Tweed

How do you do this? This whole getting’ old thing? I really don’t know what to say to friends of mine who are looking really old. You know, folks like me that you look at and start seeing some age on. Nontheless talented, you wanna say “ah dude, you ain’t gonna make it.” Hopefully, also like me, they’ve figgered that out by now and that these days the gig is worth a lot more than a million dollars. 200 fans screaming is worth a lot in terms of life-dollars…no matter how bad my hair looks!
Hey, if you think my dye job is bad, check out Harold Fineman lately. Hey dude! At least I didn’t get my shit from Dollar General! I paid full price, minus the coupon, at Food Lion for my Natural Instincts colorant (Tweed).
Only my damn hairdresser(me) and now y’all, knows fer sure.
Tell ya Momma and nem I said "How y'all durin'?"

deck party get down

thanks Carina!...I think!

Geniuses

Nice hair, Al!
I told my guys last night while making Rock History (hey! maybe we should call the next record that!? hmmmm….), “it sure is fun working with geniuses!” I have been super lucky to have worked with a bunch of’m. Roscoe, Dan and Keith are amazing to play with because everything they do musically comes so easy to them, absolutely pure and natural, the very definition of genius.They ALL oooze music. Roscoe is an amazing producer and guitar player, Dan is as solid a rhythm player as there is and can bust out a pretty melodic solo every now and then himself and Keith has the knack of always keeping you guessing where he’s going next. You’re always on the edge of your seat like a great movie but when he gets there and the movie ends, he’s always perfect…usually.
Last night was the first time Greg and Dave had heard some of the songs Jack, Jon and I had been working on and they brought out their genius hats too. Speaking of oozing music, Dave of course can play ANYTHING…and WELL! And Greg (Valedictorian of Pamlico High School ’98) showed me last night that he’s a lot more than just a purty face and a complete nut case. When he and Dave jumped into “Indy 500” with both feet all hell broke loose! They didn’t just kick it up a notch, they took it to the limit! (one more time, Eagles fans) The thing had already started pumpin’ last week when Jack laid down bass lines (that I hadn’t heard until last night, opting instead to take my Dad, wife and genius child, Nathan [more on him later] to the Mudcats game). But when (engineer extroidinaire) Jon told these guys to go…
“ONE, TWO THREE, FOUR!” I heard their first few measures and immediately started shaking and looking for something to hold on to. It was THAT amazing. You know that Steve Martin bit, “I can’t stop my leg!” ? That was me. The song went from pumping... to bumpin’... to THUMPIN’! I guess it was about 3 in the morning before my leg ever stopped. Oh, and I was in bed by 12, I just couldn’t get the thing outta my head.
I really loved Dave’s expression last night when he first heard the bridge. It was as close to “jaw dropping” as I’ve ever seen him. The song is pretty cool in that it seems as though it’s just gonna be another one of my clever (Steve Earle hates clever!) record company throw outs until you get to the bridge and the layers of vocals send you off into flower power world.
La la la la la la la la blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah!
(rockin’ ass Preston-esque clavinet…next 16) I also love these lines:
If you got paid for talkin’ you’d be Employee of the Year
I think you missed your callin’, you should’a been an auctioneer
So back to the other genius, Nathan. He’s been having to go to work with me since school let out back in June. Yesterday on the way into Raleigh he started coming up with political bumper stickers. It takes a 12 year old to think of this shit:
Barack Obama…win or lose…Either way, it’s an obamanation.
(abomination/Obama-nation was what he was reaching for)
And this:
Gimme M’Cain! (with a pictue of a walking cane..self explanitory)

I LOVE him!

Bob's big deck party, etc.

 

We all once again gathered to collectively commemorate Bob’s half century still in one piece, not killing himself or chopping off a toe or something with all the ignunt shit he’s done. It got all crazy up in the Carolina Ale House outside deck with just as many if not more of Bob’s friends than on Friday night at our show.

 

Hmmmm…I guess them old folks was saving themselves for Sat.night. Bob had his Ipod cranked into a PA and packed with tons’o my music, Stones, Rockpile and other great shit. Wait a minute…did I just say I was great? That’s a first. Sorry about that.

 

We wuz all dancing, spanking and drinking like it was…uh…dark again.
Good times. Good times.
Y’all ever bought Cardamom, the spice? That shit is HIGH HIGH HIGH! I got the cheap one today, small bottle, $10!!!! That shit better be good in my tofu curry tonight. Hell, at them prices I’m gonna start snortin’ it!
A month or so back my coffee started tastin’ like complete ASS! I just couldn’t figger it out. Grace was makin’ it and I wondered for about three or four days if she’d forgotten how. I bought different coffee. Same shit…ass. Cleaned out the coffee maker…ass. WHAT! The water? What was it? Then one day I poured in my half and half and noticed this green band around the carton. I put on my reading glasses to check it out up close and right personal-like. There was my answer right there, the worst seven letters strung together in the English language…FAT FREE! Mutha!...shut yo mouf! Hell naw! I poured it straight the hell out and have been very careful when buying the shit from then on. Any chef will tell you this FAT=FLAVOR! I mean, how is that gonna work.? It’s a substance made for human consumption that gets it’s flavor from the fat, and yet they take that out. So what is it gonna taste like…yes, thank you! ASS!The worst shit I put in my mouf since trying Miracle Whip that ONE time!
Be careful folks, I love you.

Zilla

 

thanks Carina!

Bobzilla five ohhhh....

I could feel that athletic “burn” early on in the show last night and then about halfway through I was loose as a goose and started feeling like my old self (watch it sucka!) when I used to ride my bike. I felt like I could go all night. Maybe there IS something to that “drummers are athletes” thing. I think the whole Team got a pretty good workout last night playing for Bob Davis’ 50th Birthday bash. Anyone in the audience could tell that we were really having a blast playing together in front of folks again. Granted, there should have been MORE folks but we understand you old folks. By the time you got off work and went to the Golden Corral early-bird special you were ready to just sit yo ass down and watch America’s Funniest Home Videos and nod off to sleep. Thass cool, we’ll do an early EARLY show for y’all later! How about 6pm?
The important people were there though, the Beals, the Carinas, the Wards, the Greshams, New York film critic (and now filmmaker) Godfrey Cheshire, our old manager Harry Simmons, bigtime soundman Cliff Atchison, radio station starter-upper Moose, tennis great Cecil Martin, radio host Mike Elliott and rockin’ Johnny, Robert Kirkland from Arrogance was there plus more friends that came in and ate cake
and another few more that just staggered in that we’d never seen before.
We had a few surprises up our sleeves too. At Greg’s request we worked up the old Fabulous Knobs hit “Please you no more” and that ended up not sucking and later on our friend Don Dixon (who I first went to Europe with) got up and sang David’s “Who let the Cat out of the bag” (video of this is on Carina’s MySpace page which you can get to through mine). Bunches of silliness and just downright full throttle, balls to the walls rockin’ made this one my favorite gigs in a long time
(of course we hadn’t played in a long time!). Big Daddy tore the ass end outta “I.O.U.” and like I say it was about that time that the burn was gone and I was ready for anything. At that point it really WAS as I called it last night, “child’s play”!
I also want to re-interate my PSA from last night. Ladies PLEASE take the 2 minutes it takes each week to give yourself a breast exam. In all seriousness, it’s very important that you stay aware of any changes that might occur. And men, PLEASE take the 10 minutes it takes each day to give yourself a prostate examination. There really is no telling what you’ll find. You too, stay aware!

rock drummers are great atheletes

Thanks to my friends from England, Phil and Lindy for sending this:
BBC
I sure have always felt better after rockin' out for a couple of hours straight...

sweet T's

Got me some pretty sweet V-neck (yeah..like Grandaddy wears) T-shirts over to the new Wal-Mart in Zebulon. Iknow, Iknow, before you get on me about shopping there and how I’m somehow supporting our surge into Iraq and instantly assume that I’ll be vying for four more years of bullshit, to that I say “naay”. But that’s another blog, for the sake of this here one, I’m talking about some mighty fine T-shirts. Whiter’n hell, and brand new right out of… well…the dryer. Wifey washed and dried’m first fer me before I put’m on. And once doing so, I realized that I had picked JUST the right size and they shrunk (it’s a word..look it up!) down to a perfect fit.
So Wifey gets home and I got supper waiting, marinara, pasta, fresh mozzarella, garlic bread (homemade…DUH! With about a pound of FRESH garlic on each slice!) and we sit down to eat. We have pleasant conversation, mostly about work and kids…”Nathan shows up today and asks Miss Ellen (who I’m helping to flip a house with) if she likes Jack Black and his movies “Yes”, Miss Ellen says, “and my favorite is “School of Rock”. Nathan got all excited and says “Well, guess what!? We BRUNG it!” It was about this time that I look down and DAMN! if I ain’t already got a microspec of wine on it! And then upon further review….more microscopic dots of marinara sauce….Mutha!!! (shut yo mouth!) Cain’t have NUTHIN’ purty!..and what did I spend on this bitch? $1.25? It was 5 for $5.50 so do the math!
...hell…I ain’t in no shape to….

fiddin' to be alright

If ya wanna know what an OakTeam practice (aka:prax) beez like: Well…I usually get there first (after Dave of course, who holds the key) and start setting up drums (after Dave has already set up his own big three: Kick, tom, floor tom), and once everyone is locked in and loaded for bear we jump into something really off base, say like last night, “Let me Roll it” (Wings), went into “Pleasant Valley Sunday” (Monkeys) went into “Sunday Dress” went into (a surprise!) which went into “Walk on Me” (Woods) that went into TWO ASS-KICKIN’ versions of The Replacements “IOU”.
“Y’all fiddin’ to kill an old man!” “Jack?” “Hell naw! ME!” Next we start up on “Mr. Busdriverman”, something I can handle. Outta that we do a flawless (well… until the ending) version of “Easy” (Commodors). JEEZ! When we gonna get to one of our songs, “Inez” gets a call, “Raindrops” next. Those are probably my two hardest, “Raindrops” is just in a weird key for me and “Inez” has a few tricky tempo moments for me whilst I am sangin’.
So another hour or so of that and you realize that you’re in shape enough to play (I should be, Hell I been bustin’ my ass at work like I was a damn 27 year old!) and it’s time to just get ya ass out there and get into it, as tight as we is?
It’s all gonna be alright. I’m REALLY looking forward to it!

finally! a show!

EARLY SHOW! EARLY SHOW!
We start at 10 and play 'till midnight..

...c'mon old folks! git ya asses down there and help us celebrate
our friend Bob Davis' 50th!

Burlington

Had a great time hanging out with The OakTeam (minus Jack who is off to camp with sick kids) last night in Burlington of all places. We went up to see the rookie league Burlington Royals play the Mets rookie league team. Since it WAS Thirsty Thursday, Greg, Paul and I would get a beer and then get in the back of the line and drink it while we made our way back up to the front to get another.
Standing there I ran into Les Paul and his lovely bride. No, not the guitar genius but the dude we called Le Paul back in The Fabulous Knobs days. Him and Twimey (Timmy) Williams were our first road crew and had to drive “The Big O” (our orange 20 foot box truck), haul in, set up and run our lights and big pink PA system every night. And he reminded me that they did it all for the low low price of $40 a show. Jeez! I felt bad and tried to hand him a few more bucks but we just laughed it off.
Them was the days, huh?

quick hits

"Rock history" (a term we use for recording, as in "making rock history") Monday night was a blast. It was only Jon and I so I laid down a new track, Indy 500. It's really the first kinda "hick" thing we've done but it's cool cause in the bridge it goes into this Jellyfish/early Stones wonderland for a few seconds. I had a great time stacking those vocals. It's pretty badass.
Still trying to get Keith down to work on his thing. It's all right here waiting on him, and still sounding great. Just need's that singer dude.
I'm told folks have been getting Dan's new one here:
dan's record

New Oakteam record..

So far so good...

National Champions (may be the title!? may not!)

Willie Mays
Had Me at Get Lost
Lost Your Number
Pow'ful Merka
About You
Is We or Ain’t We
Indy 500
Wrong for that
Feel Right Now
Goin' or Comin'


...so far, REAL damn good actually!

this guy's voice

when I die and go to Hell and come back..can I have this guy's voice?
Ronnie Lane

OMG! Our day in the studio...

today was UNbelievable...a day when everything clicked and I sang purty and we had good ideas and they ALL worked to perfection! It made me feel like this.
After I got home Grace brought home a big 'ol bag o' sushi and after THAT!... G, N and I watched "POOTIE TANG", Nathan's firt time.
And by the time it got told that "Pootie will kick yo ass so bad you can git it off on your taxes!" he was about to pee in his pants.
Take That "UNDERCOVER BROTHER"! (Formally his favorite movie!)

slowly but surely..

We’ve been making Rock history a lot lately, as much as possible really, one reason for the lack of blogs. Monday night Dave came over and played some rockin’ ass solos and I sang some tonight before the rains and lightning came forcing us to shut down. It’s hard to get everybody together for more than once or twice a week. Hell, if I can get the guys over for a little help, a couple of hours or so, every week I feel pretty good about the progress we’re making on the next record. It ain’t got a name yet but it sure has an attitude. I’m already feeling it could be our/my best thing yet. Now granted, Will Smith prolly said that about his latest movie “Hancock” which has been universally panned, but it’s hard to separate yourself emotionally from just about any project. Still, I think there are some real gems on here.
I had about a dozen or so songs ready for recording in the beginning but as things got pushed back I was tired of those myself and opted instead for newer ones. Hell, ain’t that the point? New music! New music! I need it too! If I’m already tired of something before I get a chance to record it, why bother? So long story longer, the next record ain’t fiddin’ to be like nothing you’d expect from me or us, not even close. You can’t even imagine, I can’t either, it’s just falling in my lap and I’m digging every minute of it. All I know is that every one of these songs is gonna sound like a million bucks turned wide ass open, each and every one of’m.

12 year old Nathan Anderson has made his daddy proud by really getting into The Rolling Stones record “Aftermath”. This was made possible by the inclusion of the song “Paint it Black” on his new Wii Guitar Hero game. But he ain’t making no points with Mom by walking around and singing the second song from that record, “Stupid Girl”.

I ain’t talking about the kinda clothes she wears
Look at that stupid girl
I ain’t talking about the way she combs her hair
Look at that stupid girl…
……she’s the worst thing in this world…
Look at that stupid girl

These are surely different times than then…and folks thought “College Girls” was bad!!

Fun Fourth!

 

We’re just now recovering from our weekend at the beach with our friends, The Herndons (Barry, Blair, Lily and Lucy) at their place in Atlantic Beach. They were a blast to hang around with and Barry himself gave me lots of help with the half gallon of tequila I brought down. We grilled salmon Friday the Fourth before watching fireworks from the upstairs deck explode around us. Saturday night Grace made tempura, always a treat. During the daylight we spent time with a little “hair of the dog” and getting burned slam up, fighting waves and flopping around in the ocean. They were gracious a plenty for having us down and we’ll love’m forever for it!

 

Roskilde '96

I love when this happens, folks sending me old pics of great memories. This time its Mark Wightman (I'm presuming from somewhere in Europe) sendin' in. This is probably my most favoritist gig of all time and I don't think present or past bandmembers would feel slighted by me saying this. There were about 10,000 people packed into this HUGE circus tent in Denmark, rockin' out like hell to The Yayhoos. I opened the show right by my lonesome singing "Jesus in the Alley" and as it ended Dan and 'Scoe started up the feedback, giving me just enough time to get back to the drums...rat.tat..tat..tat..tat..tat..tat..tat... into Dan's "Younger Face". It was a classic beginning to an awesome show, I must say. And by damn...DO say!
...if I say so myself!!



Hello Terry.

Have never emailled you before but enjoy reading yer whassup page. And got this address from the OAKT site.
Anyway. Was going through some old pics the other day and found some of the Yayhoos at Roskilde back in 96. One HELL of a fest! Dunno if you have any pics from that particular fest so thought I may as well send em to ya.
They didnt come out too bad. Especially considering that the stage was WAY high (when you're in the audience) and I was also rockin a bit myself.

 

 

 

 

he's back

 

Will's back from Ecuador and he had his best time yet. After a two day delay because the plane wouldn't pass inspection, they finally left Miami on Tuesday of last week. They got all of their work done though and had over 2000 people at their crusades both Friday and Saturday nights. The flight home was very late and bumpy but the kid who can sleep through anything never knew a thing about it until they landed.