All Along The Watchtower - Sound Check

Bang A Gong

These Boots Were Made For Walking

Louie Louie

Help Me Make It Through The Night

Bittersweet

Chevy Van

Secret Agent Man

Keeo Your Hands To Your Self / Johnny B Goode

All Right Now

CC Rider

Hand Jive

Gloria

Gimme Some Lovin’

We have determined that we need 3 complete sets to gig with. Last night we went through 2, and considering some of the songs we did haven’t been performed by the group in some time, I have to say that we rocked with only a few minor glitches. We have yet to make the list for set 3 but most of them are no-brainers, just a matter of figuring out which order they should be. Sets 1 & 2 probably need to be re-arranged a little bit, but other than that they are looking real good!

The night began with “Sex and Candy”, always a band favorite and last night was no exception. In my humble opinion we really nailed this song from start to finish. Next on the menu was “Green Onions” which is a perfect song for JD to introduce the drummer (and the rest of the band) and perhaps to beckon another beer from the bartender? If memory serves me correctly we pulled this song off with no problems, just good smooth rock n roll! “Good Lovin’” was next and oh how I love playing that song and something tells me that everyone else does too. “The Weight” was next. The drummer did manage to screw up the intro but once that was ironed out that song was right on. “I’m gonna be 500 miles” was next, and although the timing on that song usually screws me up I think we did a damn good job with it. Fun song!

“Help Me Make It Through the Night” was next on the agenda, man that’s a pretty song, and I really think we are doing that song justice, and it is fun to play. “Bang A Gong (Get it On)”…….. well, we rule this song! Fans, watch out, it may just make you dance a little harder than usual! “Black Betty” was next. Although I really don’t know why, I’m scared of this song, but if you listen to it on the radio the drummer’s part really is easy as long as you take out that really weird untimely mess in the middle, which we do take out. I dunno, sometimes I’m toopid! “House of the Rising Sun” is a really nice song, and although we only recently started playing this song, we do a really nice job of it.

“Can’t Find My Way Home”……. Such a beautiful song and I look forward to hearing the recording of this from last night, something tells me it’s going to sound good! “A Whiter Shade of Pale” is also a new one on our list. I’m still figuring this song out but so far so good, at least with the rest of the band.

The songs above are all but 3 of Set #1. Wes came in and for whatever reason we went on to Set #2. Not sure why we did that, not that it’s a bad thing, just one of those things that make you go hmmmmmmmm. Weird! Sometimes I think I’m the only sane one in the group. The rest of the fingers on the hand are somewhat crooked.

We kicked it into high gear with Wes joining in with his guitar on “Chevy Van”. That song is a fail safe for us and as far as I’m concerned we always nail it. Then there is “Bittersweet” OHHHHHHHHHH MYYYYYYYYYY whoop, there it is! “Here comes the Sun” is another new one, and I don’t even have charts for but I think we pulled it off. I know I need to work on that one on my own time, although it is a Beatles song, or George Harrison at least has done it, I’m going to over look that since the Beatles suck.

“Brandy” is a very very fine girl, as is that song. We did her, she sounded good, we moved on. “Baker Street” is another fail safe, good street to be on, at least when the hand is around! “Looking for Love”……. I think JD needs to replace the lyrics at least once during the song to “Wookin’ po Nub” in Eddie Murphy / Buckwheat style. We do that song so well we need to shake it up a little bit! “Wild Thing” is another fun fun song. I do my drums more like the Widespread Panic version and the rest of the band doesn’t seem to mind so there you go. “There She Goes”, well, I really can’t remember how well we did that song, seems like there is a buildup we screwed up but I don’t really know. We’ll assume we killed it! “Willie and the Hand Jive” came next and I think that was the best we have ever done it. Most of us are playing it blind without any charts and such, but I know I threw in a beat I never did before and it worked marvelously and it seems like everyone else nailed it, we’ll let you be the judge!

“Smokin’ in the Boys Room” is a song that is deceptively difficult for me, there is a build up with a 3 count and I’m almost there with getting it. The rest of the band has it down pat so I’m definitely the weak link on that one. I’ll get it within the next few rehearsals. “Sweet City Woman” is another new one, and it felt like we have been playing it for years, good song, good job by us, at least I think so, but I’m just the drummer, what do I know?

“Radioactive”…….. man, that song has this weird extra half measure in it that sneaks up on us every freakin’ time! Maybe everyone else knows about it and has not problem with it, but it gets me, I’ll figure it out. Rodney threatened to whoop my butt if I don’t. I’m scared.

“Rock Me Gently”, “CC Rider”, and “Gimme Some Lovin’” were the final three. I honestly can’t remember any details of what, if anything, went wrong, but I think we finished the night on cue.

I’m not nearly as good with these newsletters, but somebody’s gotta do it as the fans are getting restless. Don’t worry kids, we’re gigging VERY SOON and all will be good in the world!

I had a list of quotes from the night but I left them at the band shack. The only one I can remember is…….

Rodney “Man that song wears my left arm out”

David “you must (cease being master of your domain) with your right hand, try using your left it will build up stamina”

Rodney “I most definitely will, good idea”

I might come back and add the rest of the quotes as there are some good ones, but I didn’t want to wait to post the newsletter.

Big Hand Dave Himself

As a bonus, Dave’s cousin, Clem showed up for practice.

A highlight of the evening was when Rodney introduced his new Baby. A big beautiful, one piece, Dark Brown Sunburst bass guitar. Sweet, sweet, sweet. Of course, Dave had to pick it up with his big hands and gave it its first scratch. He also broke a drumstick. Not on the bass. He just broke a stick.

We also got a kick out of Rodney locking Dave’s truck with his remote as Dave went out to get a CD. How we laughed when the lock popped just as Dave reached for the door handle. He promptly turned to flip us the bird as we peered out the window at him, giggling like schoolgirls. Ah, good times.

We warmed up with a bass guitar/drums/vocal version of “Bittersweet” and kicked its ass. Alas, we set a trend for the evening by neglecting to record that version and when we tried it again, we did it ok, but didn’t nail it like the first time. As I said, we did that all night. We also had the directional mic on the recorder going the wrong way, so we got a nice roadhouse echo effect the first half of the night. We blame PJ, of course, who came dragging in late because of the woefully lame excuse of getting stuck at work. Pffft.

As an aside, just so you know. Any “Spinal Tap” references are completely wasted on Dave.

We got down to the business of the first jam of the night, which was a smokin’ bluesy cool version of “She Caught the Katie” which, again, we did not record.

Then PJ and I reminisced about Arlo Guthrie and Alice’s Restaurant. Dave, sadly, was again clueless. He had heard of Arlo Guthrie, however, so there is hope.

We did “Secret Agent Man” and that bass was POUNDING! Until Wes spoiled our fun and made us turn it down. Man that’s a great song to do in front of a crowd. We like it so much we played it twice and it was just as much fun the second time through.

“Smokin’ In The Boys Room” was next and we did a pretty decent job with it. I was amazed at the ending, which at first sounded like it was going to crash land, but Dave and PJ brought it home in one piece. Then we tried it again with Wes playing a harmonica solo. We really got the ending right that time. “I’m Gonna’ Be/500 Miles” was next and we played it a little slow. There was some excitement when the recorder fell off the board, but fortunately it was not damaged as it hung there by its cable.

Next we played “End of the Line” and it was a bit fast. Dave plays it well at that speed but it’s tough for the rest of us to keep up. We played it a second time and it was better, and Dave did a nice job on drums. The third time through we decided that it should end just with a guitar and it sounds really nice. Then Dave accidentally played another Beatles song as we had a “Let It Be” jam. He did, however, admirably take it for the team.

“Walking In Memphis” was next and it was about the best we’ve done it, except for the lead singer missing a line. Stoopid. But we played it again, even a little slower, and it was nice. We were talking earlier about doing at least one song with maybe just a guitar or something, and that one might be a candidate. “Here Comes The Sun” may be another. Or “A Whiter Shade Of Pale.” I’m taking suggestions at this point.

“I Wish I Had A Girl” was next in line. We did a pretty good job on it, but we desperately need to get that song to the point where we can put some backup vocals in there. We went through it a second time, and PJ threw some kick ass guitar in there to jump start it and we did a really good job. Naturally, we didn’t record it and I would have like to have heard that one.

Next we played “What’s Up” and we didn’t record that one either. It’s a damn shame I can’t learn to push a button two times. “Stacy’s Mom” was next and that’s another one that we need to practice the vocals a little more. “A Whiter Shade of Pale” was next and I’m really digging singing that song and PJ does some nice guitar effects on it. PJ made the point that once we get that one down it will be really nice.

We played “Good Lovin’” after that to finish up the evening and Dave and I got in each other’s way trying to start it out. Consequently, the song dragged a little, but that’s an easy fix.

There were many quotes and much mayhem.

“You’re like a woman that way.” ~Rodney to Dave

“Hey, I can be two hours late and still beat Wes!” ~PJ

“Burp for me.” ~Rodney (Don’t ask. Just don’t.)

“That’s what PJ said!” ~Dave

“Well I know what side of that fuckin’ line I fall on!” ~JD

“I’m loud!” ~Rodney

“I was diggin’ it!” ~JD

“That’s a Jane’s Addiction song, but you can’t tell.” ~Dave

“JD came up with that shit!” ~PJ

“I did it the way it was writ!” ~Wes

“We may need to turn on your lamp.” ~PJ

“That’s about all you want.” ~Rod

“Are you still hitting yourself on the head?” ~JD

” ‘*$#@&+!’ is not the secret word.” PJ

“Let me see what I got here in the way of a harmonica.” ~Wes

“Want a lemon drop?” ~Rodney

“Even when ya’ll do stupid shit, I’m here for you.” ~Dave

“How ‘bout a little more cymbal? Or maybe some cowbell.” ~Wes

“Next time maybe.” ~Rodney

“I kinda’ needa wanna.” ~PJ

“Can I get a little trailer reverb on that?” ~Wes

“That was almost a meltdown.” ~JD

“We were milliseconds away.” ~Wes

“Do NOT record that!” ~Dave!

“Man that would have made a great ringtone.” ~Rodney

“Once I get thrown off, it’s hard to get back on.” ~Wes

“I’m glad I wore shorts.” ~PJ

“Do you need a baby wipe?” ~Dave

“Yep, it’s highlighted.” ~PJ

“That’s an expensive song.” ~Dave

“I think it’s time to skip the light fandango.” ~PJ

“Edit that!” ~Wes

“I’m in my own light.” ~PJ

“Solid red is good.” ~Rodney

“That’s right … sixteen fucking measures of screaming guitar!” ~JD

“Also not making the newsletter!” ~PJ

“God, I need a new mic stand. Or I could just bitch about this one for the rest of my life.” ~JD

“You know what I like most about the bass? The case.” ~Rodney

Runner up for the best quote of the night:

“Hey! Get out from behind me!” ~PJ

The funniest and perhaps most bizarre quote of the night:

“I’m not gonna’ fuck with any more pandas!” ~Dave

Damn Pirates!!

We decided that we have enough material to make a band page on MySpace with actual recordings. I think Rodney should be in charge of that. He had his cool little recording device last night and I think we got some good stuff.

Dave took time out of his dinner schedule to join us, but not before we had time to warm up with unplugged (no drums) versions of “Dancing In The Moonlight” and “Here Comes The Sun.”

Here Comes The Sun

We got down to business - drums and all - with “The End of the Line” and it sounded really good. Next we played “I’d Love To Change The World” which we all enjoy. Dave kicked ass on that song.

I’d Love To Change The World

“Smokin’ In The Boys Room” was next. We’re getting that one down pretty good. The beginning and the ending are the toughest parts, but we’ve about got it. The final time we played it we nailed it! Then we played “For What It’s Worth” and it sounded pretty good. The second time through it sounded even better and the extended solo at the end was quite nice.

For What It’s Worth

It was also another exceptionally beautiful night at the lake. I know I sound like a broken record, but this is my favorite time of the year, and a warm spring night with no humidity and a gentle breeze blowing, and the sounds of the frogs and the night birds singing make for a very enjoyable time. The frogs shut up though, when we crank it up.

We played “Staying Kind” next and it may be the best we’ve ever done it. The guitar riffs overlaid in and out of the vocals is really nice. I’m not kidding, PJ oughta’ be doing this for a living. Wes’ background harmony on the chorus really adds a lot to the song. We’ve been told that the song is a little Eagles-esque and that’s fine with us.

“Chevy Van” was next followed by “Green Onions,” two band favorites. We did them both well. We then played “Dancing In The Moonlight” again and it had the perfect ending. We followed that up with “Fire Woman” which I thought sounded pretty good, but I will reserve judgment until I hear the recording.

“Save Tonight” came next and it sounded really good. Then we played “Layla.” That’s one fine song and we really do it justice. Especially with the guitar solo. Very nice. “All Along The Watchtower” came next with a big jam on the A chord.

The jam evolved into “You Really Got Me Now” or “For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)” or “Panama.”

We played “Baker Street” next and once we got started we really nailed it. It had a great ending, except for PJ’s fingers falling off. Then we played “New York Groove” where Dave called a premature halt to the song. I wasn’t finished going through the local burgs.

Then we played “I’d Love To Change the World” again and it was very nice. “Lump” was next but I was way off key. This became the perfect opportunity for a jam, which somehow turned into “My Girl” which devolved into “My Dirty Girl” which further changed into something entirely different. Once I got my mouth back in tune we ended the night with “Lump” and it sounded pretty good.

Surprisingly, there were many memorable quotes.

“Lemme strap this capo on first.” ~PJ

“Now that was funny!” ~Rodney

“And no, it’s still not the secret word!” ~PJ

“That one wears me out.” ~ Rodney

“How many times have I heard that.” ~JD

“Where’s the fuckin’ crowd, now?” ~Dave

“Alright, we ran them off, too.” ~PJ

“That’s what they get for floating in front of my house.” ~Dave

“I found another one that’s black with flames on it. I might upgrade.” ~Rodney

“I came prepared, bitch!” ~Dave

“Take a load off.” ~PJ

“I want my fuckin’ hat back.” ~Dave

“Holy crap!” ~PJ

“I want ya’ll to know that I’m the baddest fuckin’ drummer this band has.” ~Dave

“Oh, you put his hair on!” ~Rodney

“Big foot in the mouth, Dave.” ~PJ

“It’s a weird kinda’ big.” ~Dave

“It’s on my budget list.” ~Wes

“That’s in the “’nother need” category.” ~Dave

“He started chewing on my knuckes.” ~Wes

“If he would sober up long enough to listen to it he would like it.” ~PJ

“I’m sure that’s not true.” ~Wes

“Don’t sneak up on us!” ~PJ

“But that’s what I’m famous for!” ~Wes

“Who the fuck is she with?” ~Rodney

“It was worth a shot.” ~Wes

“Of course that’s the wrong key.” ~PJ

“Well let me pee first then.” ~Dave

“JD has a master plan.” ~PJ

“Don’t start out like that, bitch, I’ll keep it!” ~Dave

“I fell out the exact same time you did.” ~Rodney

“All I got to say is that on that song, your bitch ass better follow me and PJ!” ~Dave

“That was an MTV moment.” ~JD

“I can’t find it!” ~Dave

“Wait! I need ice.” ~PJ

“I’ll have to go through a lot of shit to get to the songs.” ~Rodney

“Whoops! That’s the wrong New York!” ~JD

“Is that one of your boy bitches?” ~Rodney

“We’re hard core, Baby!” ~Dave

“He was actually accommodating JD.” ~Wes

“Hey, whaddaya know! I finally found the fucking key!” ~JD

And the best exchange of the night:

“That needs to be sparser.” ~PJ

“Sparser?” ~Dave

“Less shit going on.” ~Rodney

April is Autism Awareness Month! Across the United States and beyond, the autism community is celebrating its members, holding special events to raise awareness, and raising money for research. This month, I’ll be highlighting as many national and local events as I can — so please feel free to send me information about autism events in your area!

Autism Speaks was founded just a few years ago by Bob Wright, CEO of NBC and grandfather to an autistic child. Last year, it merged with the National Alliance for Autism Research (NAAR). With strong ties to Hollywood and the media, Autism Speaks is VERY busy this month.

Some of the highlights of the Autism Speaks agenda this month projects include a new Public Service Announcement to be launched nationally; special fundraising programs with Build-a-Bear and TJ Maxx, and, most importantly, NAAR’s annual walkathons across the country to raise money for autism research.
[credit: Lisa Jo Rudy from about.com]

Here are 10 questions that most people ask when talking about Autism.
[credit: webmd.com]

1. What causes autism?
   This is the biggie. Once we understand the causes of autism, some smart person can come up with a cure. In our current understanding, autism appears to be due to a complex interaction of nature and nurture, of genes that make a child susceptible to autism and something in the environment that allows those genes to be expressed.
2. Is there a cure for autism?
   So far, I am very sorry to say (irresponsible claims by some notwithstanding), the answer is NO. Our treatments are educational and habilitative, not curative. They are intended to train the brain to circumvent its aberrant wiring, which is not a cure. The good news for all of you parents out there with an autistic child is that a ton of research is being done in this area and the hope of a cure in your young child’s lifetime is both real and realistic.Perhaps, for example, one day we will be able to recognize how the brain is altered in the womb and give medications or hormones to normalize the architecture of the autistic brain as it is developing. Or perhaps a medication will be discovered that will generate nerve connections that overcome the current autistic circuitry after birth. Or perhaps some sort of intensive skills/educational training, done in just the right way at the right time, will have a major effect. I have no doubt a cure (or close to it) is in our future — the question is when.
3. What genes are associated with autism?
   It’s no surprise that genes are associated with autism. We know, for example, that if one identical twin is autistic, the other has a 70-90% chance of also being autistic. We know if one child has autism, there is an increased risk in his/her siblings (about 6%) of autism.The good news and the bad news is that genes are being discovered almost daily that are associated with autism. It’s good news because an understanding of the genetic basis of autism will allow for prenatal testing and a better understanding of how the autistic brain differs from the typical one and what we might do about it.The bad news is that there does not appear to be a single, simple genetic cause for autism. Instead, there seem to be many different genes and gene combinations that increase the risk of autism. Likely there are multiple pathways to autism (and perhaps multiple kinds of autism), based on different genetic differences. It would have been easier if there were the same genetic problem in all (as, for example, with sickle cell anemia). This makes the promise of gene therapy someday much more difficult.
4. Are there environmental triggers to autism?
   Here’s where there is currently so much heat and so little light. If you believe (as I do) that the prevalence of autism has increased significantly in the past decades, then the question is: why? It can’t be due to changes in our genes — that’s way too fast for our DNA to have been altered. Therefore, it must be due to something (or some things) in the environment that triggers autism in a susceptible child.But what? Of course, you are aware of the immunizations and thimerosal theories, but evidence points strongly against those being the culprits. An infection of some sort? Some sort of environment pollutant? Something in the diet? Allergies? The fact is we don’t know. I know that’s a bitter pill for parents who want definitive answers and cures. I do too, who doesn’t?But that strong need for answers has lead to a cottage industry of true believers, zealots who contend - despite a lack of credible medical evidence — that they know the cause. Why is that a problem? Aside from the fact that extraordinary theories require extraordinary proof, the misguided fear of immunizations, for example, has lead to some children tragically contracting infectious diseases (like measles) they could have and should have avoided.

   And I can’t tell you how many disappointed parents I know whose child didn’t respond to the latest cure (sometimes at great expense). Finally, holding on to one’s beliefs in the face of conflicting medical evidence prevents resources from being directed at other possible causes. As far as I’m concerned, every dollar spent on still trying to prove MMR vaccine causes autism (which it pretty clearly does not) is a dollar NOT spent on finding the true environmental trigger. (For more on this see the posts here and here.)

5. What is the prevalence of autism?
   In the 1980s the prevalence of autism was reported at about 1 in 2,000-3,000 children. In the 1990s it was about 1 in a 1,000. Currently the figure is about 1 in 150.
6. Is autism really on the rise?
   Some believe the apparent increase in autism is not real. They argue, quite reasonably, that we are now a lot more aware of autism and so diagnose it more readily and at an earlier age than we did before. Additionally, we never used to diagnose “high functioning” autistic children and now we do, which has added to their ranks.On the other hand, others (like me) believe there has been a true rise, that we never missed it all that much in the past, and that even including higher functioning children can’t explain the 15 fold increase in prevalence. Perhaps someone will come up with a definitive answer to this controversy soon. Stay tuned.
7. What is the best educational program for an autistic child?
   This is another area where there is disappointingly little research upon which to base an opinion. In my town of Boston, for example, an autistic child might receive “ABA therapy” or “floor time” or “cognitive therapy” or “exercise” therapy, depending on the program s/he attends and its philosophical bent. But, do they work?Other unanswered questions include: How young do we need to start services? What is the optimal intensity of treatment? No one really knows. We desperately need more research on the effectiveness of autism treatments.Without knowing for certain, here’s my take. Autism is clearly a significant disorder of the brain. For any treatment to work, it will need to be incredibly intensive (some estimate 25 hours/week) and started as early as feasible. And, perhaps, talented teachers who can tailor their interventions to the specific needs and learning style of the child trump the exact kind of intervention they might use anyway.
8. Where does being a “quirky child” end and the “autism spectrum” begin?
   When a child is very autistic, all professional agree about the diagnosis. However, what about the child who is “high functioning,” i.e., quite verbal and smart, makes reasonable eye contact, etc? Then, even experienced professionals disagree about whether that child should be assigned to the “autism spectrum” or not.It tends to come down to this question: Are you a “lumper” or a “splitter”? That is, if a child has some quirky traits but not enough to seem fully autistic, is it better for them (in the short and long runs) to carry a label of autism or is it preferable to be called a “quirky kid” whose essence is not really captured by any label? Personally, I tend to be a “splitter,” but without a formal diagnosis of “autism” most children can’t access the degree of special education services that a child with “autism” receives.
9. How can parents best help their autistic child?
   To me, that’s an easy one: be his/her parent. Some parents chose to devote their lives to the education and habilitation of their autistic children. Others seek to find the best services and advocate for the child. However, you play it; the one essential parenting role that is inevitably underestimated is that of being a loving parent. You can find teachers and PTs and classes and doctors to help your child. But no one else can serve as your child’s loving parent, providing a strong emotional bond and link to the real world. And that is the true gold.
10. What is the best way to make an early diagnosis?
    How early can autism be recognized? There is ongoing research to see if we can do better in detecting autism at an early age, with the hope that early detection –> earlier treatment –> better long term outcomes.Studies of the young siblings of autistic children (at ages 6, 12, 24 and 36 months) may provide clues in children as early as 12 months (e.g., not responding to their names being called, fewer communicative gestures like pointing, quicker head growth). This will continue to be major research effort in the next year and should serve to allow us to better recognize autistic kids at an earlier stage of their development.

We warmed up with “Birthday” by Underground Sunshine. Yes, the Beatles had a bigger hit with it, but Underground Sunshine was a One Hit Wonder. And that’s our schtick. Bonus for us if the song is a mega hit from a mega band. We continued the warm up with Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth” which is a beautiful and powerful song with a lot of contemporary overtones. There is a lot of opportunity for some nice harmony and backup vocals in that one. It should be a fun one to work on. Songs like that don’t lose their punch. We did a version with drums and a version without and I’ll be interested to hear the recording. We followed our newfound political awareness trend with another song espousing similar inflections: “I’d Love To Change The World” by Ten Years After. Its carefully crafted lyrics, written to shock in order to make a point rather than to offend, are just as moving as when it was on the lips and minds of the denizens of Haight-Ashbury back in the day. It also happens to have some really wonderful guitar playing, a task which PJ is all about. Dave loves this song and wants us to open it up a little bit more than our arrangement calls for. We did so at the end and that worked out pretty good. After revisiting the song, I found that it takes off after the second chorus, runs hard through the third verse, and then calms down again on the final chorus to close out softly. We may have to try it that way as well.

Next we tried “When A Man Loves A Woman.” Mmm, mmm, mmm, what a song. I think Percy Sledge stood in line twice for that kind of talent. PJ said it right when he noted that we don’t really have a good slow, grinding, slow-dance song. This one covers that pretty well. On the first run through PJ sang it and I have to tell you it was awesome! I was a happy egg-shakin’ fool! Dave kicked some ass on the drums on that song too. It also has a really cool progression on bass. We ran through it again with me singing, and it wasn’t as good as PJ’s version. I will have to do some practicing to sing it the way it should be sung. Dave’s suggestion as to how to accomplish that was somewhat shocking and at best counterproductive. Sicko.

We continued our adventure down Nostalgia Boulevard with Procol Harem’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale,” a truly beautiful song. I suggest that those boys were quite cerebral, though PJ maintains that perhaps they were simply high. Procol Harem’s version is the best ever, though one of my favorite versions of it is an instrumental by Canadian Brass. Annie Lennox did a really nice job with it too. The Chaucer reference may be lost on some, but here is nice image of him as a pilgrim from the Ellesmere Manuscript.

Next we played “Here Comes The Sun” at which point Dave, who hates the Beatles (wtf?) lodged a formal protest. “That’s two Beatles songs that ya’ll have snuck in here!” he cried, flailing his arms about wildly. PJ patiently explained that this song is by Richie Havens. The Beatles simply made it famous. If you want to see something really good, go to YouTube and check out Richie Havens’ video to this song. It’s awesome.

It was at this point in the evening that Dave, for reasons a bit obscure and still not entirely known performed his “Carlton Dance.” That’s something that is simply begging for some exposure. Or treatment. One or the other.

“End of the Line” by Traveling Wilburys was next. George Harrison, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynn, Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan - what an amazing collection of singer/guitarists. With a performance by that load of talent there is a lot of room for some cool vocal work. I look forward to practicing this one.

Oh yeah, there was also the drummer guy.

The video for “End of the Line” was made after Roy Orbison’s death. When Orbison’s singing part comes up in the song, there is a rather haunting image of a rocking chair with his guitar in it, moving by itself.

Next we tried out a medley of a song we’ve practiced and one we haven’t. There is a tiny key change at the overlap, which has the potential to be a little tricky (for me, at least,) but a little practice will take care of that. The songs are “Ain’t no Sunshine” and “Lean on Me” by Bill Withers, a good ol’ WV boy. We cut out the last verse of the first song and we may want to look at putting it back in at the end of the second one, just to see how it works.

Then we were ‘treated’ to Dave’s exercise description. Be glad you weren’t there. We did, however, at Dave’s insistence, play “867-5309/Jenny” next, and nailed it. We ran through “For What It’s Worth” again with the rhythm guitar. We played it a little down tempo, but it was still cool. With just a little bit of practice, that will be really nice. “Chevy Van” was next and we still do that one really well.

It was really beautiful at the lake tonight, with the sun going down reflecting off the water and the birds calling and the frogs singing. Quite nice. In fact, it’s the perfect setting for our next song, “Dancing In The Moonlight” which is really coming along now that we’ve figured out how we’re doing the chorus. PJ did a really sweet solo on that one and it was the best ending ever. “Fire Woman” was next. It had been a while, but it sounded pretty good. We need to figure out how to let the guitar end that one, though. “Save Tonight” with the new and improved Door Slide was next. The high and low harmony Wes and I have going on in that one sounds really good.

“Layla” was next, and even though we played it a little bit too fast, it still sounded good. I love the bass line in that song. And when that sweet and nasty guitar kicks in, oh Baby! We played it a second time and got the tempo just right.

And Grasshopper Dave (wax on, wax off) killed a bug with his drumstick. The boy’s got skillz.

“All Along The Watchtower” made an appearance after a hiatus of some weeks. We started out way too fast, but got it closer to plumb the second time around. We play that song really well, and it’s easy to see why it’s our signature song. We played “Baker Street” after that and it somehow evolved into “You Really Got Me Now.” But once we got it straightened out, the drums and bass teamed up to lead the guitars all the way home. We followed that up with “New York Groove” and I love that Bo Diddly beat.

I should interject here to say that Rodney’s little buddy was clean-shaven tonight. It is yet to be determined if that affected its performance.

We played “I’d Love to Change the World” again and it rocked! It will be really nice to work out the background vocals for that song. Rhythm guitar on that one kicks ass. To wind up the evening, “Secret Agent Man” made the scene, along with those fabulous guitar effects.

Again, it was a really fun practice. Sometimes learning new material can be a little frustrating, but it really wasn’t that way at all. It was absolutely enjoyable. PJ’s charts go a long way in making that happen.

There were just a few memorable quotes.

“Way to go ‘A-Game’!” ~Rodney

“Uh, yeah.” ~ Dave

“If we do it at the end, we can kind of train wreck it.” ~PJ

“I like that term.” ~Rodney

“Dude, you just play it where you feel it and we’ll try to keep up.” ~JD

“Maybe if I sit this way…” ~PJ

“It’s a good thing you were here!” ~JD

“It’s about time somebody said that!” ~Dave

“He snatched it like a @#!&*!” ~Dave

“Oooh! Door slide!” ~PJ

“He’s trippin’ on the shrooms, dude!” ~Dave

“Quit actin’ all single.” ~Rodney

“Yeah we can pull that off!” ~PJ

“If you could quote your expression, that’d be great!” ~Dave

“Oh, is that the bassline? For what?” ~Rodney

“He jumps every time and he don’t have shit.” ~PJ

“JD, make him stop looking at me!” ~Rodney

“Don’t make me turn this band around!” ~JD

” 20 years I’ve been putting up with this shit.” ~Wes

“Like the back of our hand.” ~Dave

“It’s time for some hand-clappin’, sticks-bangin’, something!” ~JD

“He printed out a bunch of shit and stuck it somewhere.” ~PJ

“That’s an open term.” ~Wes

” I was following you!” ~Dave

“But you started!” ~Rodney

“It didn’t start so good but it ended great!” ~Wes

“One minute wonders. That’s what we’ll do!” ~PJ

“The intro? You’re a little late for that!” ~Wes

“I was just trying to demonstrate the tempo!” ~PJ

“That would make a great ring-tone too.” ~Rodney

“I can barely compete with you on a noise level” ~Wes

“That’s where you’re sadly mistaken.” ~PJ

“It’s hard to stop when you’re having that much fun.” ~JD

“I’m trying to find the right pick so I don’t play it backwards.” ~Wes

“That makes my leg hurt.” ~PJ

“Please tell me that’s not on.” ~JD

“It doesn’t say that. It should say that!” ~PJ

“Can you add a sus and let it dangle?” ~Wes

“Ain’t nothing like a dangling sus.” ~PJ ( I have no idea what they’re talking about)

“That’s what I like about you, JD. You’re not afraid to lay on the cheese.” ~PJ

“I don’t want to see any quotes with me saying “shit!”" ~PJ (I believe ‘shit’ may be the secret word)

And the best exchange of the night:

“That’s such a pretty guitar riff.” ~JD
“Too bad we don’t have a pretty guitarist.” ~Dave
“Yeah well, we were told we were getting a hung drummer but we’re outta’ luck there, too.” ~Rodney

It really doesn’t get much better.

Lake Wylie itself is a reservoir, which was created when the Catawba River was dammed for hydroelectric power. It straddles the state line of North and South Carolina and covers 13,400 acres and has 325 miles of shoreline. The average depth is just over 20 feet. It is full of catfish and largemouth bass and striped bass and carp and bream and crappie. My sons and I have taken several quite large catfish from its waters while fishing off Dave’s dock.

Something I hope I never catch from the lake is a Northern Snakehead. Three known individuals have been caught from the lake and it is not known if they are part of a breeding population. At this time, Wildlife Resources Commission biologists haven’t included them in routine surveys of fish in the lake. The Snakehead is an aggressive invasive fish that has the potential to decimate local species populations. Snakeheads are indigenous to Asia and Africa, are sold in pet stores and are sometimes sold live in fish markets. They have teeth, and can grow to a size of three feet. Perhaps their most interesting ability is that of being able to leave water and travel across land in search of better environs. They have been known to survive up to three days out of water.

Image is from the US Geological survey website (http://cars.er.usgs.gov/pics/snakehead/snakehead.html) and the artist is Susan Trammell.

On a warm sunny day you can see all manner of pleasure craft plying the waters of the lake. Dave took his jetski out the other day and it was the best mood I’ve seen him in for a while. He literally had a skip in his step. Some of the best times I’ve had have been floating around on Dave’s boat, smoking cigars, drinking beer, and swapping lies.

Lake Wylie is part of a series of lakes and reservoirs on the Catawba River. The river takes its name from the Native Americans that made up the dominant tribe of the region. Their name in their own language is Kawahcatawba, or “people of the river.” The pottery of the Catawba Indian Nation is considered some of the finest in the world and the tribe has been producing it for 4500 years. You can find out more about this wonderful art form at the Catawba Cultural Preservation Project: http://www.ccppcrafts.com/mp.html.

I cross the river every day going to work and coming home. In the evening, I always look for a Great Blue Heron that sits on a particular rock in the middle of the river. Bald Eagles also make their home along the river and it’s a particular treat to see one of their huge nests atop a tall tree. In the morning, if you’re lucky, you can sometimes see one of the majestic birds sitting high on a dead limb, its wings spread as it suns itself. Ospreys are another large bird of prey that inhabit the area and Dave and I saw an Osprey nest in a large power line tower on a recent outing. It was a surprising sight and seemingly an unusual location for a nest, but I guess it was working out for the Ospreys.

Detail of “Heron” a painting of mine. (http://www.jdmassie.com/heron.html)
I guess that’s enough rambling about the lake and the river, and I should probably get on with the business of the band newsletter, but hey, it’s my little forum and I have the prerogative to talk about what I want to!

PJ charted out our song list into a handy-dandy spreadsheet, cross-referencing the songs by decade and genre. This is particularly useful as it can show us where we are weak in certain areas or where we don’t have quite enough of a particular type of song, helping us to maximize our appeal to a greater audience. We need to work on some of the glaring holes. Surprisingly, Rap was terribly under-represented.

Rodney introduced a new toy at practice. It’s the new Zoom H2 Handy Recorder. It’s a significant piece of recording technology packed into an amazingly compact size. If you want more information on this little wonder, here is the web site: http://www.zoom.co.jp/english/products/h2/.

It allows us to get instant feedback on our practice session at a superior sound quality that allows us hear what’s going on. I can’t say enough about the quality of the recording. That thing rocks! It’s a handy little device. Beyond the obvious gratuitous pleasure of hearing a song that we just nailed, it also gives us the option of saying “Play that back, there’s something just not right at the bridge that we need to work on.”

Rodney had his new H2 all dressed up in a windscreen, which looked like a little afro perched atop its head. He affectionately refers to it as his “little ‘fro buddy.” He set it up on top of the speaker cabinet that I use for my notebook, my precious egg shaker, my tambourine and, most importantly, my beer. I told Rodney, “You know that bitch is in my space, don’t you?” There was nothing I could do, however, as my area - being centrally located - is the ideal location for a recording device. Sometimes being a diva is hard.

*sigh*

Dave, expressing an endearing level of innocent surprise upon hearing the playback, was heard to ask, “Am I always that loud?” PJ and Rodney simply looked at each other. The experience has been described by another musician, who is a friend of ours, as “The Wall of Dave.” That’s fairly accurate.

We warmed up by trying out a new song. “Alabama” by Cross Canadian Ragweed. It’s a fun little song, which may or not be added to our repertoire. Next we moved on to “House of the Rising Sun.” That can be a vocal buster and it had been a while since we played it but we absolutely nailed it. Next it was Dave’s turn to pick the song and he picked “Under Pressure.” Yikes. We will have to revisit that one again sometime.

We made up for it by doing a nice version of “Layla.” PJ’s guitar was smokin’ on the ending solo. We also did a very nice version of “Secret Agent Man.” Actually, it was awesome. It’s one of my favorites. PJ pulled out some way cool underwater-sounding guitar effects for the intro solo. I’m not sure how he did it, but I liked it!

Next we played our new original, “Staying Kind” and PJ doubled the intro, which I really like. We do that song really well. The guitar is smokin’ hot, the bass line is fabulous and Dave’s drums are nearly perfect. Then there’s the outstanding vocalist.

*cough*

We played “Staying Kind” again, as Wes had joined us. The rhythm guitar really adds a lot to that song. I’ll have to try to work out a backup vocal part for it as well. And thanks to Rodney’s new toy, I’ll have the opportunity! Then we played “Lump” and I was taken to task for mangling the lyrics. But I’m singing entirely from memory now, without a net, as it were, as it’s been 15 years since this old dog’s been on stage and I’m doing pretty damn good learning some new tricks. And some new songs. We went through it a second time and I managed not to trip over my tongue and it sounded pretty good. I still say that song cries out for a guitar solo.

Next came “Baker Street.” We do that one justice. The ending was very nice as well.

I don’t remember what we were listening to, but I sure had a hell of a lot of fun watching Dave play air drums. Then Dave saved us from the eternal, never ending, strange jam that spontaneously erupted, which was a bizarre cross between “Secret Agent Man” and the Talking Heads on a bender, and we played “Secret Agent Man” really well. That grinding guitar part is awesome.

“Radioactive” was next. It had been a while for that one, but we all like that song and it sounded pretty good. Next we played “Keep Your Hands To Yourself/Johnny B. Goode.” With all modesty, I have to say that was one of the best versions of “Johnny B. Goode” I’ve ever heard. If we can get the tempo up just a smidgen on that little medley it will be awesome.

We played “Good” next and it was a little fast the first time around. I blame Pump. But we got it right the next time around. “What I Like About You” was next, followed by “On The Dark Side.” I think we did both of those pretty well.

There were far too many witticisms to get them all listed, but that won’t stop me from trying.

“It put a skip in my step!” ~Dave

“I’m Old Greg!” ~JD

” I need juice.” ~Rodney

“That’s just rude!” ~PJ

“I touched it two times.” ~JD

“That’s my new thing.” ~Rodney

“I’ll get ‘em all hot and bothered, then I’ll leave ‘em hanging… just like in real life.” ~PJ

“I’m just making shit up.” ~JD

“Like anybody knows! They haven’t heard the song in 30 years!” ~PJ

“I didn’t know where we were, so I stayed on E.” ~Rodney

“It’s not who come first, it’s if you come together.” ~PJ (thanks, Dr. Ruth)

“I was doing a handroll.” ~Dave

“Oh really?” ~JD

“Ha! Try that on the drums!” ~PJ

“Some of those make great ringtones!” ~Rodney

“I think the ‘hand’ should be bigger than the ‘big’.” ~PJ

“Is that a Chia Pet?” ~Wes

“Or are you just happy to see me?” ~JD

“I extended the intro. And I extended the ending.” ~PJ

“Rock on!” ~Dave

“Don’t go back to that fuckin’ song!” ~Rodney

“Is it more like an ingrown hair?” ~Wes

“I’m the drummer, damn it!” ~Dave

“Are we recording? Holy crap!” ~PJ

“What’s wrong with me defending Dave?” ~Wes

“Hey, I found a stray drumstick!” ~JD

“When are you going to turn that thing on?” ~PJ

“The aliens are coming.” ~JD

“Oh damn, it’s alphabetical!” ~PJ

“I love that bass bomb!” ~JD

“Yeah, but we don’t do that part.” ~Rodney

“That would’ve been great if I had been paying attention.” ~PJ

“What did I just miss?” ~JD

“All of it!” ~Rodney

“That’s really original!” ~Wes

“That’s about all I got.” ~Rodney

“My favorite parts are between the songs.” ~PJ

“Scorpios, wasn’t it?” ~Rodney

“That was me.” ~Wes

“That was me, too.” ~Rodney

“Were you getting ready to charge?” ~Wes

“This needs a little bit of a beat.” ~PJ

“Did I fuck that up?” ~Dave

The best exchange of the night:

“Oh shit, that’s recording!” ~Rodney

“Well at least it’s not video!” ~Wes

Please click the image for a larger view

We warmed up with “Smokin’ in the Boys Room” and Dave got his triplets right. We also got the ending nailed down. Then we played “Tainted Love” (the beer song) and Dave’s freaky drums showed up.

Then we played “Staying Kind.” I really love that guitar lick. We turned it up a notch on that one. “Green Onions” was next, where it was decided that this was the song where I have to get everyone a drink, it being an instrumental. I instrumentally employed my egg shaker. There then followed a discussion about the speakers in PJ’s car and NPR on satellite versus the local station. It was agreed that, aside from Bob Edwards on XM, the local station was the best. Yep, it’s a little shout out for WFAE 90.7 (http://www.wfae.org/wfae/index.cfm) to show ‘em some love.

Next we played “Keep Your Hands To Yourself” and I think the guys are resigned to the fact that I’m going to hijack that song every time now with “Johnny B. Goode.” We then played “Can’t Find My Way Home.” We played it a little bit differently and we had it until the ending where we had a rough landing. The second time through, however, we worked the bugs out and got it right.

We played “On The Dark Side” where I accidentally blew through another solo. I’m gonna’ get a whack to the head one of these days for that. Nice drums on that one, I must say. We tried “Closing Time” which we hadn’t played for what seemed like years. We need to work on that one a bit. Then it was time for some “Black Betty.” Timing is everything in that song.

We then discussed when we might get to play at McHale’s. Hopefully it will be soon, and I was charged with finding out the time slot. We proceeded with “Dancing In The Moonlight” and changed the chorus to reflect three-part harmony, which works out pretty well. We also did “Drift Away” and the vocals rocked. Wes on lead and me on backup is a good combo for that one. We could also turn it into a set extender, if we needed to.

Then it was time for “867-5309/Jenny” and it was perfect. We started to play “Good Lovin’” but some scary chords happened and somehow it triggered a spontaneous jam session. Once we got that out of our system, we played “Gimme Some Lovin’” and it was great! I would like to say that Rodney keeps us in line on a lot of songs with his big pumping bass, and that is certainly one of them.

Next we played “Real Wild Child” and it sounded real good. That’s one of my favorite guitar songs. It has room for about eight solos. We followed that with “Help Me Make It Through The Night” and it was sweet. “Lump” was next and we always do that one well. “All Right Now” came next and we did that one quite nicely also. We closed out the night with “Secret Agent Man” which we have turned into one of my favorite guitar songs. We really had a great practice.

At the end of the evening Dave borrowed my hymnal, chock full of all our songs, lyrics, and charts. He’s going to make a copy of it for himself. I am full of trepidation but hope for it’s safe return. Should the unthinkable happen, like corn juice getting spilled on it or it getting dropped in dog shit, Rodney, the official Big Hand Dave archivist, assures me that he has all the materials saved digitally.

The quotes were flying fast and hard. WARNING: Many of them are inside jokes or innuendo about such inside jokes. You may have to make up your own storyline, which is highly encouraged.

“You’re trying to replace all of us, aren’t you?” ~Dave

“We need a real website for that!” ~Rodney

“I’m a little afraid to come in. All I heard was a lot of anger and something about Kenny G.” ~Dave

“You don’t want Kenny G and John Tesh in the same room. That’ll kill a party.” ~JD

“Cat fight!” ~PJ

“Well, I’d kinda’ like to touch it first.” ~JD

“I know so much more now.” ~Dave

“Yeah, there’s a lot of fuckin’ around goin’ on in there.” ~PJ

“It’s called Wordless Wonder.” ~Rodney

“It’s kinda’ like Chinese take-out.” ~JD

“Assholes. I hate all of ya’ll.” ~Dave

“I know it’s in there somewhere.” ~Rodney

“Chemistry, Baby!” ~JD

“Get your fuckin’ computer program to do that!” ~Dave

“I’ll have a Cinnabon Mocha Latte.” ~Rodney

“Hey, you want a handful of ice?” ~PJ

“I didn’t get right after that.” ~Rodney

“Did JD pick that crap?” ~PJ

“Ya’ll were just too busy listening to yourselves.” ~Rodney

“I don’t mean to hold back so much, but I’m a sensitive guy,” ~Wes

“You were in an opium den. They’re all over Ballentine.” ~PJ

“So I cut down my egg intake.” ~Wes

“That was funny as hell, to me.” ~Rodney

“Somebody’s got to! I can’t!” ~Wes

“Did you step in dog shit while you were out there?” ~Rodney

“Sometimes my cigarettes smell like dog shit.” ~Wes

“Obviously you boys ain’t from the country. There’s shit out there!” ~Dave

“He who lives longest laughs last.” ~Wes

“Ancient Chinese proverb.” ~PJ

“It’s noodle-icious!” ~Wes

“But if you’ve got a dead hooker by the leg and the hotel room’s on fire, you’re in a world of hurt.” ~JD

“We are one sheet of acid away from being superstars in the 60s.” ~Wes

“That was prime time for us to have a conversation.” ~Rodney

“I’m excited about talking about Nanny’s Mountain.” ~Dave

“When Dave can tell you it’s out of tune, you better check.” ~Wes

“I wanna’ start throwing shit around during that song!” ~JD

“That’s why they call him ‘Pump’!” ~Wes

“I’m reveling in the moment.” ~Dave

“We were just trying to get some sand for our ashtray bucket.” ~Wes

“You need to mind your own damn bizness!” ~Dave

“That’s one of the funniest things I’ve ever heard in my life! Too bad I can’t put it in the newsletter.” ~JD

“That’s probably the sound of me dropping my drumsticks.” ~Dave

“I still smell dog shit!” ~Rodney

We have an unprecedented four-way tie for the best comment of the night.

“I’m not a corn hog.” ~Dave

“It’s Dave-ja-vu!” ~JD

“I know we weren’t anywhere near it at the end and I was way off at the beginning, but is that about right?” ~Rodney

“Don’t we have a squeaky toy around here somewhere that we could step on to use instead of a singer?” ~PJ

(please click the picture for detail)

After the warmup, we played “Save Tonight” a few times followed by “Smokin’ in the Boys Room” a few times. Then we played “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles).” Fortunately, Wes showed up after that so we had a quorum.

We played “Layla” and it was off to the races! But we reined it in, got it down to tempo, and smoked it. Especially PJ’s new guitar treatment at the end. It was unanimous. We all loved it.

Following that was a surprising appearance of “Rock Me Like A Hurricane.” It was, however, short-lived, as nobody knew any lyrics beyond the chorus. The evening was saved by playing “Save Tonight” again, so we could have the rhythm guitar and backup vocals in it. You really have to have those to make that song work.

Next we played “Secret Agent Man.” It had been a while, but that super-ific All Spy Review intro is as good as it’s ever been and that song remains one of our favorites. At this point there was some speculation as to the technique I used in painting the portraits of everyone in the band. This was, of course, raised by Dave. I have one word you: sicko.

“Bittersweet” was next and we all like that one because we do it so well. We did “Good” after that and it sounded pretty good also.

Then there was “Wild Thing.” After a year of playing this one, there was discussion that we might be playing it wrong. Who knew? I think PJ should be in charge of drafting a formal and final chart for the song for us to use to play it that way until the end of time. We also played “Bang a Gong (Get It On)” which sounded pretty good. Next we played “What’s Up” and I really gotta’ say I was diggin’ those drums on that one. I got so caught up in listening to the drums that I missed the start of a verse! Then we played “I Wish I Had A Girl.” It had been a while, yet it went over quite well. That’s another one that is aided by background vocals.

We wound out the evening with “Walking In Memphis” and damn, I do love that song. We ended the evening by playing “Smokin’ In The Boys Room” again and getting it exactly right.

As always, there was a plethora of quotes. There may have actually been more quotes than actual newsletter content. Oh well. Sue me. I understand that the quotes are not nearly so funny to you as to we. Feel free to make up a corresponding story.

Actually, that’s not a bad idea. The winner may get a t-shirt out of the deal.

“Who’s your drummer, dammit?” ~Dave

“I can’t even say that with a straight face.” ~JD

“I’ve never seen you do that before!” ~Dave

“Well, I knew where I was going that time, and that makes all the difference.” ~Rodney

“Sadly, that won’t make the newsletter.” ~JD

“I’m still not gonna’ make any more lists!” ~PJ

“Drummer-In-A-Box. Hmmm. It could be a hit.” ~JD

“My buddy Fang” ~Dave and Rodney in unison.

“What the hell kind of face did that fucker have to have to get a nickname like that?” ~JD

“Put that one in the safe.” ~Rodney

“I’m scared of it!” ~Dave

“See, now that’s what a shuffle is.” ~PJ

“PJ is like a human metronome.” ~Rodney

“Do I have to do the triplets again?” ~PJ

“Missed it by that much.” ~JD

“Wait, I can do a ‘chicka chicka bow wow.’” ~PJ

“First of all, does it rain every fuckin’ Thursday?” ~ Wes

“And then we’ll ammmooophmmmphrrrggg.” ~Dave (It was unintelligible. Your guess is as good as mine.)

“I kinda’ like the silence.” ~Wes

“Gitcha’ some!” ~Dave

“That’s probably it, but it sounded a little fast.” ~PJ

“Hey, I’ve got one of those!” ~Rodney

“I won’t go fast again. I’ve learned my lesson.” ~Dave

“Kenny fuckin’ Rogers! Yeah!” ~Wes

“Now there’s something you don’t hear every day.” ~JD

“Is that one going in?” ~Rodney

“Oh yeah, you betcha’.” ~JD

“Oh shit! I’ve gotta’ find that piece of paper!” ~Rodney

“BINGO!” ~Wes

“That’s what makes it so great!” ~Dave

“Way to take one for the team.” ~PJ

“I just dropped out at the end.” ~Rodney

“I couldn’t get my clean sound loud enough.” ~PJ

“It was in there, he just didn’t play it.” ~Wes

“I’m not doing bald!” ~Rodney

“That’s it, Ethel.” ~PJ (to Dave)

“Good e-damn-nuff!” ~Wes

“I had it for a second there.” ~PJ

“See, there’s another one I can’t write down!” ~JD

And the quote of the night:
“This song has got ‘fucked up’ all over it!” ~Dave