Scheme-y Like Wile. E. Coyote.

Things appear to have stalled.  While Kill The Huxter is going well enough - I'm challenged, creatively unbound, and energized to practice more and get a little better every day.  The hardest part, as it may or may not be with most drummers, is knowing when not to play.  By nature and practice I am a busy, one might even say verbose, drummer.  I loved the Irish Pipers of San Francisco because the drum music, concentrated on a single snare, had to be dynamic and controlled.  dozens of notes crammed into bars have to lilt and sing.  Transferring that concept to an entire kit is proving to be more difficult than I imagine.  Maybe the music doesn't lend itself as perfectly to my learned style - but I am a firm believer in the maneuverability of a non traditional musical style into a traditional musical genre.

I hate referring to (what I think is best described as) rock & roll as "traditional", but it does have its glorious traditions that are maintained, held up and worshiped to a fault.  I believe in rock as ever-challenging and ever-questioning and ever-instinctual.  The pioneers of any tradition don't seem to take first steps because they believe it will grant them perceived immortality, they seem to do so just to take the risk.  They do so out of curisity.  And they do so just because it feels right - like they just should.  


I have successfully digressed.  Things appear to have stalled.  Though apparently there is unprecedented want for pit musicians, I haven't seemed to have that "up-and-atom", that trademark moxie on which I rely for a means to a good story lately.  I won't lie, I've been in a bit of a rough patch, as tends to happen in life - can't be get-up-and-go all the time, after all.  I have been trying to stay busy, though.  Designing flyers for the aforementioned band:

..designing business cards for when the time comes:

..and working my way through Tommy Igoe's Groove Essentials have all kept me feeling relatively positive about my whole swing at this thing.  

Another change that may or may not effect music will be the probable addition of KITTIES.  Mizz Chetta has more on that story, but I have a feeling the warmth of two new furry things won't hurt my mood and best case scenario, will help me realize whatever I need to realize to move past these mental roadblocks that have placed themselves squarely between my desire to succeed and my ability to work toward success.

A change in job position probably wouldn't be a detriment to my energy reserves and general level of positivity.  Bartending would be ideal, though now it's been so long since I've shaken a drink, old insecurities are beginning to grow like weeds, sucking the nutrients out of these fertile surroundings.  God, I hate self-insecurity: rarely are they useful, and their resilience is bastardly. 

So I believe I can't move forward musically without a position change, which I can't talk myself into going out for as I can't hear myself think over my own ridiculous self-degrandizing mental tape-loop.

These meta-mental calisthenics are nice and all, but at the end of the day all it takes to change your situation is to change something for the better.  Enter: Bang!  The Drum School.  

Step 1 - drum lessons at Bang! (i.e. schmooze and network with more learned musicians).  

Step 2 - practice at the Musician's Union practice space (i.e. schmooze and network with better connected musicians.  

Step 3 - profit.  

It's all there in plain English - I'm a genius and my newest plan is foolproof.  Or foolhardy.  I always get those two mixed up.