Shade no.1

ROSE 31

The Drum Off

"I've always dreamed of being the best!" - Jack

"I felt like Zeus on his wedding day" - Eric

Did he say the "ships" going down, or....

I was recently asked for the guitar chords to Shipwreck in a Bottle(if you don't know what that is...sigh* I'm glad you like our blog more than our music). I did a basic transcription of it in my reply, and realized that I would be making a pile of it(as the irish would say, I think) if I did not share the tab here(let's say McTablature). It coincides so nicely with... HAPPY SAINT PADDY'S DAY(more parentheses, are you the Inspector Gadget of literary devices?(go, go gadget hyperbole)))!


This would be inappropriate if I hadn't voted JFK.

Shipwreck in a Bottle

capo on the second fret
now, assuming that the capo is open

verse: (with variations)
---0------0--------0---------0-------------0
---0------0--------0---------1-------------3
---0------0--------0---------0-------0-----0
---5------7--------9---------2- 0h2---2--4
---7------9-------10---------3-------------5
---0------x--------x---------3-------------5

chorus:(strumming) - the notes in parentheses are included in the strumming of the chord as a variation.

--0------0-----
--1------1-----
--0------0-----
--2-(0)--0-----
--3------2-(3)--
--3------3-----

outro:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------0----------0---------0---------0---------0-------0--------0--------0--
----5---5-----5---5----7---7----7---7-----9--9----9---9--7---7---7---7
--7--------7----------9--------9--------10-------10-------4--------4--------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

then a strum/picking variation on the outro chord progression. Repeat as needed.

On a side note, my phone just alerted me that Jack posted a Blog. You can't get a peep out of us for months, and then we can't even coordinate a daily routine.... classic.

Eric

Listen till Deafness

I have a ringing in my ears.

It consists of high shrieks and long-lasting double mints. It doesn't end. It's constant. It stays. It's not comparable to the ringing of bells, or chimes. It's not a door calling to it's master. It's not swinging back and forth from a rope. It's not hand-held, in a pocket, or backpack. It's not a signal, nor does it accompany one to stop. It, itself, does not stop.

When silence enters, this sound escorts. There is nothing called silence. Unless of course that silence of the world is the same for you and I. I would hope that silence for you isn't similar, because it can be deafening.

Writers use this all the time... The "silence is deafening" routine. What a joke. My silence actually is deafening, damn it, and I'm not okay with that.

Well, for now I can be okay with it, because I'm listening to Brian Eno and his Zwinul/Lava. He makes the drone of the connecting white baton to green plate less. That never-ending plea to push the "off" button enticingly wrong.



Instead, I'll just listen to The Sound of Animals Fighting at 30db instead and become another deaf musician.



-Jack

p.s. cheers, you fellow persons of Irish decent...

Moving and Sleeping

March 1st, 2010
Drove straight out of Vegas... kind of. Had to get the van serviced first, and Eric opted to clean the rest of the house (5 hours). Packing the van and trailer, we began to realize that with everything, couches and piano included, we could still not fit our bikes. Went out to buy a Schwinn bike rack from Target and now resemble a camping trip vehicle.
Eric drove first, while I slept for his whole shift, having been up really late the night before for the first DontBelong.com radio show of 2010 (4am). Woke at 6am yesterday and completed all tasks. Monsieur Morelli began by driving for six straight hours, and then I took the wheel for an additional six. Stopped for gas four times and also for brunch in the middle of the Trinity Mountains (highly recommended and watch out for the bathroom attendant).
As I write, it's 10:20am and while it's raining constantly on I-5, we've driven 800 miles through the most of California starting at 7pm the previous night. This is the move to Portland, Oregon.

Since settling in, we've traipsed about in Ikea twice, encountered the coolest neighborhood pub in Sellwood, lent an ear at The Knife Shop, ridden our bikes everywhere, and I've even encountered a few fleas. Almost two weeks and counting...

Here's a clearer-than-day photo of our backyard in Sellwood.



-Jack

P.S. Fleas are some of the worst creatures... I don't care if they play bass well or not... oh.. wait... Your name is Michael Peter Balzary?

Wizard People, Dear Reader

These may be the funniest videos I have ever seen. I loved the Harry Potter series, and here, Brad Neely does a great job of bringing the movie that much closer to the books potential for God-like epicness(not a real word, and I don't recommend repeating it). Watch the whole film if you dare, dear reader, but be warned of wizards with wastelands of a face, and witches with candle stumps of a head. Wilickers!

Dali Olly Oxen Free

I saw this painting at the Met in NY with my friend Davis. He had told me about it the night before, saying that it was the best Dali he'd seen(to date). The picture above hardly does it justice, but it's not difficult to see why.

Whenever I look at a painting I try to appreciate all that an artist has given and gone through to produce it. The man led a pretty fantastical life. Consider this, though.

"Dalí produced over 1,500 paintings in his career, in addition to producing illustrations for books, lithographs, designs for theater sets and costumes, a great number of drawings, dozens of sculptures, and various other projects" biographybase.com

Seriously, Olly Olly Oxen Free! Come outside and play.

that's better

Caliche

We build this bridge from clay
and with it sank in to the sea
holding hands, we crossed together
you called it destiny

well, it got the best of me

your self fulfilling prophecy







photos by: Sean Gearing