ouch!

I just fell right off the damn wagon and straight down on my ass! Thass cool, I was startin' to feel crazy, like I didn't know what to do with myself. Got a good bottle of old vine Zinfindel and ahhhh...like going home again ....it's my Ritalin (zat how ya spell it?).
All I know is y'all better not put no damn NASCAR flag over my damn coffin when I go. I will jump outta that bitch and beat the first person I see. My wife just went to a funeral for a really young co-worker and #2 (don't go there!) was his "man". Whoever #2 is.. I personally love everybody in this world, but I gotta stick NASCAR in the same unmotorized boat as Hockey and float'm both out in the middle of the ocean. Gimme a break, and to put a flag like that on somebody's coffin... is that all his life was worth?
I mean, I wouldn't even put a Carolina Tarheel flag on MY coffin....well... maybe if it was another Championship year!













whassupTA

all day sucka!

I just flew in from mastering the record for the second and hopefully the last time and boy are my ears tired! Through some miscommunication, not of my doing nor will I point a (middle) finger at anyone else, it was quite the long day. I was told to be there at 10am, which being like my Dad, I was there 15 minutes early only to be told that MY session was at 1pm. Ok.. thass cool, I'll visit my friend and friend of the Yayhoos, Miss Jackie Dering who moved down to NC from NYC a few years back and has opened her own upscale pet boutique. I'll come back later. 1pm- "he had to pick up some equipment and should be right back" 4pm- (and 6 magazines later)-Work begins and Brent (who is THE man and worth the wait!) is pleased with the remixes. 7pm- I'm headed home, Cd's in hand.
So the record is finally FINALLY done! After 3 years of chasing the studio around the Triangle, after waiting months to get back in while someone else is using it, after mixing songs with drums and then without drums and then with drums again (Raindrops), after throwing away 6 songs and recording 5 more, after calling in favors from famous other guest artists, after recording car horns, after singing songs 20 times (Raindrops), after screaming at dogs to be quiet, after laughing till we cry, after working all day-recording all night-days in a row, after driving to Cary 8 times to mix, after recording loud as hell on Sunday mornings and during Saturday afternoon barbeques, after countless bottles of wine and countless guitar players, after 3 three years later from the time the drunken statement was made.... "Hey y'all! let's make another record!.. it's finally Done!
.......I hope........AAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!










whassupTA

T-Bay

I'm putting together a new page for the website that should get up this week called T-Bay. On it will be stuff of interest for the TA fan to buy. Most notably, the hat I wore (and have never worn since) on the cover of the second record "What Else Can Go Right" and a link to buy the 2 pick-up red Jerry Jones guitar that I had strung in a 5 string open G tuning for that record.
Well, I have my instructions and I'm off to Carboro this morning to finish tweeking the mastering for the OakTeam record. Hope Brent likes the remixes. When I get back I gotta start putting the sequencing together for the bonus companion CD that comes with. It's full of songs that didn't make it, my demo versions of the songs and samples and outtakes lifted from the recordings. Some crazy stuff on there!














whassupTA

another live CD?

Just got an Email from Dave Schmitt, who we did the benefit for this past Saturday night, and he sez that he recorded our set, which I assume he means the 2 encores also. If it's as good as I remember that could mean OakTeam Live 2! Cool!
I know one thing, after looking at the pictures from this weekend I gotta get my fat ass back on the wagon AND back on the exersize bike. A lot of people don't know this but I was doing the low-carb thing back in '97 before it got cool. I had too. I had a cough that wouldn't go away. It was scary too cuz there was a mass on the ex-rays. The doctor gave me antibiotics and it would clear up for a week, then come back. So I went to a hippie doctor who said that he thought I had a yeast infection in my lungs and to get rid of it I had to go on a total non-white diet, change my whole way of eating. No sugars, because sugar fed the yeast. After a month, I had lost 30 pounds. Most of it was from not drinking 12 beers every night (Obviously this happened AFTER the cover of the second record was shot!). A couple of months later I had lost a total of 50 pounds and I was getting that Karen Carpenter look so I decided to back off the low-carb thing for a while and allow myself a glass or 2 of wine now and then, a little bread, etc. Before you know it, it turns into a glass or 6 of wine and plate of clam-getti and not being able to get into those size 30 jeans. So I gotta turn it back around, before I become Travis Tritt (from the second record cover) again. First step is the hardest, not drinking. I know I can do this week but it'll be hard over the 4th of July weekend. I'll have to have at least one day to "re-tox" (thanks for that word, Carina!).
Good luck to my Carolina boys tonight in NBA draft!



















whassupTA

progress

We got back in the studio yesterday (yep, had to work on Sunday) and fixed the tweeky little high end problems we had with the record. This thing is gonna rock like hell now! Should get back in Brent's masterin' lab on Friday to once and for all be done with the audio part of the record. Next comes finishing the cover and getting it to the people. Hopefully by late August. Oakteam pow-wow tommorrow night to discuss all the above and especially about playing some gigs somewhere BESIDES NC!
Talked to Big Al yesterday. He keeps threatening to come down here to make a record wif us. I told him he was scared. Who knows, he might suprise us one day. He's sick of country music and who the hell ain't! I called to tell him a joke but once again he finished the punchline for me. Is there one he hasn't heard?
Random sign of the weekend, seen at Southpoint Mall in Durham. "Speed Limit- 19" Nineteen? huh?



whassupTA

Wild Weekend

Oakteam guitarist, Scotty Miller wasn't able to make the gigs this weekend and for simplicity sake probably won't join us on out of town gigs either. While we miss his blistering leads and slide playing (and him personally as he's always a welcome sight to see and hear!), it also gives us the opportunity to try different things as a 4 piece. And it occurred to me last night on the stage of the Cat's Cradle how much this version resembles NRBQ. I try my damnedest to lay down a groove like Tommy, Jack sings like Joey, Greg's parts are getting closer to sounding like Terry every gig and then there's Big Daddy Dave, who's name not only resembles BIG Al's but is also about as imposing a figure on stage. And like the Q, we get a little outta control sometimes only to land with our feet on the ground, in time and perfectly together.
This weekend was a blast. Both gigs, in the words of Big Daddy "ROCKED LIKE ASS!" It was great having my son Will with me, helping out and putting out his usual good vibe. My wife was not only looking good last night, she also helped a bunch with the shirt and CD sales. Also, thanks so much to the crowds both nights. We felt the love!
Well, unfortunate news on the OakTeam record, but it will hopefully only mean a week delay in the process. We've been asked by Brent, masterin' dude, to fix a couple of things in the mix that will help the overall balance and sonic quality of the record. It'll only kick your ass more, so be patient!
Believe me, the fact that you can't have it yet is killing us too!
whassupTA

Help! I'm having too much fun!

Are you kidding me? We did about an hour and then 2 encores at the Cat's Cradle tonight. That's just way too much fun for a man of my advanced age!
The crowd loved my new Tarheel guitar with the ram painted on it. (Chapel Hill, why wouldn't they?). I'm feelin' a little more comfortable on guitar these days. Big Daddy is a hell of a drummer on those tunes which makes it much easier. He plays "37 miles" better than I would, even if I didn't have to sing it. Just a great great show tonight and really about as much fun as you can have playing music, period! Hopefully, we raised a little doe (not a deer!) for Dave's dental bill. The place was about half full and I think it holds about 4 or 5 hundred. Plus, we're gonna give him some of our merch sales cuz...well he DID record the live CD for us (that we sold bunches of tonight)!
After our set we got to see Southern Culture on the Skids again. Man, those guys are great! Rick sez, "ya know, the toothbrush was invented in West Virginia, cuz if it had been invented any where else it would be called the teethbrush!" He was also tellin' about a bellydancin' record called "Navel Observatory". Sick!
Y'all needs to git out more!

oakteam vs. kung fu dykes

Ok, y'all get this picture...a hick version of Dave Edmunds opening up for The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers band. That's what you got last night at King's Barcade in Raleigh. I ain't never seen nothin' like it! The Kung Fu Dykes provide their own brand of techno-metal all clad in neon Japanese battle gear accentuated by blacklight and smoke machine. They played along to a CD which told a hilariously stupid story of girl on girl dominance. If that sounds like something you need, go check'm out!
The OakTeam on the other hand was on FI-YA! Big Daddy Dave played his ass off, and Greg was jazz in the best kinda way! Jack and I layed down our groove as solid as ever, maybe better than ever! It was one of those shows that I wished had been on an HBO special or something, sorry y'all missed us...and The Kung Fu Dykes!
Ya got another chance tonight tho' at The Cat's Cradle w/ Southern Culture on the Skids. We'll start a little after 9... or whatever they change it to when we get there!


whassupTA

word on the street

Word is that the OAKTeam is playing 2 gigs this weekend. First one, tonight at King's with The Kung Fu Dykes (who?). We'll start about 11 and try to cram as many songs into a one hour set as we can, my guess would be about 17. Tommorrow night at the Cradle we will participate in Dave Aid. Our friend Devo Dave Schmitt, who used to be the soundman for the Fabulous Knobs and who has gone on to bigger and better things, needs work done on his last tooth so we're all (S.C.O.T.S., Snatches of Pink...) pitchin' in to do a benefit for it. Hope y'all can make it. We start somewhere around 9 and will do our one hour throw down...those who dare will start later.


whassupTA

Keith and the Army men

Did I ever tell y'all the story of Keith Christopher and the Army men? Well, on one of his trips to Europe with Dan, Keith wanted to go out with the boys and have a few the night before leaving. So he asked then girlfriend, (we'll call her) Leah to stay home and pack his bags for him. Keith pulled an all nighter and walked in just in time to grab the bag and give her a peck on the cheek before rushing out the door again and off to the airport. When he get's to Europe he opens the bag....6 pair of tube socks and a bag of toy Army men!





















whassupTA

back to the grind

I won't bore you with the details but I'm back to the day gig. The highlight of the day was the OakTeam practice tonight. Blistered throught the first 8 songs without a breath. Big Daddy Dave worked us hard tonight!
Jack sez he's off work for 21 days in August and we should take a little trip and maybe play some gigs outta town. Hell! I'll do it!
Y'all want us to come play for ya? Let me know....
See ya'll at King's Friday night!











whassupTA

Thanks again!

Once again I'd like to thank a few folks for allowing me to have such a great time in NYC this past week:
First of all my wife and kids for lettin' me go. Second, Roscoe and Mary Lee for all of their hospitality, letting me invade their space for 7 days. All of the Yayhoos for working so hard on the record (especially Keith! ha! ha!..no really..he was there when we needed him). Timbo and Grego for a great jobs of engineering respectively. Everybody that showed up from outta town to the gig last night, yeah you! North Carolina boys and crazy Connecticutans! Also, the folks that left the Ringo show to catch ours, those who bought CD's, those who bought me drinks, those who helped with the load out, those who took the time to introduce themselves and say how much they enjoyed it, the pilots that got us up there and back, the academy, Jesus and every damn body else! You know who you are! Let's do it again sometime!













whassupTA

Lakeside

The gig tonight rocked like ass..and especially for 4 old men who hadn't really played together for ohhh... a year and a half! Funny how much we remembered. Of course, we did do a (very) quick run through of the set before we left the studio. All of our time this week has been spent on making this record for the people. We (honestly) didn't think about the gig until almost 6pm tonight. In fact, we started cutting the rocker, "What you Fiddina do?", Dan and I wrote 2 days ago at 3pm today. It was done by 5. Overdubs and everything.
But back to the gig... I sold all of the live Cd's I had with me plus 2 I gotta send later and 2 of "I'll Drink to That!" Someone even bought my first one! Damn! I thought everybody had that! I needed the money too cuz I only brought a couple of hundred dollars with me for the week and I forgot about cabs and shit. So thanks a lot y'all!

Here's what the set looked like (from memory):
Comes to me naturally (NRBQ)
What are we waiting for
Monkey with a gun
Oh Chicago
All dressed up (new)
Where's your boyfriend at? (new)
Cryin' out loud
Bottle and a Bible
(Neil Young song I didn't know)
Love train
Killin' down in Dillon
Baby I love you
Little Bit
Gettin' drunk (new)
Roam

encore: The Way you do Anything (Yayhoos theme-new)

I think the people got what they paid for!
(of course, it was free to get in)

It's been a fun trip, but I'm looking forward to gettin' back and hangin' wid my homies! Back to God's country tommorrow!









whassupTA

Sunday-NYC

We gave Keith the day off from recording yesterday. Roscoe and I layed down some sick Beach Boy harmonies on "Hurtin' Thing".
'Scoe had a another song he was calling "Between You and Me" that needed some lyrics. He handed the pencil and pad to Dan and me and an hour later he was in there singing'm. I gotta admit they don't suck either.
Got back to Roscoe's place and his wife, Mary Lee had dinner planned, grilled scallops and salad. It was awesome. Had a few glasses of wine while we ate and watched "Apocalypse Now- Redux". ML and I felt like getting out so we went down to the Lakeside for a couple margaritas. The band was doing a bunch of B-side covers and finished with Alice Cooper's "Eighteen". Don't remember much after that.
Well, it's back to the studio and we're gonna take a stab at another rocker, should be fun. That's about it. Oh! there is the matter of a little Yayhoos gig tonight!
Happy Father's Day, Dad! I love you! See you soon.












whassupTA

sleeping beauty

I was about to walk out of the door of Roscoe's lower eastside digs when the FedEx lady climbs the 3 flights of stairs and hands me the mastered version of the new OakTeam record. Can't wait for y'all to hear this! You've been needing a new dance record for a long time!
So we get to the studio at the usual 12:30 after a one stop ride on the subway over to Brooklyn. Our hero, Keith shows up looking well rested and ready to go 30 minutes later. We start getting busy fixing background vocals and various guitar parts. Keith stretches out for a little lay-me-down. Hours go by, we're talking and playing guitars loud as hell, then the snorring kicks in. Around 6pm or so and he's back on his feet. I say "Well hey Keith! ya ready to rock?"
"Aw man, I gotta go, I gotta gig tonight!" Our hero!















whassupTA

Yayhoos update

As I eagerly await the arrival of FedEx with a copy of the newly mastered OakTeam record, here's a quick update on what's happening in Brooklyn.
Got to Cowboy Technical Services with Dan and Keith about 12:30pm. Roscoe had gotten up earlier (about 7) and rode his bike with some friends up to the NJ border. He did a total of 52 miles before meeting us there and getting to work. We listened to one of the tracks "Hurtin' Thing" and decided that it was already brilliant and that we DIDN'T need to re-record it. Dan added another guitar part and we let that one sit for a while. Next on the list was Keith's song, "Over the Top". What's special about this one? Ray Charles actually did a demo of it, so we figgered if it was good enough for him it was good enough for the damn Yayhoos! It's a great song so we spent the rest of the day getting a good vocal on it. Dan and I spent our time writting another rocker.












whassupTA

NYC-day 2

Woke up with my sides still hurting from hanging out with Keith last night. He's one of the few folks in the world that can keep me in stitches. We'd played the game of "Oops! did I say that out loud?", which is always a lot of fun. Today should be more of the same. We got one song, "Would it kill you" done yesterday which was a good start. We're gonna be a bit more ambitious today, trying for two.
Dan HAS informed me that he won't be needing me in Europe in August afterall, which is disappointing but at the same time it was bad timing for me to leave anyway as we're trying like hell to get this OAKTeam record together and out. Jack is mastering the thing as we speak. Well Dan just called and we're meeting at the subway station in 45 minutes so I better get my ass in gear.






whassupTA

day of ironies

As the recording continued through the day we realized that there were a number of ironies happening. We were just talking about Kenny Wayne Sheppard when Keith's friend, Sam, drummer from the days when Keith played with Kenny, just happened to call. Then we were talking about 2 other people when one of us got an Email invite to their wedding! Then I went with Keith over to our freind Jackboy's house and as I was taking a leak noticed that his broken shower knob (the cold one on the right) was the same one that broke THIS morning at Roscoe's house!...Then! We started drinking which had JUST happened the day before! Jeeez!







whassupTA

NYC

Busy day ahead. The Yayhoos will converge in Brooklyn's Williamsburg section to continue working and hopefully finish (well, not today of course!) the new record. "Downbeat" is at 12:30 est. Looking forward to lunch, actually. The Polish deli down the street makes an amazing seafood salad, full of (real)lobster, jumbo shrimp and crabmeat and all for cheap! Also, looking forward to hanging and playing with our hero, Keith Christopher!








whassupTA

"ButterHead" news-off to NYC

Jack and I have finally decided on the order of the new OAKTeam record and I am trusting him and Jonathan (the engineer) with mastering duties on Thursday. Brent Lambert is a busy man and if we didn't do it this week there would have been many more weeks to wait. I'm pretty happy with the mixes and Brent can damn sure make'm rock. So here ya go the order is as follows:

Can't get the one you want
You know me (co-write w/ Big Al)
Sunday Dress
Hi n' Dry
Raindrops
Purple GTO
$100 a week
Inez
Feel a drunk comin' on
Gityoassupda Road
Check Please
Thunderbird
Rehab
Found Missin'

So there ya go, ya heard it here first. Oh! I forgot to tell ya about the bonus CD with five extra new songs and other fun outtakes and stuff! I'll get to that later, I ain't even started packin' and I'm out the door in a few hours to go make more Rock history with The Yayhoos. "Put the Hammer Down"!! See y'all in NYC!!











whassupTA

on the road again

speaking of Willie y'all sing along now:

On the road again, outside my front door and it's 7am
They're laying asphalt, and they really ain't my friends
Can't believe they're working on the road again.


















whassupTA

Willie Dylan

Oh my god!, I just got back from the Willie Nelson/ Bob Dylan throwdown. Awesome (x 50)! Willie was so cool. I'm totally down with him now. I love "Poncho and Lefty" and "You were always on my mind" made me miss the hell outta Elvis! I can't believe the hole that he's worn in that guitar of his, and he was only a little bit outta time all night.
Bob's band was greasier than Waffle House, and he sang in pitch all night believe it or not. I loved the "Hot Tuna" treatment of "Highway 61". He did the shit outta "New Morning". But the highlight for me was the blatant Jimi Hendrix version of "All along the Watchtower". Rocked like ASS! Kinda made me feel really insignificant. Hats off to the openers, The Green Cards, tasteful masterbatory bluegrass. The cutie on bass gave my son her autogragh and made his day! One of their songs sounded like "Battleship Chains" Hmmm....











whassupTA

willie wieners and dylan dogs

Don't feel so very good alot today after a bottle of wine and more than a few shots of tequila. But not to worry, I know I'm gonna feel better later. Got some friends stoppin' by for some beans and wienies before we all head out to the local double A baseball field to check out Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan. I can't believe that they are playing this close to me. It's only like, 8 miles or something. Taking the kids, should be fun. Speaking of the kids, I took Will out for his first drive yesterday. It was bit nerve-racking, but we got home in one piece. I'm gonna need some Valium next time!







whassupTA

all dressed up

Posted by Hello

whassupTA

Now I understand what my dentist meant when he said he's sometimes sore the next day. Being one to not lay in bed all day, I woke up at 8am, even after a long night of pulling teeth all night at The Pour House. The Olympic Ass-Kickin' Team lived up to they're name though, in every way! By all accounts, it WAS an ass kickin'! Wish you would'a been there, hell!...I wish ANYBODY would'a been there. So frustrating when a great show falls on deaf ears. It's kinda like....well...pulling teeth.













whassupTA

whassupTA

Nice timing on the roadwork outside my front door this morning! 7AM!! Gimmie break guys, don't you know I gotta gig tonight! With the walkie-talkies, steamrollers, bulldozers and all dat. Ouch!! Had a bit of a hangover, too, which didn't help (Damn you, Ian MacLagan! I didn't used to drink beer, now you got me on the damn Guiness!)
Anyhoo...fell back to sleep (hard!) and feel fine now, show should rock like ass tonight! I'm gonna play guitar on a few songs and let Big Daddy Dave play drums. (hell, he's better'n ME!) Look out for a preview of the new Yayhoos record, I'm gonna play "All Dressed Up" (which is one of my favorite newer tunes) from that record. Also, I'll pull out my new "tarheel" guitar for "37miles in reverse" Got a full day of shit to do first, including taking my son to get his driver's permit! Word.



















whassupTA

today in Bunn

I'm really exited about something, I'm not sure what....but I just can't wait!! ..............Oh yeah, It's the new record.."Butterhead" It's being mastered next week and I think y'all are gonna dig it!~I'm going to NYC to finish the Yayhoos record and leaving everything to Jack and Jonathan (Mr. geniusman engineer on "Butterhead") So what I hear is what I get! ...and what you get! It's been a long time since y'all have had a record worf a shit to listen to... won't be long now!

T