Big Hand Dave

Last night was a really fun practice. The previous practice was all serious, as we were recording, and the one before that was all serious, as we were rehearsing to record, but last night was just for fun. We need one of those once in a while. It was great.

We did some fine-tuning on a couple of songs and some key changes on a couple. These guys amaze me, with their picking around the scale, chatting back and forth, is it a sharp? Is it a flat? Take it up a half step, no an octave down. What fret should I put the capo on? Musicians who really know what they’re doing amaze me and they’re fun to watch.

We started out the night with “Gloria” which is one of my favorites. I really like that song and we nailed it. Next we did a wholesale revision on the direction we were going with “Tainted Love.” Rodney swears it wasn’t him, but somehow the programming for Dave’s electronic drums kept getting messed up. Dave threatened to go back to his acoustic set, which promptly scared the hell out of us and Rodney behaved. We scrapped the synth drum program we had been using and decided to simply play it straight. It was PJ’s idea and I have to admit he was right. Now we’re all on the same page for that song and it sounds great. Next we played “These Boots Were Made For Walking” and for not having played it in a while, it sounded really good.

Next we moved on to “Dancing In The Moonlight.” I have to tell a little story here. Dave claims final veto on songs that he deems overly ‘gay.’ If a song is too cheesy, too poppy, too syrupy sweet, or if he doesn’t like the band, it’s ‘gay’ and unfit for us to play. So I asked him how this song possibly got past his gay filter. “Because I like it.” He said simply. So there you have it. In any case, we do a really good job on this one. It has a sweet bass part, nice drums, and the backup vocals were great. It’s got a tough ending, as it can turn into the song that never ends, but we got that figured out too.

Then we played “Louie Louie” and played it well, with another perfect ending. Next we tackled “Can’t Find My Way Home” which is just out of my reach as written. This is where the re-keying on the fly took place and like I said, those guys amaze me. PJ’s picking is really beautiful, but don’t tell him I said so. We tried it as is (ouch), and octave lower (maybe) and in a new key (nice). It’s a great song and we’ll get it figured out.

Then it was time for “The Grasshopper’s Bung Hole” jam session. Please don’t ask. Then there was another jam we will call “Roll Away.”

Getting back down to business, we played “All Right Now” and I really love the bass in that. We played “What I Like About You.” Wes may have transformed that song from one of my favorites to maybe my very favorite with his harmonica solo. Fabulous! We moved on from there to “All Along The Watchtower” which always sounds great. Next we played “Real Wild Child” and for some reason that song has always given us trouble. Not last night. Iggy Pop would’ve been proud of the smokin’ guitars and we did a really groovy ending. Yes, I said ‘groovy.’

We then messed around with “867-5309/Jenny” with Wes singing lead and wound up the evening with “Blister In The Sun.”

It was a great night, lots of fun, not too serious. We needed one like that.

The secret word has eluded me now for the second practice in a row. The boys are getting too clever for me.

There were many quotes, as there always are. Here are a few of the more memorable ones.

“Nothin’ like a fake double kick!” ~Dave

“Both of ya’ll fucked up and I got it exactly right.” ~PJ

“Oops!” ~Rodney

“That’s just nasty!” ~Wes

“If you sell it higher, you get more.” ~Rodney

“Ya’ think?” ~Dave

“I love that crazy little chord. It makes me feel sassy.” ~JD

“That’s just wrong.” ~Rodney

“Mostly the what not.” ~Wes

“I didn’t do anything!” ~Rodney

“You are SO glad I’m not Wes right now!” ~Dave

“You’re doing it wrong!” ~JD

“I guess I coulda’ picked up my guitar.” ~Wes

“There’s a love letter? Oh God!” ~PJ

“You gotta’ love that intro.” ~Wes

“We’re gonna’ end that bitch right now!” ~PJ

“Where the fuck is Wes?” ~Dave

“Did somebody call my name?” ~Wes

“I’m breaking out Big Blue.” ~Rodney

“Oh, so that means stop.” ~Dave

“I get a giggle out of that every time I hear it.” ~Rodney

“He might oblige.” ~Wes

And by far, the best quote of the night:
“Gimme something wood, and hit it against something else that’s wood.” ~PJ