March 13, 2012 Tuesday

Something like a year ago happened my great bit Amtrak fiasco with J. Dante at the end. The weather is insanely premature Spring. Just a sweater as I biked to Tap & Brew to paint. I have a lot done. I'm hoping I can finish in maybe just a few short sessions. Dad is in town and I want to spend some time with him. He has ole' Applebee's co-worker John Q with him. Funny how he picks up thest tragglers on trips sometimes. I haven't seen John since 2007. We would chase each other around Applebee's, Calhoun, with cleaner spray bottles. Closing time could be really fun around that place. So he literally quit his job there, not that it isn't about time, and came with dad. Trying to assess his life or soemthing going all of the way back to Richmond. Quit on a moments notice. He claims though, being drunken on Appletinis he was telling everybody he was moving to Virginia. He sits online creating a fantasy baseball league and I sit under a sputnik lamp in mom's dining room. I dubbed "Two For The Road" for my show Thursday. My last show for a while, better enjoy it, me and in the spirit of car travels, I thought, a great film, Stanley Donen. Although it should really be "Four For The Road" because not only Maddy and Carl, but Leo is bussing back from NYC on the 19th to come too! Honest to goodness it's the absolute ultimate! Man the four of us on Highway 80 across the country! Man it's been a fantasy since we were just wee "Lads From Liverpool" and I miss Leo! I'm so happy I'm going to have them all with me! I only with I could ride with them back. That train ride will sure be a hoot for them all! Lots of cardboard black bean burgers. I wonder where Carl is in "selling all of his records"? Mom mailed for me today 2 packages. She still has the white tree lit up like Who-ville.

I'm trying to have to have a rough listening version of "Science Will Find A Way" before we set out saying as how I probably won't be recording any music while I'm gone. The song has really transformed from my original direction. Where I thought it would go. Not super electronic in fact, lots of guitars layering with echo, flanger and tremolo. Trying to maybe channel Jackie Dante a little bit. Some of those picking and palm muted sounds really translating through the effects. I more closely identify some of his tracks. To be able to semi-duplicate his guitar sound is kind of neat. I didn't intentionally at first, but it makes it more moody and organic I think. Not that the synths aren't organic, but it seems nothing I can add to the mix with any manual arpeggiation or whatnot is making it sound any better. I want it to feel absolutely right. And being that in some, my own vague kind of way the song is inspired by some of him, how only appropriate that something like his guitar sound is in here. My hands ache from playing. Doing retakes is a major strain! I'm even toying with adding lives drums over the drum machine. Total Valley-Girl-Hollywood-dark-bar-rock. Uh - oh.

Maddy busies herself with several pre-road trip activities I know her to do. Preparing, hoping for shorts weather, she scopes Unique and grabs up a lime green denim pair of high-waisted "Sassoon"brand shorts. An over-sized-sleeveless-crooked-print t shirt. Yes, the trip to Unique. Planning routes. Over planning without me. With more time and internet access. Fearing my parents will make me paranoid. I claim full responsibility for my own paranoia thanks. No thanks to them. Give me some credit here. She cuts up shorts with me. Self-consciously looks in the mirror with me. Not that it's a pre-road trip thing necessarily. I have a lot to get in order clothes, books, notebooks, ideas. Maybe a last trip to Unique. But I should stay the hell away.