Mike, you know it ain't easy...

I'll start with this one with one thing. Then I'll move to another. From there, I have no idea.

I never pay much mind to mainstream music/pop/culture, American Idol, Reality Stars, I just sort of skip it. Obviously, Rascal Flats is not worth the price of the ticket, and the success of most commercial artists baffles me. "All Summer Long" by Kid Rock? I could not believe that it was:A. Real. B. a Song that people actually wanted to hear/bought into/etc. But I know they did, because I got requests for it when it was on the radio. But bands like the Jonas Brothers don't bother me, I just don't listen to them. What does bother me is when I hear a band that "sucks," most likely because they are derivative, and people that should know better, people I know to be discerning, buy into it. I'm not going to name drop here, but there are a bunch of bands out there that I just can't believe people are falling for. It is usually because they have "The Look." As in, these guys look like they'd be cool, discerning, they have long hair and beards and wear a lot of denim, and scarves and hats-but the music is derivative and always about break ups and booze and people that should know better eat it up like goddamn pixie sticks. It makes me a pull a McEnroe, as in "YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!"

Yeah, that is what bothers me. It shouldn't, though. Because, honestly, who cares? I guess I feel like it affects me because I try to make music without a whole lot of flare and hipster additives, and I don't want people to get the idea that a newsboy hat, a beard, tapered jeans, pointy shoes and a well placed tattoo makes for a good night of songs.( always about me, isn't it? Indulgence of the self.")

But, on a larger scale, I've heard some rumblings about people being upset that folks like Taylor Swift, the Jonas Brothers, Kelly Clarkson, Justin Timberlake...(the list goes on, I'll stop there) are getting decent to good reviews in Rolling Stone. I'm fairly sure that Taylor Swift got 4 out of 5 stars. No Bullshit. Maybe those critics are just being objective-you know, saying that it is good in its genre. But to me, that doesn't make any sense. I guess its like saying "Its really good in terms of junk music made for middle school kids." A lot of those reviews are paid for. Not all of them, but this is a fact. Jann Wenner sells reviews as much as he peddles left wing, pinko bullshit. Just ask Jim Derogatis. And there is no way that Pete Travers really thought "Dan in Real Life" deserved 3 and 1/2 out of 4 stars. Digression. Again.
Point is, that I don't think it matters. Anybody that cares and truly appreciates music knows that the Jonas Brothers and Taylor Swift are not a part of the great song, the group of singers and story tellers that make people really feel-make music more than something you simply listen to...
The thing is, bands like the Jonas Brothers, they are finsished as soon as they get started. Their fans will get old and start listening to the Smiths and laughing at how they used to have Jonas Brothers posters on their wall. One of them will land a great producer and try to embark on a solo career that will have limited success and 20 years later they will reunite and the same girls who went through their Smiths phase will have a girls weekend in Atlanta and catch the Jonas Brothers Reuinion tour.
Let's pin point Justin Timberlake here. Talented? Yes. One of a kind? Hardly. That's the thing. Justin Timberlake is obviously someone who grew up wanting to be a superstar-and he worked his ass off to get where he is, no doubt. But, I think there are probably Justin Timberlakes all over the place. And if Justin Timberlake hadn't ever made it beyond the Mickey Mouse Club, he could probably be selling commercial real estate in Memphis and the world would have never missed him.


Which brings us to what everyone is talking about now. Michael Jackson. I remember it. I remember getting the "Thriller" cassette at Kmart. I lived through it. The man was huge. The biggest star the world has ever seen. The thing is, he was the chosen one. I don't mean that like he was a mesiah or something-or, that he was put on this earth to change pop music and our culture. But, he did, never the less. So, it really doesn't matter whether or not he was destined to become what he became, that is irrelevant. What is relevant, is that he was what he was and he did what he did. Pop music went from being mostly rock and roll based to becoming more R&B influenced, well hell, I can't categorize, but obviously hip hop owes more to Thriller than it does to Revolver. And, I don't think Michael Jackson was capable of doing anything but what he did. I mean, I don't think that Mike could sell real estate in Gary Indiana. The man had too much vision. And he was obviously in his own world, so to speak. The point is, that if Justin Timberlake didn't exist, someone else could fill his shoes. Someone else would basically rip off Michael Jackson and attempt to be the next "King Of Pop." But, if Michael Jackson didn't exist, everything(in terms of pop music since 1982) would be different. Someone always fills a void, or really makes people realize that there was a void after the fact-almost like they create a void and then fill it? Okay-after the appearance of such an artist, their existence/impact creates a void that needs to be filled as the public searches for the next artist that is like the first guy. Or something like that... From Elvis, to Dylan, to the Beatles-someone always shows up and changes everything. Kurt Cobain got close, but obviously, he was not comfortable with his place on the throne. Some artists, like Gram Parsons, I don't think really knew what kind of impact they would have. I mean, I think Gram Parsons wanted to be a rock star, and knew that he would find a niche in showing people that country music was actually artistic and sophisticated, but I also think that Gram was a rich kid that thought it was cool to hang with the Stones, and probably thought he might steal that show the way he did with Byrds. But Gram died when he was 26, and in truth his legacy inspired the Eagles and the whole country/rock thing-which, ironically kind of put pure country music to rest. But Gram's music wasn't a country/rock hybrid-it was simply real country music made by guys that looked like hippies. Like I said, I don't think Gram wanted to much more than be a rock star.


Where am I going with this? Its getting long...
I think Michael Jackson knew that he was changing things-as did Dylan, and John Lennon-and maybe it just becomes to much. Maybe you start seeing a halo in the mirror. I think one would almost have to. So, who will be the next person to not just fill someone else's shoes, but actually make the shoes to be filled? It happens every 10 to 20 years. It will be interesting to see. Whoever it is, I feel sorry for the guy-(maybe it will be a girl this time?) There is hardly ever a happy ending.

I wouldn't call it optimism...

So, maybe I was being an asshole earlier. I do that sometimes. No, I still love Smoltzy. And obviously, he's not a traitor. Maybe he's the oppoisite-which would be a patriot? A Braves patriot? I mean, he got rocked by the Nats, who are the worst team I've seen in a long time. Willie Harris is on that team, though. That dude is fierce. But, the Nats are awful. So, maybe Smoltzy was sabotaging the Sox? It would be sweet if he did.

But, I'm not here to talk about the Bravos anymore. I'm here to discuss optimism, and why it has never been a part of my character. I am naturally self depricating, I'm hard on myself. I'm hard on everybody. That, as the kids say, is how I roll. But, damnit, I'm tired of looking at the downside to everything. I will always see the downside, I'm too damn discerning not too, but maybe I'll try to ignore it. Tough task. But I will try to look past the girls I see that do nothing but take pictures of themselves all night. Seriously, all night. I was trying to load out from the show tonight, and I was dodging digital flashes and poses, like walking through a maze. I will hold my tongue when I hear people talking about how they just got off tour, and a minute later realize that they aren't actually in a band, they just went to 6 Widespread Shows in a row. I will just turn the other cheek when people discuss dicussing the finer points of commercial hip-hop, and I won't say hip-hop in general, but sort of hip-hop in general. Because honestly, what's the point? Who cares what I think? It is self indulgent enough for me to write on this blog...but the truth is, even though its out there for the world to see, I am just venting for myself. Self indulgence. I mean, if someone else wants to waste there time with my ideas, hey, your minutes, pal. But seriously, thanks for stopping by...
But how do I control it? How do I stop the cynicism when people text non-stop during live music? Or, I lose a bar gig to "Guitar Hero."(True.) Or, "Guitar Hero" in general? I don't know-I guess the slow eating of my soul won't go away. But, the world definitely does not need anymore negativity, so maybe I can at least keep my mouth shut. Spare us all...

Digression. Again. Instead of focusing on the negative-how about the Positive...How about finding a good parking space when I really needed one because it was pouring rain and tonight I didn't want to have walk a lot of blocks...
How about playing songs and getting paid-most of them aren't my songs, and it is sad that "Wagon Wheel" has lost any of the soul that it used to have, because at one time, I really liked that song. Now it might as well be Jessie's Girl. But still, I have a job playing mostly other people songs and I'm working on a career where I can play mostly my songs and folks will be happy...

I don't know why it tends to be half empty for me. It has never been my intention, it is just the way it has always been. Like being left handed, or something. I'm trying. We'll see-I've tried parallel parking for years, and I still do a shit job of it. Time will tell. But sometimes it doesn't. I'm not drunk, but I've been drinking. Don't feel like proof reading.

They cause me nothing but pain. Honestly. I wait all winter for April, and by this time every year(well, since 2005) its already over. I'm talking about the Braves, yall. Let me just say that is great to see a walk off home run, etc, but the lows always hurt worse than the highs feel good.

Today was no exception. Red Sox 1, Braves 0. The fucking Red Sox, man. Capitalism at its worse. And, there are so many fairweather sox fans out there, and because Atlanta is an import town full of damn yankees, there were more Sox fans at Turner Field than Braves fans. Insult to injury. The hate that builds in me from watching the Red Sox basically play a home game is truely unbelievable. It really is. I will not mention out loud what brews inside me when I hear Tuner Field chant "YUUUKE," or when the broadcast goes to a split screen to show Paplebon in his stupid, goddamn wind up. Its rediculous, I know. I remind myself of that. It shouldn't be there, but it is. The thing is, I don't hate Youkalis or Paplebon, I don't hate anyone for that matter, but I do hate them on the field. Maybe its not hate. Just deep rooted pissed. Better word. But, yeah, Yuke and Paplebon the person, nah, I don't hate them. Probably wouldn't have much in common with them, though. Or any ball players. Baseball is my favorite sport, it is also the sport I was worst at, Ironically. But ball players wear gold chains and listen to DC Talk and Sugarland, so you know, not on the same page, I guess.

In the end, I still love the Braves. I can't help but think that my life would be less stressful without them. I need my head examined. I really do.

Sorry that there was no point to this. Purely a vent.

One more thing. Fucking Smoltz, man. Traitor.

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah...

So after posting this, everyone will know that I am a huge softy. I don't care. This absolutely breaks my heart, in the best way. Not since "The Giving Tree" has something gotten too me this much. Enjoy.

http://www.noob.us/humor/partly-cloudy-new-pixar-short-film/

Lonesome, Onery and Old...

Yep. I've been 32 for about an hour. Not a very memorable one, I reckon. I turned 29 in Los Angeles, at this bar called Molly Malone's. I was all by myself. I remember that night I tried to talk to the cute red headed bar tender. She had kind eyes and not quite American accent. But I didn't make much of a dent on her. She probably thought I was just another drunk, which I was. I remember thinking that I turned 29 twice, because I was basically still on Eastern Standard time, so I figured I turned 29 to my friends and family back home and then out in LA three hours later. That was a lonesome time for me. Now I'm lonely again. Funny how that works.

I turned 30 at Charlie's Steakhouse in Greenville, which is one of my all time favorite establishments. It opened its doors in 1910, and you could film a period piece in there without changing anything. I always drink Miller Highlife out of 10 oz glasses there. There was actually about six bottles in a beer bucket when I got there that night. Courtesy of my mother. My parents and my brother chipped in and bought me a new Telecaster becuase mine had been stolen about a year before. Good Birthday. Nothing crazy-family, cold beer, and a new guitar.

I turned 31 in one of America's loveliest locales, Augusta, Georgia. I was playing with my friend Doug at a Wild Wing and I swear I only drank one beer all night-until the end. The owners were there and were big fans of Doug's, it leaked out that it was my birthday, and we stayed there taking shots after the bar closed. I had been so successfully cautious about taking it easy with the booze that night, that for some reason, and sort of subconsciously, I thought I was in the clear. But I wasn't, I puked on the way back to the house where we were crashing and then, the next day, on I-26 right around 95, I projectile vomited all over Doug's car. I told him to pull over, but it wasn't fast enough. I blocked some with a shirt I grabbed, but luckily it was all water and a little bit of Coca Cola. Sorry, Doug.

So now I'm 32. Which feels oddly similar to 31. I don't know what a young Mac would think if he saw the old guy he grew into. Some of it would probably be a little unexpected. Some of it is pretty par for the course. Tough to tell, considering that old Mac can't look in the mirror and get a real handle on it. It could be better. It could also be worse. Either way, I'm still here. Its not such a bad place to be.

Late night thoughts, booze influenced...

I was sitting at the bar tonight, waiting to get paid, and I had ideas running through my head. Things I wanted to blawg about. Which in itself, is sad enough, really. But I forgot most of them. I think it was going to be a hypothetical letter to my parents, basically apologizing for not being successful. That is being harsh. But I'm drunk right now, so the self deprecation is on 11. I can say that the music has become more or less my job. It is not yet a career, but it is a job. Which isn't all bad. I feel like Will Ferrell in "Old School"-"I tried to join a gym, that's one thing."

Anyway, I would ramble if I could. Sometimes the booze gets me a ramblin'. But now, I'm getting nothing. So why am I posting? Because I'm drunk? Because I'm bored?

Yes.

THIS MIGHT BE AWSOME...

LET'S HOPE SO, CHILIN.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sBLir8H2zM

blawging for the sake of blawging...

I think the machines have won. We have been defeated. It didn't play out like the Sarah and John Connor said it would. Maybe it is a little more like the battle that Neo and Morpheus fight. But the machines have won.

I like technology as much as the next guy. Well, truthfully, I guess that depends on who is standing to my left and right. I think technology is great when it makes our lives better. George Carlin once said, you can't argue with a good blow job. Yep. You also can't argue with not having to use an outhouse in the middle of the night. Or, being able just to flip a switch and have lights come on.

But, has the digital revolution made our lives better? It has made them easier, no doubt. But easy is not always best. I'm sure in some ways, the internet and all that is related has made things better. But, we are losing important communication skills and basic human survival. The next generation probably won't even understand how to read a map. And online dating? Come on, where's the romance? Where's the adventure? Most people probably laugh that stuff off, but I am seeing it all over the place, so it must be catching on. Fast foward to 2078: "How did I meet your grandfather? Oh, its a wonderful story. I was at work strolling dating sites, and his profile stated that he was a fan of Kelly Clarkson, as was I. It was love at first view."

100 years ago, if the power went out, people didn't lose their minds. It wasn't a big deal. Now, the whole world goes to shit during a black out. It is literally chaos. It won't be long, hell it might be now, that it is going to happen when the internet goes down.

The machines got us by the balls, yall.

Its sunny outside. I'm staring at a screen. Irony. Textbook. What's a textbook?