Skip to main content

Organization Man

Hey Soul Mates,
I've spent the past week deconstructing and reconstructing my office space. It's actually an office and there's actually space. Amazing. I'm becoming addicted to a place called the Container Store. Thanks to the help of Star Hansen (see
Simplified Spaces), I'm getting hecka organized. Years of paperwork and lyrics filed into archives. The music collection actually looks like one, rather than a bunch of moving boxes filled with CDs. My basses are going to have a real home. It's like clearing clutter from your brain. You don't realize how much junk you own until a third party says, "Hey, what are you keeping that for?" I'm quite excited about it, because I'll be able to get back to writing music after this project is done.

While doing all of this cleaning however, I've been listening to two more very good new LPs that are out. The White Stripes doing more of their dirty blues on Icky Thump and Paul McCartney giving the people what they want on Memory Almost Full. I'm not as enamored of Icky Thump as I was of the Stripes previous barnburner Get Behind Me Satan, but it's compelling. Especially the last 5 numbers. On the other hand, Macca's MAF is superior to his previous disc Chaos and Creation. But both of these new CDs are highly recommended. This is shaping up to be the best year for new music of the decade. The Arctic Monkeys and Amy Winehouse are still in heavy rotation on my iPod. There are a lot of really good singles out there, too. I'm truly grooving to Justice's
D.A.N.C.E. Dig that video.

Back to work!
Love, Power, Peace

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins (Review)

I'm just in from the world premiere of Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins . WHRJ is the new comedy starring Martin Lawrence, directed by Malcolm Lee ( Roll Bounce ; Undercover Brother both underrated and well-worth your time) . It's the story of a Hollywood hotshot who takes his new fiancee and his son to his parents' 50 th wedding anniversary/family reunion. Mr. Lawrence as usual shows off his comedic genius. He has steadily become a sure bet in Hollywood. This time Lawrence is flanked by a cast of stars that at times threaten to steal the movie. Mike Epps (Reggie, a straight-up fool) and Mo'Nique (Betty) in particular shine in their roles as cousins to Lawrence's talk show king, RJ Stevens aka Roscoe Jenkins. The gift of gab runs deep in this family. Michael Clarke Duncan has never made me laugh so hard as Otis, Roscoe's unlikely little brother. Anytime the three of them were on screen the audience's laughter drowned out the dialogue. Watch for the softba...

Murderous Haircut of the Mayor of Bel Air - Book Review

“The Murderous Haircut of the Mayor of Bel Air” is a trippy new mystery novel from Phillip Mottaz. It captures the grit and gilt of the City of Angels with the flair of a contemporary Raymond Chandler. The brisk pace and wit are reminiscent of Douglas Adams’s entries in the detective game. Flourishes of  Fletch  and “Medium” also spring to mind. However, Mottaz has added a psychic/mutant/superhuman touch and his own comedic voice, structure and internal monologues to the proceedings that help the author announce his own style and the arrival of a literary heroine for a new generation. Hairstylist and budding private investigator, Danica Luman is the perfect character to convey the irony, angst and sarcasm needed to tell a 21st century L.A. crime story. Danica also represents anyone who thought it would be neat to get tangled up in a mystery and the darkly comic cautionary tale that follows. The genre is recognizable, but Mottaz offers a fresh take on the not-ready-for-prime-ti...

Rush Hour Soul Returns

Hey Soulmates, been some time, but many of you on Facebook have already seen that Rush Hour Soul is back. I am very excited that while we are looking back at the 15th anniversary of our 2006 UK tour, there are things happening behind the scenes for 2021. For those unfamiliar, Rush Hour Soul is a trio with myself on bass and lead vocals. We were a part of the Indie/Powerpop scene in Los Angeles from 2004-2008, although our style was heavily informed by the Rolling Stones, Chic, ABC, and Sam & Dave. Funkier than our peers.  The well-known venues Rush Hour Soul played around Los Angeles included The El Rey, B.B. King's Blues Club and The Hard Rock Cafe. Our travels in Britain took us to Sheffield, Liverpool, York and back to London. There was a four day detour to Monnow Valley Studios in Wales where recorded in the old manor house. We shot a music video in London, as well. 2006 was a magical summer for the band. In 2008, the project was rechristened as a solo recording under my n...