couple area bar bookings as "Desperate Measures". I expect we will settle on a name in the next week or so, and I'll get some rehearsal recordings loaded up on a MySpace page. This is something I'm having to work at not "over thinking", and need to keep from taking it too seriously. It's simply for fun.
Other Updates:
I've continued working at finding time to spend with my Pro Tools LE upgrade, and also have been working on building my video editing skills.
We spent last weekend in Chicago at the "Fangoria Weekend of Horrors". I'll post a separate blog with photos and details on that weekend. Look for that blog in the next couple days.
I've also got a Facebook page now setup for myself. I was reluctant to get involved in that, but a couple close friends moved to that site for all their updates. So, if I wanted to keep in touch, I had to create an account. You can find me by searching for my name on Facebook, or going here
Looking forward to 2009 for many exciting opportunities.
Until next time,
Tim
I've been lacking in blog updates lately, and I won't bother making excuses. So, here's some updates.
Bands:
I have been filling the bass guitar role for a trio of ladies know collectively as "J3". They frequently take a backing band with them for performances, and their previous bass player recently retired. Their style is based mostly around the country genre, and that had me a little more than concerned. But, I had much respect for them as musicians and friends. So, I've been learning their current material, and have (so far) been a part of 4 performances. It has been more fun than I expected, and they have been very welcoming to me. The picture below is from a recent performance at Grand Rapids Deltaplex arena, at a "pre-race" show for an Arena Racing event. I've also got some video that was shot that same evening, but have yet to review the video.
I have also been asked to join some good friends who are putting together a "cover band". I've had a few past experiences with this sort of thing, and rarely found it rewarding. However, because of the past relationship with these guys, I'm giving it a shot. We haven't settled on a final band name yet, but have made a couple area bar bookings as "Desperate Measures". I expect we will settle on a name in the next week or so, and I'll get some rehearsal recordings loaded up on a MySpace page. This is something I'm having to work at not "over thinking", and need to keep from taking it too seriously. It's simply for fun.
Other Updates:
I've continued working at finding time to spend with my Pro Tools LE upgrade, and also have been working on building my video editing skills.
We spent last weekend in Chicago at the "Fangoria Weekend of Horrors". I'll post a separate blog with photos and details on that weekend. Look for that blog in the next couple days.
I've also got a Facebook page now setup for myself. I was reluctant to get involved in that, but a couple close friends moved to that site for all their updates. So, if I wanted to keep in touch, I had to create an account. You can find me by searching for my name on Facebook, or going here
Looking forward to 2009 for many exciting opportunities.
Until next time,
Tim
Monday, February 09, 2009
Explain this "economic stimulus" to me again, please
OK, rant time again:
Topic: The feds current "economic stimulus" package, and it's promise of job creation
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I see most of the USA economy as based upon the consumer. Most of the "private" sector jobs are driven by various purchases, ultimately linked back to the consumer. Sure, health care (hospitals, nurses, etc) and public service (government, police, fire, etc) are not directly tied to a consumers "choice", but most everything else in our economy does fall into that category.
For example, the company that manufactures guitar strings is only as productive as long as there is a consumer purchasing the strings. Then, looking "up stream", the guitar string company only buys the material for the strings, as long as they are selling strings. No sales to the consumer, means no purchases of material for making strings. No consumer purchases, and companies up stream start having to reduce employees due to the reduction in sales. Granted, this isn't the best example, but the idea applies to most industries. If the consumer isn't buying, this impacts all manufacturing industry.
The feds are telling us that they want to throw money at the businesses, in order to create jobs. I'd argue that they are attacking the wrong side of the problem. Creating jobs at a company simply based upon a "cash advance" from the government, doesn't create any additional customers. It simply puts an artificial increase in place, which would promptly deflate once the money is gone. You don't create jobs first, without any customer demand driving the need. And, as far as I can see, many people are having trouble simply keeping their primary needs met (housing, food, heat, etc).
If the feds are going to insist upon throwing our money at the current "economic crisis", I'd propose they first throw money back to us. We are the end consumers, and our purchases will determine where job growth will happen. Sure, it's still a temporary fix, but this approach has a much more direct link to real jobs.
Now some may argue that the feds are trying to make use of the "trickle down economics" concept, by first giving money to the businesses. Their hope is that businesses will then use the money to hire more employees, which will then result in more money in the employees pockets for consumer purchases. The original "trickle down economics" concept was based upon reducing taxes on the business owners, to encourage them to grow their business and reward/hire employees. The idea still was based upon growing the business, which meant finding more customers. Money wasn't directly given to business owners, but their tax burden was reduced. The business owner was encouraged to personally invest more in their business, and thereby create more growth in the business (sales and jobs). That's a different approach, compared to the current fed plan where government is investing.
The other issue is that many businesses are not in a position to simply expand their workforce because they get a government handout. What point is there to increasing production on a line of products that nobody is buying? Granted, the law of "supply and demand" would dictate that this surplus of product would ultimately reduce prices for the consumer, but is that the direction we want to go? If that is the goal, why not just reduce taxes?
My suggestion looks from the direction of businesses driven by consumer purchases. Find ways to get people to start spending money, and that will have a net result of increasing jobs far beyond just giving money to businesses.
Ultimately, these are all temporary solutions, and that's what scares me the most. None of these solutions seem to deal with the true issues at hand. We have a bloated economy and government, which has been running on fictional accounting. Many were not ever expecting a slow down or reduction, and simply always expected increases and growth. However, at some point (which I believe we have reached), you get to a point where the economy can no longer support the expectation of continued growth.
I believe many of these companies need to either go out of business, or reorganize themselves to operate much leaner. With no change in the way things currently operate, a "economic stimulus" will only be a short term patch on the problem (at best).
Much of the world is in a far worse position, and do not have the benefit of a free market capitalist economy. If our leaders would take appropriate action to help reduce the burden on the consumers, we would see our economy bounce back.
The feds only have money they take from us via taxes. If we continue looking to them for help in our economic problems, we are doomed to fail. The citizens have the tools to handle the economy, and the government needs to stop adding more burden to those buying with earned money.
Give the consumer more control of their own money, and the market will determine which businesses survive or fail. Government cannot solve this with tax dollars.
But, we have few too many people who still see the government as a "money machine", and want to look to them for rescue. We need to work harder to educate these folks on where the government really gets their money (from our own pockets).
Oh, and did you notice that the magazine Newsweek has now declared the USA a "socialist" economy. We better hope this isn't actually fact yet, and get that boat turned around ASAP. Newsweek claims we are getting more like France. I'm not sure I see how that's a good thing.
The "baby boomer" generation is starting to reach retirement age, and that's going to increase social security needs, while reducing the existing job force. That means either reducing social security benefits, or increasing taxes on those still working. Although the natural reduction in workforce will help those companies who need to trim workers, it will also create a problem for how the government plans on continuing to fund their social programs. This is a "storm cloud" on the horizon, that I have yet to hear anyone seriously talk about. Watch for it.
Have a nice day!!
Rant mode off.
Topic: The feds current "economic stimulus" package, and it's promise of job creation
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I see most of the USA economy as based upon the consumer. Most of the "private" sector jobs are driven by various purchases, ultimately linked back to the consumer. Sure, health care (hospitals, nurses, etc) and public service (government, police, fire, etc) are not directly tied to a consumers "choice", but most everything else in our economy does fall into that category.
For example, the company that manufactures guitar strings is only as productive as long as there is a consumer purchasing the strings. Then, looking "up stream", the guitar string company only buys the material for the strings, as long as they are selling strings. No sales to the consumer, means no purchases of material for making strings. No consumer purchases, and companies up stream start having to reduce employees due to the reduction in sales. Granted, this isn't the best example, but the idea applies to most industries. If the consumer isn't buying, this impacts all manufacturing industry.
The feds are telling us that they want to throw money at the businesses, in order to create jobs. I'd argue that they are attacking the wrong side of the problem. Creating jobs at a company simply based upon a "cash advance" from the government, doesn't create any additional customers. It simply puts an artificial increase in place, which would promptly deflate once the money is gone. You don't create jobs first, without any customer demand driving the need. And, as far as I can see, many people are having trouble simply keeping their primary needs met (housing, food, heat, etc).
If the feds are going to insist upon throwing our money at the current "economic crisis", I'd propose they first throw money back to us. We are the end consumers, and our purchases will determine where job growth will happen. Sure, it's still a temporary fix, but this approach has a much more direct link to real jobs.
Now some may argue that the feds are trying to make use of the "trickle down economics" concept, by first giving money to the businesses. Their hope is that businesses will then use the money to hire more employees, which will then result in more money in the employees pockets for consumer purchases. The original "trickle down economics" concept was based upon reducing taxes on the business owners, to encourage them to grow their business and reward/hire employees. The idea still was based upon growing the business, which meant finding more customers. Money wasn't directly given to business owners, but their tax burden was reduced. The business owner was encouraged to personally invest more in their business, and thereby create more growth in the business (sales and jobs). That's a different approach, compared to the current fed plan where government is investing.
The other issue is that many businesses are not in a position to simply expand their workforce because they get a government handout. What point is there to increasing production on a line of products that nobody is buying? Granted, the law of "supply and demand" would dictate that this surplus of product would ultimately reduce prices for the consumer, but is that the direction we want to go? If that is the goal, why not just reduce taxes?
My suggestion looks from the direction of businesses driven by consumer purchases. Find ways to get people to start spending money, and that will have a net result of increasing jobs far beyond just giving money to businesses.
Ultimately, these are all temporary solutions, and that's what scares me the most. None of these solutions seem to deal with the true issues at hand. We have a bloated economy and government, which has been running on fictional accounting. Many were not ever expecting a slow down or reduction, and simply always expected increases and growth. However, at some point (which I believe we have reached), you get to a point where the economy can no longer support the expectation of continued growth.
I believe many of these companies need to either go out of business, or reorganize themselves to operate much leaner. With no change in the way things currently operate, a "economic stimulus" will only be a short term patch on the problem (at best).
Much of the world is in a far worse position, and do not have the benefit of a free market capitalist economy. If our leaders would take appropriate action to help reduce the burden on the consumers, we would see our economy bounce back.
The feds only have money they take from us via taxes. If we continue looking to them for help in our economic problems, we are doomed to fail. The citizens have the tools to handle the economy, and the government needs to stop adding more burden to those buying with earned money.
Give the consumer more control of their own money, and the market will determine which businesses survive or fail. Government cannot solve this with tax dollars.
But, we have few too many people who still see the government as a "money machine", and want to look to them for rescue. We need to work harder to educate these folks on where the government really gets their money (from our own pockets).
Oh, and did you notice that the magazine Newsweek has now declared the USA a "socialist" economy. We better hope this isn't actually fact yet, and get that boat turned around ASAP. Newsweek claims we are getting more like France. I'm not sure I see how that's a good thing.
The "baby boomer" generation is starting to reach retirement age, and that's going to increase social security needs, while reducing the existing job force. That means either reducing social security benefits, or increasing taxes on those still working. Although the natural reduction in workforce will help those companies who need to trim workers, it will also create a problem for how the government plans on continuing to fund their social programs. This is a "storm cloud" on the horizon, that I have yet to hear anyone seriously talk about. Watch for it.
Have a nice day!!
Rant mode off.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Life and Death
A couple weeks back, a good friend's mother passed away. The entire family are Christian, and the overall feeling was more celebration than sadness. However, the event still brings up thoughts of our own mortality, and what our purpose is here in this life.
My daily life is spent in an office, generally defined as a cubicle dweller. It's not unusual for this sort of life to generate questions of purpose and contemplastion about impact on the world. The problem arises from needing to generate an income to pay for a lifestyle of some comfort, versus following a more "alive" adventurous life that may not be as financially rewarding.
As a Christian, I have a belief in there being something after our short time on Earth. I believe in the teachings of Jesus, yet have no physical verification of any afterlife. That's the real problem with death - we don't have any physical person to talk to, who has come back from the "other side". Outside of one exception, it's been a one-way path. Faith is all I can stand on, when in this discussion.
Let's say 75 is the average age of death for most humans. The first 20 years (or so) are spent becoming an adult, and growing/learning. Once you are ready for independence, the question becomes what sort of life are you willing or called to pursue. Few seem to appreciate this opportunity early on in their life.
There are many who will spend their entire lives in a basement lab, testing or working with various needs that may be a direct benefit to the rest of us. On the other hand, there are many who will spend their entire lives on a beach, serving drinks and whatever to resort guests. So, which life would be considered more "full"? Both are serving their fellow man, but couldn't it be argued that the beach waiter is getting more engagement with the life we are all given? Isn't the lab tech basically disconnected from the surrounding world?
That's the internal debate I find myself frequently having. I don't see myself directly wasting the life I've been given, but I do question if there is a "better life" I could be living. Then the question becomes, at what point do you stop the "standard" route, and step out into something a bit more engaging.
In recent years, I find myself thinking about how huge our world is. This leads to me concluding what a shame it would be for a person to be born, live, and die all within the same 50 mile radius. We simply have so much more to experience here, and there needs to be more drive to get more engaged in the world around us.
Granted, there are millions who are either physically, financially, or mentally incapable of any dramatic changes. I am not saying they should throw caution to the wind, or put themselves in a harmful situation. On the other hand, maybe there are some small changes they could make to become more active in the world around them.
We all have talents and gifts that are given to us for sharing with others. Most of the time, our "core" talents are things that can be used in numerous locations around the world. There are doctors, lawyers, computer technicians, garbage men, waiters, greeters, and thousands of other jobs available in just about every country in the world. You don't have to stay in one spot your entire life, and probably shouldn't.
To those of you who have already taken some action to expand your life experiences, I applaud you and would ask you to encourage others. Share some your stories, and elaborate on how your experiences brought you to where you are today. Our world has been getting smaller as technology evolves, and it continues to get easier to see more. Get out there and see what the world has to offer you. You may be surprised at what awaits you.
My daily life is spent in an office, generally defined as a cubicle dweller. It's not unusual for this sort of life to generate questions of purpose and contemplastion about impact on the world. The problem arises from needing to generate an income to pay for a lifestyle of some comfort, versus following a more "alive" adventurous life that may not be as financially rewarding.
As a Christian, I have a belief in there being something after our short time on Earth. I believe in the teachings of Jesus, yet have no physical verification of any afterlife. That's the real problem with death - we don't have any physical person to talk to, who has come back from the "other side". Outside of one exception, it's been a one-way path. Faith is all I can stand on, when in this discussion.
Let's say 75 is the average age of death for most humans. The first 20 years (or so) are spent becoming an adult, and growing/learning. Once you are ready for independence, the question becomes what sort of life are you willing or called to pursue. Few seem to appreciate this opportunity early on in their life.
There are many who will spend their entire lives in a basement lab, testing or working with various needs that may be a direct benefit to the rest of us. On the other hand, there are many who will spend their entire lives on a beach, serving drinks and whatever to resort guests. So, which life would be considered more "full"? Both are serving their fellow man, but couldn't it be argued that the beach waiter is getting more engagement with the life we are all given? Isn't the lab tech basically disconnected from the surrounding world?
That's the internal debate I find myself frequently having. I don't see myself directly wasting the life I've been given, but I do question if there is a "better life" I could be living. Then the question becomes, at what point do you stop the "standard" route, and step out into something a bit more engaging.
In recent years, I find myself thinking about how huge our world is. This leads to me concluding what a shame it would be for a person to be born, live, and die all within the same 50 mile radius. We simply have so much more to experience here, and there needs to be more drive to get more engaged in the world around us.
Granted, there are millions who are either physically, financially, or mentally incapable of any dramatic changes. I am not saying they should throw caution to the wind, or put themselves in a harmful situation. On the other hand, maybe there are some small changes they could make to become more active in the world around them.
We all have talents and gifts that are given to us for sharing with others. Most of the time, our "core" talents are things that can be used in numerous locations around the world. There are doctors, lawyers, computer technicians, garbage men, waiters, greeters, and thousands of other jobs available in just about every country in the world. You don't have to stay in one spot your entire life, and probably shouldn't.
To those of you who have already taken some action to expand your life experiences, I applaud you and would ask you to encourage others. Share some your stories, and elaborate on how your experiences brought you to where you are today. Our world has been getting smaller as technology evolves, and it continues to get easier to see more. Get out there and see what the world has to offer you. You may be surprised at what awaits you.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Aren't things supposed to be different now?
**Rant Mode On**
So, we've heard for the last few months about how horrible the George W. Bush presidency has been, and how Barack Obama is going to change all our lives almost immediately.
Last week, Obama was sworn into office (not without some minor issues), and my life is still the same as it was months ago. In fact, there isn't a single thing that has changed as a result of the Obama inauguration. He has had zero impact on my life (so far).
I'm sure the Obama supporters are still promising the world, but they seem to be WAY overselling him. It's almost to the point where it's become idol worship, and Obama will not do any wrong.
Obama has signed some documents starting the shutdown of the Guantanamo Bay prison, thereby releasing many potentially dangerous militant Islamo-Fascists.
I read a story the other day about a musician who had said he felt safer today, now that Obama has signed a order to start working to close Guantanamo Bay prison. I also read another story where the congressman from Pennsylvania said he would welcome the prisoners from Guantanamo into his district (although they only have a minimum security prison in his district).
Now, I'll grant that possibly not every prisoner at Guantanamo Bay is a terrorist, but they also are not randomly picked individuals. They may have been in the wrong place at the wrong time, but that doesn't mean they are completely innocent either.
There are many other countries who are singing the praises of Obama, and saying how much happier they are with him (instead of Bush). Well, need I remind you that this country was built by those who were sick and tired of the rest of the world. Our job has never been to conform to what the rest want, and we certainly aren't interested in pleasing France!!
I sit here and wonder exactly how we are going to be safer, by taking a significantly weaker stance on those who simply want us dead. Terrorists will not be reasoned with, and they have zero regard for innocent civilians. In fact, they use them as primary targets (something the USA avoids). The terrorists will say and do whatever is best to get them closer to their ultimate goal, which would be the complete destruction of the Western Civilization. Obama appears to be opening the door wide open for these radicals. Obama seems to think logic and reasoning will get through to them. I'm not sure he's aware of who he'd dealing with.
Terrorists are known to not have any allegiance to a specific country, and also do not have any ties to a specific government. They operate in the shadows, and they frequently wear masks or coverings. To attempt to use standard military tactics against a cowardly masked guerilla force, simply leads to failure.
Please note, I am not taking any racist stance against a particular color or gender. I also have zero problem with those who have a primary interest of peace, and individual freedom (without harming your fellow man). However, when you base your eternal reward on how many human lives you can take, peace is no longer your true goal.
Our world is not full of terrorists, and our daily lives should not be spent worrying about this. However, we also cannot ignore that there are many out there who have no desire to "negotiate" or be diplomatic.
George W. Bush started his first term with one of the worst attacks on American soil. There were many issues that lead up the accomplishment of that task, not the least of all being a previous administration being soft on terrorism. Bush radically changed direction, and the USA has not seen another similar attack in over 8 years (something most didn't think was possible).
Granted, not every prisoner at Guantanamo will promptly start planning an attack on the USA, but it didn't take many to execute the 9/11 attacks (less than 20).
Do we really want to start randomly releasing terrorists prisoners, simply because liberals think we need to "reason" with them and they will be nice to us? Personally, I'd rather we review each prisoner carefully, before we start sending them away. We also need to make sure they are all on a list and not allowed into the USA for any reason.
My bottom line has always been that I'd rather keep the war off USA soil, and that means it will happen elsewhere. It may not make the rest of the world happy, and that's just fine with me.
** Rant Mode Off **
So, we've heard for the last few months about how horrible the George W. Bush presidency has been, and how Barack Obama is going to change all our lives almost immediately.
Last week, Obama was sworn into office (not without some minor issues), and my life is still the same as it was months ago. In fact, there isn't a single thing that has changed as a result of the Obama inauguration. He has had zero impact on my life (so far).
I'm sure the Obama supporters are still promising the world, but they seem to be WAY overselling him. It's almost to the point where it's become idol worship, and Obama will not do any wrong.
Obama has signed some documents starting the shutdown of the Guantanamo Bay prison, thereby releasing many potentially dangerous militant Islamo-Fascists.
I read a story the other day about a musician who had said he felt safer today, now that Obama has signed a order to start working to close Guantanamo Bay prison. I also read another story where the congressman from Pennsylvania said he would welcome the prisoners from Guantanamo into his district (although they only have a minimum security prison in his district).
Now, I'll grant that possibly not every prisoner at Guantanamo Bay is a terrorist, but they also are not randomly picked individuals. They may have been in the wrong place at the wrong time, but that doesn't mean they are completely innocent either.
There are many other countries who are singing the praises of Obama, and saying how much happier they are with him (instead of Bush). Well, need I remind you that this country was built by those who were sick and tired of the rest of the world. Our job has never been to conform to what the rest want, and we certainly aren't interested in pleasing France!!
I sit here and wonder exactly how we are going to be safer, by taking a significantly weaker stance on those who simply want us dead. Terrorists will not be reasoned with, and they have zero regard for innocent civilians. In fact, they use them as primary targets (something the USA avoids). The terrorists will say and do whatever is best to get them closer to their ultimate goal, which would be the complete destruction of the Western Civilization. Obama appears to be opening the door wide open for these radicals. Obama seems to think logic and reasoning will get through to them. I'm not sure he's aware of who he'd dealing with.
Terrorists are known to not have any allegiance to a specific country, and also do not have any ties to a specific government. They operate in the shadows, and they frequently wear masks or coverings. To attempt to use standard military tactics against a cowardly masked guerilla force, simply leads to failure.
Please note, I am not taking any racist stance against a particular color or gender. I also have zero problem with those who have a primary interest of peace, and individual freedom (without harming your fellow man). However, when you base your eternal reward on how many human lives you can take, peace is no longer your true goal.
Our world is not full of terrorists, and our daily lives should not be spent worrying about this. However, we also cannot ignore that there are many out there who have no desire to "negotiate" or be diplomatic.
George W. Bush started his first term with one of the worst attacks on American soil. There were many issues that lead up the accomplishment of that task, not the least of all being a previous administration being soft on terrorism. Bush radically changed direction, and the USA has not seen another similar attack in over 8 years (something most didn't think was possible).
Granted, not every prisoner at Guantanamo will promptly start planning an attack on the USA, but it didn't take many to execute the 9/11 attacks (less than 20).
Do we really want to start randomly releasing terrorists prisoners, simply because liberals think we need to "reason" with them and they will be nice to us? Personally, I'd rather we review each prisoner carefully, before we start sending them away. We also need to make sure they are all on a list and not allowed into the USA for any reason.
My bottom line has always been that I'd rather keep the war off USA soil, and that means it will happen elsewhere. It may not make the rest of the world happy, and that's just fine with me.
** Rant Mode Off **
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Ozzy sings Dream Theater
More Guitar Hero amusement.
In the "World Tour" version, there is a "gig" where you play along with some celebrities at a New York City New Year's Eve party in Time's Square. When playing guitar, your band partners include Sting on bass, Travis Barker on drums, and Ozzy on vocals. After you get through the gig (which includes some interesting songs choices - the Metallica tune is nice), you get to the game "end credits". During the credits, you and the rest of the celebrities go through the Dream Theater song "Pull Me Under". I was pretty distracted by watching Ozzy and the others, but kept up on the "easy" level of the song.
I don't remember Sting rocking out quite so hard, and I don't recall Ozzy being able to sing quite as well.
So, today I poked around that found this video of the song from the game. Check it out for yourself, and enjoy:
Until next time,
Tim
In the "World Tour" version, there is a "gig" where you play along with some celebrities at a New York City New Year's Eve party in Time's Square. When playing guitar, your band partners include Sting on bass, Travis Barker on drums, and Ozzy on vocals. After you get through the gig (which includes some interesting songs choices - the Metallica tune is nice), you get to the game "end credits". During the credits, you and the rest of the celebrities go through the Dream Theater song "Pull Me Under". I was pretty distracted by watching Ozzy and the others, but kept up on the "easy" level of the song.
I don't remember Sting rocking out quite so hard, and I don't recall Ozzy being able to sing quite as well.
So, today I poked around that found this video of the song from the game. Check it out for yourself, and enjoy:
Until next time,
Tim
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Pro Tools 8 LE installed!!
Well, last night I finally got the upgrade to Pro Tools 8 LE installed.
In general, it went well. There were a couple major missing points in the Digidesign installation directions (like a couple required reboots), but I was going to be surprised if it actually only took less than 5 steps to complete. There was also missing detail in the uninstall routine for version 7.4, but I simply stuck with the basics and got through.
The new look is greatly improved, and certainly has a more modern feel. The black background on the mix view is much better than the previous gray. I like much of what I see, and look forward to getting familiar with the many new updated effect plug-ins.
I will be spending the next couple weeks simply getting my feet "wet" with the new layout and features, before jumping into the writing and pre-production process.
Exciting things to come...
In general, it went well. There were a couple major missing points in the Digidesign installation directions (like a couple required reboots), but I was going to be surprised if it actually only took less than 5 steps to complete. There was also missing detail in the uninstall routine for version 7.4, but I simply stuck with the basics and got through.
The new look is greatly improved, and certainly has a more modern feel. The black background on the mix view is much better than the previous gray. I like much of what I see, and look forward to getting familiar with the many new updated effect plug-ins.
I will be spending the next couple weeks simply getting my feet "wet" with the new layout and features, before jumping into the writing and pre-production process.
Exciting things to come...
Friday, January 09, 2009
Guitar Hero is EVIL!!!
OK, it may be a bit harsh to say Guitar Hero is evil. But, it is a way to easily lose a couple hours without realizing it.See, just after Christmas, I got an "on sale" version of "Guitar Hero World Tour" (with the wireless guitar controller), for our Nintendo Wii system. Being a musician myself, I've always found the game a bit frustrating and challenging. The game does build some basic music skills, but overall the songs aren't played quite the same as reality. So, many musicians will stick their nose up at the game, but I thought it would still be something fun to have around the house.
After a couple weeks, I have found that the game can be quite fun, as long as you don't try to force the game to follow you. You need to treat the whole thing as a game, and simply follow what you are told. In that regard, it's almost like the old "Simon" game where you had to repeat exactly what was presented to you. Guitar Hero is basically a game of "follow the leader".
In the game, there is a "career" path that you can follow. This brings up sets of songs that you need to work through, and then you get an "encore" at the completion of the set. You may also get a "challenge" from a celebrity guitar player, like Zakk Wylde or Ted Nugent (these two are in the "World Tour" version).
Me and my wife are both having fun with the game, either with the career path or simply playing single songs. My wife is also getting a kick out of the various characters you can select for playing, and the outfits you can "buy" for them.
Last week, I saw the WalMart had a combo pack of "Guitar Hero 3" and "Guitar Hero: Aerosmith" for $50. These both include different songs from the other "Guitar Hero" games, and the "Aerosmith" edition isn't all just Aerosmith songs (there are other songs included). This combo pack game did not include any guitar controller, but just the game discs. This was fine, since we only have the one controller anyway.
This leaves me with 3 different versions of the games to work through "career" paths. Each "set" can take up to 20-30 minutes to complete, depending upon the number of songs in the set, and encores. This translates into spending at least an hour on these games, and can take more if you are having fun.
One other thing that I didn't expect, was the optical illusion that gets created in the game. For those who don't know, the game is designed around watching a guitar fretboard, and color indicators will scroll by indicating what buttons and "strums" do go with on the guitar controller. These scroll by from top to bottom, like watching the road. Trouble is, after you go back to the screen without the movement, your eyes are still seeing a certain amount of movement in otherwise stationary images. This is kind of odd to experience, but it is just a symptom of watching the moving grid so closely for extended periods of time. There are other "optical illusion" examples on the internet, that can create similar experiences (I remember one where you stared at an image, and then looked at another which would appear to be moving gears, but actually were not).Between trying to get through the Guitar Hero songs, and the snow this week, I've fallen behind on upgrading my Pro Tools software. I plan on doing the upgrade this weekend, and hope to not spend as much time with the Guitar Hero game. But, the stinking thing is addictive.
And that is why Guitar Hero is EVIL!!!
Monday, January 05, 2009
Studio project Blog - part 1
A month or so back, I promised to start a solo studio project in 2009, and keep a running diary here. Well, here is part 1:
Tonight (January 5, 2009), I'm planning on installing the software upgrade for my Pro Tools LE system. I have the upgrade to version 8, and it involves an uninstall of the previous version. This sort of upgrade is certainly ripe for various troubles, so I'm skeptical about the success. But, I want to get the upgrade completed first, prior to starting any new recording. I got the upgrade a few week back, but a combination of a head/chest cold and the holidays have conspired against me.
So, tonight (or within the next couple days), I will be installing the upgrade.
The next post will be a report on how that install goes.
Tim
Tonight (January 5, 2009), I'm planning on installing the software upgrade for my Pro Tools LE system. I have the upgrade to version 8, and it involves an uninstall of the previous version. This sort of upgrade is certainly ripe for various troubles, so I'm skeptical about the success. But, I want to get the upgrade completed first, prior to starting any new recording. I got the upgrade a few week back, but a combination of a head/chest cold and the holidays have conspired against me.So, tonight (or within the next couple days), I will be installing the upgrade.
The next post will be a report on how that install goes.
Tim
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)