Tumbling, I believe

I'm here, for now:  Tumblr.  Please join me.  I'll get all this internet stuff streamlined once I figure out how to use a computer.

Still working, see?

Just a few tambourine crashes before we finish up mixing my new album. It's been a loooong, stressful year and a half of recording, but "Return of the Woman" WILL be ready for an early spring release.  Really.

TIM RIGGINS, I KNOW WHERE YOU ARE!

Season four of Friday Night Lights starts tonight on Direct TV.  Booooo.  Who has Direct TV?  Right?  The rest of have to wait until the show re-airs on NBC in January to find out the goings-on in Dillon, Texas USA (for now). 

In the meantime, I can tell you a couple things.  There’s a new pizza joint, Panther Pizza.  There’s gonna be a rumble in a gas station parking lot (what took so long?).  Principal Taylor propositioned my dog (okay, maybe my dog accosted her).  Something is happening in an industrial looking building RIGHT NOW.   All this happens over here in the lovely upper east side of Austin.  I mean, of course, DILLON.  Go Panthers, er Lions!

Rock me mama like a southbound train

I could listen to this song all day. love the vibe in this video.

An American Dog

Also, my biggest fan.  Photo at Ilse's naturalization party.   Welcome to America, my dear.   (that's Terri Lord on drums!)

Must we do this, really?

In size 2T???

I'm a sucker for Communist Propaganda

Plus, in this video, you get a good glimpse of some of Moscow's crazy ornate Metro stations -- high ceilings, chandeliers, statues, elaborate art. (it wouldn't let me embed. grrrr)

Eat your heart out, keyboard cat

Mixing: really really exciting (part II)

Everyone say "awwwww"

Mixing is exciting

SXSW

Welcome to the madness that is SXSW!  As some of you might know, I am on the Board of Directors of Girls Rock Camp Austin.  I've been hard at work planning our day party and we're super excited about the diverse lineup of bands who've agreed to help us out.  I'm not playing any shows myself this year because I'm trying to let my sad, sad rotator cuff heal, but check out our awesome lineup! 

2:45 Fabi Reyna - Camp graduate! (Austin, TX)
3:00 Peggy Sue (Brighton, England UK)
3:40 BO-PEEP (Tokyo, Japan)
4:20 Rank + File - Camp graduate! (Austin, TX)
4:30 Follow that Bird! (Austin, TX)
5:10 Hesta Prynn (from Northern State)(New York, NY)
5:50 The Coathangers (Atlanta, GA)
6:30 Fabi Reyna (Austin, TX)
6:40 Adrian and the Sickness (Austin, TX)

More info on GRCA and our SXSW events here.

Mick Jagger sang into this microphone

Maybe.  The story is that this 50+ year old Telefunken microphone was on the famed Rolling Stones Mobile Studio. Mick Jagger, Robert Plant, Bob Marley, Melissa Bryan.  Does not compute.

Notes from the office

So much going on. So much to write about. So little time. I took the above picture at a co-workers desk. While the world watches Rihanna and Chris Brown on the news, it's important to note that that there are thousands, if not millions, of faceless women across the globe and in our fair country, experiencing the same treatment as Rihanna. Women who ache and women who love and women who don't deserve to be hurt or blamed because someone they trust is hurting them. Men, love your women. Women, love your sisters. And let's all work on loving ourselves a little more.

Sarah Haskins, how I love thee

Well, that was successful.

Okay, last week I promised to write here more.  I failed.  I'm sorry.  I've been busy pruning my I-have-way-more-than 25-things-about-me-because-I-am-so-goddamn-interesting piece for facebook.   In the meantime, everyone should see this.  (Warning: it might make you cry, unless you have a cold, cold heart like I do)

"Fidelity": Don't Divorce... from Courage Campaign on Vimeo.

My Moment of Earnesty (More to Come!)

Very often, when I sit down to write, my first sentence is this: I haven’t written in so long. So I’ll skip that and say this: I am going to write here regularly. Maybe not every day, possibly about not much, but words on the screen, for sure. I’m also going to try something else – something scary. I’ve noticed that it’s always the things that scare me the most that end up being the most fulfilling -- driving across the country in search of a new place to live, starting my first band, getting on the train from Helsinki to St. Petersburg, accompanied only by my apprehension. These were all huge turning points in my life. For instance, despite the insistence of my Swedish friends that Russia was full of mobsters who would surely kidnap and hold me for ransom, and the (pre-google) lack of traveler information, much less the difficulty I encountered procuring a visa to even get into the country, St. Petersburg was a crossroads -- partially for the challenge of it, and partially because of the unknown knowing. I had become obsessed with getting there. The only thing I knew for sure was that everything would be okay. Still, I was terrified. But I followed my instinct and got on that train. Not surprisingly, I felt safer on the streets of St. Petersburg than most American cities (as long as I was looking at the ground, that is – the Russians have a bad habit of not covering their potholes!), and I fell madly in love with a city so different in energy than any I had been to that I yearned for it until the moment stepped into my new love, Sarajevo, 7 years later.

My point – the thing I’m going to attempt to do differently -- is to pepper my writing with some honesty. There will surely still be pop culture/news snark, smash-the-patriarchy rants, and general pleading to come to my shows, and at some point, to buy my record/CD. I’m also going to share some stories about my travels and maybe even my life. I’ve done a lot and I’ve learned a lot. And I don’t necessarily think anyone wants to read about it. I’ll be writing, and more significantly, posting it for the whole world to see, simply because it scares the shit out of me.

Rod Blagojevich perpetuates “innocent Serb” myth

Meanwhile, back in the old country, Blagojevich's relatives have extended an open invitation for him to “come to Serbia if he cannot take it any more in America." The Governor's cousin even tempts him with “a cow or a pig or two, a chicken. ... He is always welcome."

Blagojevich might find his motherland an even more hospitable den of corruption than the State of Illinois, but please Gov, stay away from the innocent farm animals!

I can do anything better than you.

I have had this song stuck in my head since my last post...now it's your turn.

Anything you can do, I can do better...

Kudus to the Parris Manufacturing Company for giving the little girls of America their long-awaited opportunity to properly play Cowboysgirls and Indians. The Lady Kentuckian Frontier Rifle, pictured here at Austin’s own Terra Toys, is ready to help you fight against gender inequality, southern stereotypes (they shoot a lotta horses deer over yonder on the KINtucky frontier), as well as any pesky Lady Alaskans intent on makin’ another batch of moose stew.

I gotta say, my initial reaction to the Lady Kentuckian turned quickly from shock to awe. If Sanrio doesn’t lower the price on the Hello Kitty AK-47 anytime soon, I might have to settle for this lowly, but lovely, cap gun.

Post-show snow!

Just as we were loading out after the Hole in the Wall show last Tuesday, it started to snow! OMG. Just a few hours earlier, I was wearing a t-shirt. Only in Texas, baby!

Darwin calls a cab, since he had ridden his bike to the show. I had everyone's gear in my little car. It was too cold to do any fancy arranging...Terri rode with the floor tom on her lap.

See, it really is snow.

I grew up in Florida, okay?

Maybe drummers really are the smartest. Terri says "hell no, I do not want my picture taken in the snow."

This Tuesday at the Hole in the Wall (patio)!

I am super excited about this show on Tuesday at the Hole in Wall.  I'm playing with former Free Range Bastard Ezra Reynolds and his fantastic new band.  It's early, so for all of you who've been complaining about not being able to stay out late, here's your chance to rock 'n roll!  Ezra's playing first around 7PM.  I follow, and joining me will be Mr. Reynolds himself, Terri Lord on drums, and Darwin Smith on whatever suits his fancy.  I assure you it will be great.  I was gonna bastardize (heh) the poster below to suit this week's show, but I ran out of time (and uh, if any of you have a CS Adobe serial number you'd like to share, hit me up). Anyway, it's an old Billy Bishop/Obsolete design from years ago when the FRBs played with my old band The Shindigs and I think it's pretty great.   It was originally on yellow, but my scanner was not cooperating.  By the way, anyone know where to get an outfit like that?  Cuz my boobs would totally look like that if I had one.

See you on Tuesday!

Wondering what to get me for Christmas?

My six-year-old nephew fulfills *MY* lifelong dream

Let's hope this is the only dream of mine he realizes, most especially not the Mick Jagger one, for at least another 12 years!

Does it cost extra to get this guitar repaired?

(Walter Hutcherson at Musical Exchange will fix anything)

I mean, those colors are completely off. An orange and purple confederate flag? YELLOW??? As they say, there is no accounting for taste. But let’s wish the proud Stratocaster owner luck in his (come on, this certainly belongs to a dude) continued fight against Yankee oppression. And if this flag really represents the preservation of southern traditions, like stuffing zip lock bags full of Rebel Yell down my pants every Saturday afternoon in the fall, then hell yeah, count me in.

Additionally, I’d like to take this opportunity to remind you to please shop locally this Christmas season.  Walter runs Musical Exchange at 123 North Loop. He’s my guitar guy and he is the best. He also sells strings, picks, cables and necessary stuff like that. My amp guy, the super friendly Jon Bessent sits right across him. John can fix anything, and he makes the terrific Austone pedals that Billy Gibbons, Mike Campbell, and Tom freaking Petty use. And ladies – neither of these guys will talk down to you or think you’re bringing in your boyfriend's gear, unless, of course, it’s as stupidly fugly as the one in the picture.

P.S.  Somehow blogger has corrected the colors on the "flag", but I swear, in person and in iphoto that sucker is orange and purple.