Friday, November 29, 2013

Black Friday!

They call today "Black Friday." I'm not really sure why. The color black usually refers to a negative presence, like Satan and other evil mythological creatures.. Though, I wear a black stage costume as opposed to my band mates who wear variations of white. I'm the dark, they are the mist.

Anyway, it was a wonderful Thanksgiving with my parents.Until about a half hour ago, when I showered, and then was looking in the mirror to brush my teeth and SHE appeared.  I want to say that I just drank a whole bottle of wine, but that's not what caused this illusion... the wine is because I DID see her! I saw her, I started to drink. Nice thing about this holiday, there's always wine!  Christmas always carries with it spiced Egg Nog.

I don't tell anyone this, but since I do not advertise this blog, I am sure no one will see it. Not right away anyway.

Maybe this is the booze talking... but, I have a confession to make. I think it's called a delusion or hallucination. I have been seeing her in mirrors since I was ... well, I think since I was born. At least that is what it feels like. When you look into a mirror, do you see someone who is not there? Schizophrenia?

Yeah, ok... crazy rock star here. The drink makes me handle it better. Don't over-judge me. People tend to do that. I spend a goodly amount in the company of many people... all types of people. I have earned the right to judge. Yet, I can't say a bad word about my fans. If it were not for them, I wouldn't be where I am now. Yes, I drink. But, what would YOU do if you were delusional from birth and needed to hide it from public view? Is this what they call 'mental illness' or am I "special?"

Anyway, I did no work today. Vacation and all. If it is possible for a musician to NOT work! We always have songs in our head, ideas filtering about in there. I go everywhere with a notepad for writing lyrics that come into my head. I also have a recorder in case I have a tune in mind. Eventually, it becomes a song.

Back to this Black Friday... If you think I will be standing in those stores at the wee hours, just to snag a few bucks' deal, you're crazier than I am. And that is crazy!  ha ha!

Night all!


Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Connecticut, Thanksgiving and Aerosmith, Oh My!

Hi again. Ok, so this blog stuff is a bit more addicting than I thought it might be when Cameron suggested I give it a try to help "connect" with my fans. Ha Ha. I don't even know if anyone reads it.

I'm in CT at my parent's house. They're asleep now. Mom gets up early to start cooking for Thanksgiving.  It's too early for me.

It's scary that my mother still has my bedroom in tact, even though I have not lived here in almost 10 years. I guess that's mothers for you. So I get to sleep in a twin bed with a hard mattress and the flower sheets my mother always insisted would "brighten my room" when I insisted on painting the walls red. I think I was like 14 then. Such a rebel.

On the flight up here, I closed my eyes and listened to everything from Bach to Aerosmith on my headset. I have to remind myself to have a talk with Mr. Tyler the next time I see him. We met a couple of years ago in California when the band was touring there and I told him that, even though it was long before my birth, there was something about the song "Kings and Queens" that spoke to me. I am sure he thought I was crazy. But, seriously, every time I hear that song... the lyrics... I get this dropping feeling in my gut. I'm not sure if it's a bad feeling or not. I can't explain it. It's almost like a deja vu. Like I heard the song before, but not as me. I know, makes no sense.

This happens every time I hear the lyrics, particularly this small passage:

Oh I know I lived this life before. Somehow, I know now, Truths I must be sure. Tossin' turnin', nightmares burning...Dreams of swords in hand..."
Every time I hear it, I get an ominous feeling I can't explain (I'm a singer, Jim, not a writer!")  Ok, a little Star Trek flashback there.

Anyway, the band would like to do our own rendition of this song one day and see how it goes. That's a little secret I am sharing with you, especially when it has not happened yet. We need to get all the right permissions and everything first. We would keep the heavy rock aspect, yet add our own orchestral harmony.

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving

I spent most of today at Bruce's home studio, working on the latest songs for the next tour. I wanted to take my horse, Camelot, for a ride (allowing my other horse to tag along behind, otherwise he gets pretty upset being stuck in the stable alone), but it has been raining all day. So, they were stuck in the barn together.

Tomorrow morning I am flying up to CT to visit parents for the holiday. Bad day for travel! The entire eastern seaboard of the country is being hammered by heavy rain and high winds. By the time I leave in the early morning, CT will be getting the brunt of this crap, that has for the most part, has moved away from us. So, goody goody I get to experience it all over again.

While I am gone, my housemaid, Edna, will hold down the fort and keep my dog and cats company (yeah, cuz that's new...I'm on tour 8 or 9 months out of the year. I think my animals know her better than they know me!)  As usual, Edna's family will stay with her in the mansion while I am gone and I left the fridge stocked for them to have a nice Thanksgiving feast. Hey, no one ever claimed I wasn't a nice guy! Ok, maybe there are plenty of girls out there who might say that, but I'm good to my paid help. Ha Ha

So, how am I doing on this blog internet thing? I told you, I am really techno stupid for someone my age. The rest of the band, and pretty much everyone who works for us, always ask me "What's wrong with you, Dane? Didn't you go to school?" Shit yeah I went to school.. and to Julliard! Why am I not more techno savvy? Just never got into it, even though I work around it all the time. Our stage set up is almost entirely run by computers. I let the techno geeks (no offense to those guys, they're great) handle it all.

The extent of my tech experience ends at a cell phone and a laptop computer I have only started to use.

Well, have a happy and safe Thanksgiving all.

Monday, November 25, 2013

New Car

I am very excited tonight. I bought a new car. Or rather I ordered it. No dealers here in South Carolina, so I contacted a Ferrari dealer in Greenwich, CT. Since I will be heading up to CT to visit my parents for Thanksgiving anyway, I can sign the papers and finalize the deal. This is the car I ordered (ok, not the exact car, but the same model.. a 2013 Ferrari F12 Berlinetta).



I think I will retire my current car, a 1985 Ferrari Testerossa. It's all restored and in excellent condition, and has served me well through the last six years I have owned it. Back then, the band was doing well but not enough to justify a quarter million on a car. Wanting a Ferrari, I found a good deal on an older Testerossa. Hey, Tom Selleck drove one in Magnum PI (I know, before my time really, but I catch the show whenever I am home. I also love the dogs).

So, Wednesday I will be flying up to CT to stay with my parents in Stafford (I grew up as a regular sight at the Speedway). During my stay, I will head to Greenwich to make arrangements to have my new car delivered to my home in South Carolina.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

New Song

I started a new song today. While the band is on hiatus from touring, we are in the studio working on the latest new tunes to suit all of our fans' rock and roll needs. I can't tell you too much about the new song, ya know lawsuits and all that. But I can tell you it's a nice mix between 80's style hard rock/metal with some great orchestration behind it. Sort of Aerosmith meets Trans Siberian Orchestra, if you want to describe it.

As many may know, we own 3 tour buses. What you might not know is why. Bruce hates traveling with huge crowds. About a year ago, I met this quite.... errr... most exuberant fan. I decided to bring her with me along to the next town, where she had planned to hop a train back home.

Turns out she was a bit more exuberant than even I had anticipated. She danced about the lounges, blasted music at all levels. But the breaking point was when she climbed into Bruce's bunk with him as he was asleep. She violated his "personal space," not to mention his devotion to his wife!

After that, Bruce made it pretty clear he would have no more fans travel with us on the bus. We required our "beauty sleep." Bruce's words, not mine. Oh fresh hell. It had not been the first time I, or Stephan, had brought fans along on the road. (Shit, Stephan once brought a pretty little thing on an entire USA tour!)  However, after that, Bruce made the decision we would have 3 buses. And no one but the band is allowed on the band's, at least not while it's moving. haha. And of course family, friends and close personal people. Our caravan is getting larger each year!


Friday, November 22, 2013

The Postman Rings Once

I received a package in the mail today from my mother (who lives in CT). I think everyone knows I am a born Yankee, even though I live in South Carolina. I'm not going to give out my address. I have enough fans finding my house and managing to get past my gate and alarms. Not sure how they do it, but some are that determined.

Anyway, the package from mom. Mostly, she had been cleaning out the attic and came across some old stuff from when I was a kid. I want to share with you all a school assignment that was included in the package. No one really knows the story behind this except I think this is from kindergarten or first grade. Not really sure since there is no date on it. But I vaguely recall that we were asked to write a sentence or two describing our morning routine before we came to school that day. I don't think the teacher quite knew what to think of my assignment, if her note is any indication.

No wonder I only have 2 mirrors in my whole house (and the one in my bedroom only because it is part of an antique bureau that once belonged to my great grandmother). All I can tell you is that someone should have taught me how to spell the word mirror.




Thursday, November 21, 2013

Growing Up and Other Things

Ok, I just want to say that this is all new to me. I've never done this blog thing (what does that mean anyway? What a funny word... blog!)  Anyhoo, anyone who knows me knows that I have a hard time understanding all the techno-jumbo. And, though I am famous, most people don't really know me!

Hence, I decided to try this blog thing out. A band member taught me how to set this up and add posts. This is a way to connect with fans of my rock band and give them some insight into my personal life. I'm not a hugely private person, but also, I would rather fans hear any news straight from me rather than believing all the hocus pocus in those crazy tabloids. Only my housemaid (her word, not mine) believes all that crud (I will try to keep my language rated PG-13. If I said whatever I wanted on here, I might get shut down.

In any event, here I am. Welcome to my blog.