Blue Skies West Coast Summer Tour 2009, Day 1-1/2: The Aroma of Wisdom . . . at 108 degrees.

Fled the hottest of Bridgetown days at 70 mph. Easily the nakedest van ride ever undertaken by the Blue Skies crew.










Fell asleep dreaming of Squidbillies but getting the Venture Bros. On our left, the Pacific Coast Trail support team with their magic marker van just outside. On our right, a traveling, vagabond nurse.

The temperature drops every southern mile we take. Interspersed is our NorCal Impromptu Rest Stop Concert series. Sacramento means a beeline to Old Town with candy shops and bubblegum singles.

Funny how the weeklies always talk about how we’re NOT emo. Yes, we’ve heard that, too. They steal the mostest beardiest shot. Cool.

Tonight is the Blue Lamp in Sacramento, and the arrival of The Parties.

By the way, we all like us a kookaburra, too . . . but stop fucking with Men At Work you heartless pricks.

Let's Drink to Old Friends

The Exploding Hearts...What can I say....it's now been six years and the pain is a little less sharp, but it's certainly no easier. I thought I would be able to push it back, but every year, the same thing happens; I try to forget only to be overcome by the sadness. Later today, the sadness will give away to a feeling of resolve....I must push forward. I must keep on the path. I will head into the studio and keep working. I will keep making the music that I think the world should hear. I will keep making music that I need to hear and I believe the world needs possibly even more than I do. If the accident brought one positive change to my life, it is the desire to never waste a moment while I'm here. Producing and engineering Guitar Romantic as well as the singles and the sessions that became the outtake record, Shattered....they have been highlights in my life. Jeremy, Matt and Adam; I miss you. Terry and Louie, I'm so proud that you guys have kept the train on the tracks and rolling through the darkness. You both continue to make beautiful rock and roll.

I wrote a song yesterday for my old friends. I imagine it might make a great last song on Blue Skies' next record.

So come on down
It's been far too long
Let's get together
Let's put that old record on
Let's drink to old friends
Let's drink to old friends
I'll always miss you

more breaking glass...

Well, as you can clearly see, or perhaps not so clearly, the band spent a portion of last evening drinking beer out of glass bottles, so we could then shatter them in our makeshift "foley" pit. It went great and we had a blast doing it! Sometimes, recording can be a bit slow, or redundant, but breaking glass and recording it for posterity sure breathes new life into the routine.

Breaking Glass