Hello Dear Ones,
We are “blazing” on ALL cylinders these days! With many shows and the heat it’s been a combination for exhaustion, no doubt. We’ve had shows at 108 degrees! It has been quite challenging!
We had the opportunity to play one of the more high profile venues of our career, the Hult Performing Center for the Arts in Eugene Oregon. This was due to our successful showcase in 2017. The “talent buyers” liked our 12 minute showcase and had selected us to play. We were slated in 2020 and the show fell off the calendar due to covid. We didn’t think we would ever get back on. Many times, the management changes and you are forgotten as they rarely “pass the baton”. Low and behold, the same manager that liked our set kept us on and 5 years later, we played the show. This is sometimes what it takes to play at these types of venues. You must “prove” yourself (which is never my favorite thing to do, but imperative in this business). Talent buyers are very selective and are inundated with so many acts, so the competition is thick.
We were delighted that our percussionist and very sweet friend, Meghan Kelly Watters could join us. She and her wife Lindsay drove over to the coast to play, visit with Meg’s Dad and enjoy the shows and the beach.
We took our new vehicle “Sparky” the Van. She is a 350 Ford Transit Van and we are digging it! She is not complete, far from it and the story about the build could go miles and many pages long. Basically, our builder is short on time but managed to put a make-shift bed in the back, we have electric and a refrigerator, and a toilet, the bare necessities.
We stayed at some friends of ours in Lincoln City. As I was in their house making coffee the morning of our Lincoln Cultural Center gig, Mo comes in and says, “Hey Nicc, where is your electric guitar?” I was like, “don’t even mess with me!” Well…she wasn’t messing. My dumb ass packed the heavy amp that took up precious space but NOT my Fender Telecaster.
I was so mad at myself. Ugh! I assessed the situation and text Meg & Lindsay. I figured I could always play acoustic only, the audience didn’t know I do electric now and I have had several years of playing ONLY acoustic…but my anger raised to a level and the text back from Lindsay gave me a “nudge” toward action and making this right.
She text, “Well…Grumble Fish Music store is a local place. Maybe something awesome will be there!” Don’t ya just love that? I love the angels in my life, when I start “crying in my beer” moaning about a loss or a misfortune, these sweet friends remind me to “look on the bright side”, “look at what might break open” instead of the loss or dread. Lord knows, I’ve needed that positive medicine and I “took the bait” and got down to the music store!
We all met there and explored the store. It was a wonderful shop with two nice gentlemen who listened to me shame myself for forgetting my guitar. I asked if they rented, and of course, they did NOT, figures. Then I asked, “What is the BEST telecaster style guitar in the shop”. They handed me an axe (axe is a slang word for guitar) and I looked it over.
“What in the hell???” It was new but it was PURPOSLY distressed!!! It has paint chipped off the edges, rust on the bridge plate and tuning pegs, the back of the neck looked like it has “man grime” that comes with years of playing and not wiping your guitar down. The front of the neck had intentional worn spots between the most popular frets. Even the dials rotate as if it’s been knocked around by life and un-centered on it’s axis. OMG!!! “Why do they do this, it’s like paying 100 bucks for ripped up faded jeans!” Ha! I was never a fan of distressed pants. I wanted to be the one to put the holes in my own jeans, I don’t wish to buy them that way!
They laughed and said, “that’s what the kids love these days” and my grumbly self (matching the stores name) said, “Figures, these kids don’t want to ‘earn’ the worn out look of keeping your seat in the saddle for years!” Ha ha! What a curmudgeon I was, but in a funny New Jersey sort of way.
I said, well…let’s try this “old gal” out! Right? Why judge a book by it’s cover. I plugged it in a played it and was like, OMG! The intonation was perfect! I have never played such an easy electric. Of course it was also the most expensive axe in the store. (Grumble – “figures!”)
I played the lesser expensive guitars and of course gravitated right back to Miss Distressed. I of course purchased the guitar and it is now one of my favorite electrics I own! It absolutely looks and feels and sounds pretty darn awesome. I have come to like the worn out look. After researching this guitar, come to find out…it looks very much like Bruce Springsteens guitar! I LOVED finding that out and it all clicked. Bruce was an acoustic player. You can bash and thrash on an acoustic guitar as it let’s your emotions out by strumming with force.
Electric is a whole different animal and likes to be tended to. I think I described the difference in another blog. You have to finesse an electric. Any “thrashing” or too strong of a hand grip on the finger board will screw with the intonation causing it to sound like ca ca!
This guitar has built in forgiveness. I don’t know why it does, but I understand why it’s Bruce’s favorite and now mine. I can be more physical with it and it still sounds amazing.
It’s yellow! Which is not my favorite color but I’ve learned to love that too! I see all it’s on purpose scratches and imperfections and kinda love it now…it’s weird. It grew on me. It’s like me! I’m marred, imperfect, distressed, rusted, un-centered and yet…it sings like a dream! It sounds amazing and clear! I would rather look like shit with a heart of gold, than be a bratty beauty queen…right? Ha ha!
I named it “Minion” because of the color (I love those little guys) and it’s going to “be my bitch” *laugh*! Stolen from a dear friend who used that saying while renting a huge pickup truck and driving it with all the zest she could muster! If I can have command of it, and yield it in such a way…it will indeed be my little minion. I need to find a little sticker to put on it…and why not, I don’t have to worry about scratching it. It’s already scratched, why not slap a sticker on it? LOL!
So…I come away with an instrument that has a story. We had a very successful time. We didn’t get to frolic too much at the ocean for very long, it was a quick trip with LOTS of driving. We had to return back to very hot weather and play a wedding. *pant pant*
While playing earlier in the month we had a very cool original set at a local place called the Sandbar (many of you know). Meghan joined us on her Cajon for the first set. The Cajon is a box drum she sits on and still manages to get a ton of tone out of that little thing. During the intermission she set up her full kit as she was coming from another show. (She’s working her tail off and plays for other musicians too!) There is usually the thing we musicians do when we first set up. I noodle a certain melody on the guitar, Mo does her little blues lick on her bass. Meghan does this little ditty on the full kit.
As I was speaking to the audience after the 5 Star Dive Bar song the subject of the cowbell came up. It’s a funny tone of the percussionist. I said, “Who could be sad when you hear the cow bell?” I offered up a challenge to write a sad song with cowbell as a joke. Meghan played her little ditty and hit the cowbell and both Mo and I said in unison, “Me so Sad”. It was hilarious at the time! Now when Meghan warms up and plays her little ditty, it’s like an inside joke that makes us all smile. “Me so Sad” is recorded so you can be on the inside with us!
It’s short and sweet!
I have many songs in my head friends! They will come out at some point I promise. You folks have been our through and through and we truly appreciate your all your love and support. Thank you so very much!
Enjoy the “little ditty”! Hope it makes you smile!
Niccole
