This is The Beatles, singing “She Loves You” in German.
“Sie liebt dich, yeh, yeh, yeh
Sie liebt dich, yeh, yeh, yeh
Sie liebt dich, yeh, yeh, yeh, yeah…”
I like how “yeah yeah yeah” and “oooooo!” are the universal pop language and don’t require translation. By the way, I didn’t get to play at the Pittsboro Farmers Market yesterday, due to the nor’easter that’s been blowing rain for the last couple days. Fingers crossed for the weather at the Holly Springs Farmers Market on Oct 4.
California University of Pennsylvania, woohoo! Having a town named after a state is a step beyond the usual confusion of Athens GA, Oxford NC, Rome TX, or London OH. We’re talking Illinois, TN. Arizona, CT. I’m sure it’s an old joke to them, but it was new to me so I enjoyed it.
The show was awesome. Behind the rows of seats, they formed a circle and tossed an enormous beach ball thing around like an oversized game of hacky sack played with hands instead of feet. Or a slow-motion, noncompetitive version of volleyball without a net. So I basically got to watch a surreal sports channel while I played.
This show was also notable for the inclusion of the song “Play To Remember” for the first time in forever and for the fact that nobody left! It’s a long, sad, strange song. It was cool to have an audience amenable to more than one mood. Speaking of California, I’m sure my aura was Day-Glo by the end of the show.
I played this show on Sept 11, 2008. On this date, I also ate unfortunate beef with broccoli at the local Chinese place. Photo by M. Jade McGinnis. Thanks!
I’m on the road right now in Pennsylvania, and I passed through West Virginia on the way up yesterday. I really wish Budget Car Rental had a rubber arm option. I’d totally spring for it.
Creepy note: when I got out of the shower this morning at the Royal Motel, the bathroom mirror was steamed up, except for the old impression of a nose and lips. Clearly a ghost was kissing the mirror while I was in the shower.
I played in a little gazebo in the middle of a field, for people sitting on blankets inside the gazebo. Every now and then a train would go by and it was really loud. Then it was quiet again, except for the sounds of people crunching on Sunchips and the strums of a fellow with an unplugged electric guitar. Babylonia arrived with a bear cub that was actually a puppy but way too fluffy.
I didn’t remember her name but did recognize that she’d cut her hair since I played there last year. Babylonia, not the puppy. I don’t think the puppy existed last year. Me and two other girls figured out the music for Still Alive, by Jonathan Coulton, from the game “Portal.” The sun was setting when I first walked up to the gazebo and when you walked away, you’d disappear into the shadow of a tree and reappear seconds later on the other side in orange lamplight.
This photo of Hugh Swaso rocking out embodies my feelings of rage whenever I have to repost my blog on multiple sites by hand. Thus, I’m testing out the Myspace Crossposter plugin to try and send an automatic announcement to my Myspace blog, hopefully solving the problem of having to repost everything I do here on MS as well. Fingers crossed!
For your convenience, here are my posts from this summer about recording the new record…
Arbor Ridge Studios
Bass Week
Flickr folder for studio photos…
Enjoy!
Here’s a video. I play at this coffee house in Mobile, Alabama about once a year for family members who are in town (I have lots of extended family in Alabama and Florida) plus all those friends of friends who still remember me and come out even when I’ve been away for eleven months. As a bonus, there’s a decent barbecue place next door.
Satori Sound used to be a record store AND coffeehouse, and I was always impressed by the crazy art on the walls. There was one display a few years ago dedicated to dead rock stars that included a picture of Chris Bell from Big Star, which instantly won my enduring affection for this venue.
Join the team: get a perm and go on the road as “Tad Dreis,” performing my songs, while I write new material for you in my underground bunker. We’ll split the gig income. Only high-caliber applicants will be considered - as you know, the Tad Dreis brand has a reputation to maintain. I’m joking, of course, but part of me thinks this business model really has legs.
Alex just got back into town and we are keeping him busy in the studio. The lovely lady in the foreground is named “Jennifer” and she’s 85 years young.
This isn’t even all the stuff they gave me when I played at the farmers market today. Hallelujah.
