Where is my mind tough gal? Huh?

Felsen played this past weekend in Sacramento at the Fox and Goose Pub.  This was our 4th time there in the past 4.5 years.  It's a great little spot and they've recently sunk a bunch of money into improvements, including an upgrade to the sound system.  We've always have a great time in Sacto and each time vow to return again and soon.  The gig was put together by my pal Gabe Nelson.  Payback perhaps for us putting his fabulous new band Bellygunner on a show at the 50 Mason in SF this past Thanksgiving weekend. I've known Gabe for about 7 years now, in fact he plays bass on our Felsen Loves You EP. With Bellygunner, Gabe really gets to show his vast talents as he fronts the band, plays guitar (damn he's really good) writes the tunes and sings the lead parts.  On top of this he's very smooth and easy and relaxed and charming out in front of a band. It makes me really happy to see him up there doing his thing and sharing all these great, catchy tunes with an audience. So...we were thrilled to do this show with Bellygunner and happy to return again to the F&G.

I drove up early in the afternoon to do a live radio show at Twirl Radio in Sacramento.  Twirl is hosted by Mike Lidskin who has been a huge supporter of Felsen over the past few years.  His show is devoted to local homegrown Indie music and he's given tons of musicians airtime over his 15 years in the biz.  Twirl has been an internet only radio show, but will soon be a regular old fashioned Sacramento terrestrial radio program that you can listen to in the car or in the kitchen making dinner. Mike is very excited about this, mainly I think because he'll get to introduce more people to the music that he loves.  This here folks, is a rock and roll true believer.  Twirl honored Felsen with 2013 album of the year and Saturday I got to go on air, play a few tunes and talk it up and of course pimp our upcoming gigs.  I played a few from the new album and sang an oldie "Like Water Fit For Babies".

The original plan for the radio show was for me and Dara to drive up early and do the show Felsen duo style, but she's been sick.  Possibly pneumonia with a side of Laryngitis--that's an awful combo for a singer. Poor thing really wanted to do both shows.  I was getting status updates the days leading up to the show, each one grimmer than the last.  Saturday morning I told her to stay home, get some rest and not to worry about the gigs.  I drove up by myself, leaving straight from my Saturday job--teaching drum lessons at Music Time Academy in Livermore, CA.  (BTW: There is no greater joy than teaching 10 y.o.'s to play ACDC and Beatles on the drums!)   I did the radio show and then got a text from Dara saying she was on Amtrack heading for Sacto--she's gonna do the gig by hook and crook (as they say in India). Is that dedication to the art form or is that just plain crazy?? You decide.  Her voice sounded beat up when she arrived.  But come show time, miraculously she sang great, worked the crowd and danced like a dervish. That's Tuff.

The show at the Fox and Goose was a fun one.  The night started with The Seshen who were incredible.  This was my first time hearing them and they killed it.  Big band, lots of percussion, samples, etc...great vocals and really tight rhythm section.  A+ kids.  A+.   They had an R&B dance vibe.  Very fun stuff that got the room really grooving.  Up next was Bellygunner, the lone local Sacramento band, who brought out a great crowd and kept the energy flowing with their songs and full on charm attack.  Felsen did our thing.  Going on last and being an out-of-town band was a little tough as the room thinned out a bit before we got a chance to start, but we held a goodly number of people and put on a pretty high energy show.  I climbed on tables and chairs, sat in peoples laps, interrupted conversations, got up in grills, my usual brand of irritainment.  I used Gabe's amp and have officially learned this lesson for the 47th and final time--use my own amp.  It always throws me for a loop no matter how nice the other guy's amp was (and it was a beauty). I have such a narrow little guitar path I can travel, anything unfamiliar rattles my cage and knocks me off guard.  Couldn't get my bearings. My mojo was limping a bit.  We rallied though and gave it our all. Triumph of the will.

The musical high point for me was our closing number, a cover of the Pixies classic tune, Where is My Mind.  I've always loved this tune.  I was on tour a few weeks ago, playing drums with Dara's project and we had some time to kill post gig and we all stayed up late watching Fight Club. I feel asleep. Where is my mind plays in the final scene of the movie (go back and watch it) and it woke me up. A great song does that to me.  I have a few songs that have woken me up and I have a really strong relationship or association with those tunes.  Your mind is clear and extra receptive in those times and a great song can cut right into your core and leave a permanent mark.  What a creepy, sad and scary scene in the movie that is.  Buildings are being blown up and are collapsing. The movie was pre 9-11. Wow.  Prophetic? Somehow that song really hit me and I had to learn it and play it with Felsen.  Gabe joined us on guitar.  Ooh and that creepy Kim Deal backing vocal sung by our very own backing vocalist tough gal.  Something came unhinged in me when I was singing that.  Where is my mind? Your problems--are they real or is it all in your head.  Get out of your own way.  You're either busy living or your busy dying.  That was a beautiful, powerful moment for me. Thank you rock and roll Gods for somehow sparing me yet another day and allowing that one to happen.  Trust me, I needed it.

Next Felsen show:  Wed Feb 26 at the Night Light in Oakland.  

Greetings From the Ghost of Heavy Metal Rock and Roll...

Hi.  

How are you?

press play and then come back and read me.  

Did you know this song was a letter to you from me, the ghost of heavy metal rock and roll. Kinda corny right?  Well that's how I feel about myself. Sometimes I feel like an apparition, a ghost in your head...  it's getting lonely here at rock and roll inc. as there's not many of us left. Most have fled, or died or moved to the suburbs, retired from the biz, so to speak. God knows, I couldn't blame them.  A more turbulent, screwed up line of work you'll be hard pressed to find. This isn't for the faint of heart. You gotta want it.  Most days, I still do.  

Anyhoo...I was thinking about you the other day, remembering olden times from centuries come and gone and I wanted to reach out and see how you're getting along now and low and behold, out fell this song. It's just for the two of us, but then again maybe there's some universality to it also.  I wanted to say come back to rock and roll old friends, we're here for you.  Do you remember rock and roll--c'mon man.  We were the best of friends!  Do you remember being a teenager and feeling so much despair and then getting an embrace from your favorite Clash song, or the Replacements or U2 or Violent Femmes or the Smiths and feeling somehow renewed--ok just enough to not give up all hope and fall into the very heart of the heart of darkness.  We here at rock and roll inc haven't abandoned you, nor will we ever! so yeah, that's the universal part.  And then there's the very personal, the me+you part is as such written "I'm here to show you love, like when we were younger, you swept me under, we were the best of friends." So, that dear old friend is for you.  You can have that. You're welcome.  You can stow that one away putting it in the box in your closet and please from time to time do unearth it when you are an old, old woman and show it to your great grandchildren.  "I had a friend once, a long, long time ago..."  and finally, there's a line about our departed mothers "Do you realize with your mothers prayers tonight, you're still alive. Know i'll be here til the end of time."  a huh.  Nodding head with vigor and some sentimentality indeed.  That's your prayer at bedtime, your daily affirmation dear old friend.

singing off for now.  

your friend til the end,

Felsen.

ps.  hey i've got a gig you should come by.  it'll be fun.  like old times.