Friday, December 30, 2016

A Bunch of Good Shit from 2016

Did this year suck? Yeah, but not all of it... and it could have been way, way worse, I promise.

Yeah, yeah, I know... 2016 was the worst year ever, right? Look, I don't blame you for feeling this way. A bunch of your favorite musicians and actors passed away unexpectedly. A bunch of terrible disasters happened. And after a super contentious political season that pitted friends and families and neighbors against each other, the United States elected some guy who conceivably might cause the end of human existence. I get it; it was pretty awful, and it seems like the future doesn't provide much hope of getting better any time soon.

I'm not here to tell you that 2016 was actually good, or that you're all mistaken in your feelings and perception of a year that seemed to be more brutal on many fronts than most others were. But I am writing today to tell you that good and bad is always a matter of scale, and your own experiences and backgrounds have a huge effect on how you perceive any period of time. So, I'm going to give you some short examples of really positive things that happened to me in 2016, and perhaps you've had some similar aspects in your own life over the last year that's drawing, thankfully, to a close.

I Stayed Healthy (and so did Most of my Family and Friends)
There's a reason this is on top of my list; it's by far and above the most important. Nothing else that happens -- good, bad, or otherwise -- matters in relation to our health. I've had previous years where I battled all number of ailments, from influenza and pneumonia to mental health issues to physical injuries. I'm happy to say that 2016 was one of my best years in recent memory in that regard. Some of it is probably due to my just taking care of myself better and better... I exercise daily and my eating habits are healthier than I'd had before (though I still have plenty of room to get better in both areas). Perhaps more important is that most of the people who are closest to me also stayed pretty healthy in 2016. I've had other years where that wasn't the case, and any year that no people close to me died or got seriously ill is something to be thankful for.

If you made it through 2016 with most of your friends and family alive and in good health, consider yourself a very fortunate person, as I do.

My Band Released our Debut Album
Think about it; while it took four years from conception to realization, it was really just 2015 and 2016 when a huge portion of the work that went into the making of They Stole My Crayon happened. And of course, in August, we were able to finally release the album to the public, which turned out to be an experience way above and beyond my meager expectations. NO matter how bad 2016 seems in retrospect, it was a landmark year for me and my band from a musical perspective.

They Stole My Crayon signing CDs at Mel's Drive-In. We worked for four years on our album that came out this summer. 2016 will be remembered for finally getting the album out and being very proud of what we'd done.

I Moved Into a Nice New Home with a Lovely Lady
Some people know that Kat and I met in 2003, became a couple in 2005, and that she moved to Southern California to be with me in 2008. But many of you assumed that she and I were living in the same home in the time since. Not so! Kat and I lived a half block away from each other for the subsequent eight years. This was a purposeful decision on both of our behalf, with good reasons behind it. But last spring, we found out that a perfect place was opening here in the same neighborhood where I've lived since 1995. At the end of May, we went through the hideous process of moving -- which I hopefully will never do again -- and ended up in this really nice 4-bedroom home where we may stay until we're ancient (since, as I mentioned, moving is simply the worst). We're happy here and appreciate being under the same roof all the more, given the time we spent residing apart.

You'd think moving would be less of a pain in the ass with movers doing a lot of the work. No, it's still a giant pain in the ass. But all of the work was well worth it, culminating in Kat and I finally co-habitating after many years of living separately.

A Lot of Musicians Stayed Alive
Not just the young ones either. While none of these people have physical immortality and will eventually pass on, we're wrapping up 2016 with a lot of greats still around, and many still making great music. To name a few who 2016 didn't get... Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Paul McCartney, Pete Townshend, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Bob Dylan, Steven Stills, David Crosby, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, Roger Waters, David Gilmour, and many more will presumably get past the New Year's Eve celebration alive and presumably well. I'm thankful for that. Side note: just because 2016 is ending doesn't mean that these folks will be immune from death in subsequent years. But let's at least be happy they made it this far.

All the great musicians died in 2016? I think not.

I Don't Live in Extreme Poverty or in a War Torn Area
Listen... I have plenty of friends who live paycheck to paycheck, and who squeak by each month after being saddled with medical bills, debt, and more. Few people I am personally close to have an easy, affluent life. But none of them live in areas where 10-person families huddle in one-room, dirt-floored hovels, or where each day could be interrupted by exploding bombs and drone attacks. Where there's no accessible drinking water, or working waste disposal. Where disease is rampant and untreatable. The fact is that even many of us who think we have it bad are doing pretty damn well compared to a good chunk of the planet's population. I don't take that for granted... ever.

The candidates I voted for in the primaries and the general election both lost. But I did get to vote, and I do live in a really nice place, and have a life that is more comfortable and filled with opportunity than most others living today or at any time in the past. Be aware of those things before you start thinking about how bad your life is.

I Went to Minnesota
Yeah, that's right. In September, one of my best friends in the world, Jess Smith, was a host of the Second Life Twin Cities Jam. Kat and I went. Side note: Jess had visited us here in Southern California like 50 times over the last eight years or so (I'm only exaggerating slightly), and had we not gone to see her in her hometown, she'd probably disown us both as crappy friends (and she'd be right). But we made the trip, and had a great time. While Minneapolis isn't known for being a great vacation destination, the weather in September was lovely and the people there were nice, and I spent a few days jamming with many of the friends I've met through the SL music scene, which is always a good time.

Okay, it's true... I mostly went to Minnesota to put my head on Jess's boobs.

The Cubs Won the World Series
Not that I really give a shit -- my connection to Chicago is tenuous at best, having lived in Evanston for a year or so when I was a toddler, and I'm a Dodger fan through and through. But you have to figure, if a team that last won a championship 108 years ago makes it back to the top, then anything can happen. Like Donald Trump being elected president. Perhaps I should have left this one off.

Sunday, December 18, 2016

16 Interesting Songs from 2016


Well hello, everybody. I'm Zak Claxton, former child fashion model and current occasional not-well-known rock star, here to hip you to some of the songs that were released in 2016 that I found interesting. Be very aware that this isn't a "Best of 2016" list. You can find those all over the place, and I don't think music has anything that qualifies as being "best" in any way, so perhaps you will enjoy the following 16 songs and the people who made them.

Side note: on a general basis, I didn't find 2016 to be nearly as great as 2015, or 2014, or especially 2013, in terms of the kinds of indie/alternative music that I really enjoy. That having been said, there was still plenty of super cool stuff. In alphabetical order (because why not?), here they are.

"The Air" (Soft Fangs)


Soft Fangs is John Lutkevich, another "one guy performing as a band" indie artist out of New York, but he does it well and with a unique take that I enjoy. Strong/sensitive songwriting is all over his first full-length album The Light, which came out in March. Get it on Bandcamp.

"Alarms" (Goat)


Goat is a super-fascinating alternative/experimental band out of Sweden. They perform in costume. What's not to like? Their new album Requiem came out in October. Get it on Bandcamp.

"Big Deal Party" (Jackal Onasis)


I really love the dissonant beauty of this New York-based band. This is the title track off their debut EP which was released in June. Plus, singing girl drummer. Get it on Bandcamp.

"The Breeze" (Lou Barlow)


Lou is a godlike legend of alternative music due to his membership in Dinosaur Jr. and Sebadoh. The guy basically invented lo-fi music in the late '80s (though maybe not on purpose). His new 5-song Apocalypse Fetish EP came out in October. It's a solo effort that showcases Lou playing... a downtuned grungy-sounding ukulele? And man, it's great. Get it on Bandcamp.

"Do You Need My Love?" (Weyes Blood)


Weyes Blood is Natalie Mering, an LA-based songwriter with a super amazing contralto voice that's kind of like a modern take on Karen Carpenter. Her new album Front Row Seat to Earth came out in October. It's her fourth full-length, and it made many of the critical "best new music" lists for good reason. If you appreciate the mellow gold of early '70s AM radio, you must hear this. Get it on Bandcamp.

"Dollar Days" (David Bowie)


It's with both happiness and sadness that I note how Bowie had songs that made my 2015 list as well as this 2016 from the same album. The first single (and title track from Blackstar) which grabbed my brain by the ears came out in November 2015, while the album itself was released in January of this year, just a few days before the artist's shocking death. "Dollar Days" has that something which only Bowie could do... that thing that made him a genre unto himself. Get it on iTunes.

"Daydreaming" (Radiohead)


While I've always appreciated what Thom Yorke and his band have done over the past 30 years, I've never counted myself among their true fans. The album they released in May of this year, A Moon Shaped Pool, is among my favorite things they've ever done -- which is all the more impressive given that most bands have used up their creative mojo by this point in their careers. Get it on iTunes.

"Favorite Things" (They Stole My Crayon)


Call me an egotist or a narcissist -- many have before and many will again. But my band's self-titled album came out in August, and if I didn't think we produced some of the most interesting music of the year, we shouldn't have bothered releasing the album in the first place. "Favorite Things" is one of my personal favorites on the Crayon album, but it's one among 12 songs that are all pretty different from what many people hear regularly. It makes the list, proudly. Get it on Bandcamp.

"Gardenia" (Iggy Pop)


This song, and the album it's on (Post Pop Depression), hit me like an anvil falling from the sky when it came out in March. I've always admired Iggy, but when you combine his totally unique vibe with the musicianship and production work of Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age), something magical happened. I'm pretty sure "Gardenia" is a love story about a male transvestite prostitute, and why not? Interesting music should have interesting themes, and this one sure does. Get it on iTunes.

"Human by Night" (Lucky Shivers)


A couple of years ago, my band unsuccessfully tried to have our music be featured on a podcast we all enjoyed. It's called Welcome to Night Vale, and it's fantastic. We may not have yet had our music featured on "The Weather" portion of the show, but I discovered an artist whose song that had been selected which I absolutely loved. He's a UK-based independent musician and terrific visual artist named Nicholas Stevenson, and I've actually gotten to know him a bit since discovering that song, "Here I Land". Recently, Nicholas began a new project called Lucky Shivers, and this is the first song I've heard from them, and I'm already hooked and looking forward to much more. I don't think "Human by Night" is available for purchase yet, but you can leave it happy comments on Soundcloud.

"Human Performance" (Parquet Courts)


Of all the bands on this year's list, Parquet Courts and the title track from their latest album probably requires my validation the least. The album, released in April, made the year's best lists from everyone from Pitchfork to Paste to Rolling Stone. I don't care about any of that; I just like Andrew Savage's Jimi-esque approach to the vocals and the overall vibe. I have a bad habit of turning off any Brooklyn-based indie band that other people like without giving them a chance, but Parquet Courts are cool and different enough that they merit my respect and a spot on this year's list. Get it on iTunes.

"Lonely World" (Moses Sumney)


Try and hang a genre title on LA-based singer-songwriter Moses Sumney. Go ahead, I'll wait here. The dude performs live shows all by himself (something with which I'm rather familiar), but employs all manner of loopers and effects to create lush sonic atmospheres using just voice and guitar. He released a 5-song EP called Lamentations in September, and it's remarkable. The song "Lonely World" features another LA-based musician whose talent slays me... bass player Thundercat. Get it on iTunes.

"Night Witch" (Wolf People)


Ah, I just enjoy the hell out of this UK-based psyche/folk band. I don't know or care if they're looking backward or forward in time. Their sound is both intensely rocking and deeply introspective, often within the course of the same song, which is the case of "Night Witch" from their new album Ruins which was released in November. Get it on Bandcamp.

"Someone to Lose" (Wilco)


If you're looking for "interesting", Wilco really never fails to deliver. A band that has one foot in the alt-country and Americana realm, and the other in experimental/indie art rock, they've consistently done cool things for over 20 years. The latest album Schmilco came out in September and, surprising no one, is great. "Someone to Lose" is another superb Jeff Tweedy song... he rarely misses the mark. Get it on iTunes.

"Sleep Easy" (Sam Evian)


Much like the salmon travels hundreds of miles to return to its spawning ground, I've had this huge attraction lately to artists who are showing the influence of the '70s mellow pop/rock vibe. Sam Evian does it, along with a quirky use of timing and cool production stuff that I enjoy. His new album Premium came out in September. Get it on Bandcamp.

"What" (Bart)


I'll freely admit to still having much love in my heart for progressive rock, stemming from my teen years listening to Yes (usually with a bong close by). There's a new style of prog that's become more prevalent in recent years that combines much of what I enjoy in indie rock along with the intricacy and challenging musical skills that attracted me to the original masters of the genre. Bart, a band out of Toronto, has a new album called Holomew that came out in April, and is chock full of that neo-prog vibe that I'm digging so much. Get it on iTunes.

Thursday, December 15, 2016

The Islands of New England (12.14.16)

The Islands of New England in Second Life is a place where I can always count on having an appreciative and happy crowd. Photo by Triana Caldera.

Readers of this blog must have assumed that I became a hermit and moved to a desolate cave in the mountains after the election, but that isn't the case. Zak Claxton (he said, referring to himself in the third person) doesn't run away from challenges. But the fact is, I use this blog more for reporting on my live shows, and for the last six weeks, since November 1, I've done exactly none of them. It's a busy time of year for me, and I've had to be careful throughout 2016 to divide my musical time wisely between my live performances and the work we did to wrap up and release the They Stole My Crayon album. Last night, I finally got back into Second Life and did a show at The Islands of New England, but -- speaking of 2016 -- there's a point I'd like to make first.

"Why Are All the Musicians Dying?"
It's easy to think that the year 2016 was especially harsh with the passing of so many great musicians. Actually starting with Motörhead's Lemmy Kilmister at the very end of December 2015, this past year saw us lose David Bowie, Glenn Frey (Eagles), Paul Kanter (Jefferson Airplane), Maurice White (Earth Wind & Fire), Merle Haggard, Prince, Leonard Cohen, Leon Russell, Keith Emerson and Greg Lake (Emerson, Lake & Palmer), and a number of other lesser known but still impactful musicians. It's tremendously sad, but there's a pretty mundane reason. The concept of the "rock star" really came into play in the 1960s, with a batch of young men and women who were in their 20s at the time. It stands to reason that the combination of age and -- in some cases -- the rock star lifestyle would eventually take its toll.

Here's what I want you to keep in mind: it's actually surprising how many iconic musicians are still with us, at least for now. Paul McCartney. Mick Jagger. Keith Richards. Neil Young. Joni Mitchell. Roger Waters. Bob Dylan. Pete Townshend. All of Crosby, Stills & Nash. Not only are all of those musicians in their seventies and seemingly vibrant for the most part... many of them are still out rocking live and putting out new music! So, while I get the reason why it seems like we've lost so many inspirational makers of music, the reality is that we're super fortunate that we still have the ones who are still around. On a less happy note, be aware that the end of this seemingly rough year won't mark the end of seemingly immortal rock stars passing away.

The Show
Back to the present. As mentioned above, I hadn't done an SL show in six weeks, and I was a little concerned that my voice and/or guitar playing would be pretty rusty for the show at TIONE. Frankly, they were. However, I'm a much more harsh critic of my own abilities compared to everyone else; most people wouldn't have noted much of a difference from my well-rehearsed abilities, and at least I got through the hour without my voice giving out or my fingers giving up.

As is typical at TIONE, we started with a smallish crowd that built up pretty quickly once I started playing, and we had a great turnout of Zaksters... my good friends/fans who've seen and heard me play hundreds of times. I didn't have any particular theme to what I played, though I did get a couple of tunes in that I hadn't done before. I should also note that it's a special pleasure when I'm performing before or after Lyndon Heart, as I've done many times. He's a great friend, and I sincerely enjoy his show (and not just when he covers my compositions, as he did last night with "The Waiting Boy").

Doing what I do. Photo by Triana Caldera.

Wrapping up my show while the mighty Lyndon Heart awaits in the wings. Photo by Triana Caldera.

TIONE set list...
Free Man in Paris (Joni Mitchell)
Sex & Candy (Marcy Playground)
Always Tomorrow (Zak Claxton)
*The Wassail Song (Traditional, arr Zak Claxton)
Man of Constant Sorrow (Traditional)
*From The Beginning (Emerson Lake & Palmer)
Don't Let It Bring You Down (Neil Young)
America (Simon & Garfunkel)
Peace Love & Understanding (Elvis Costello)
Things Behind the Sun (Nick Drake)
Blew the Dust Away (They Stole My Crayon)
Space Oddity (David Bowie)
This Afternoon (Zak Claxton)
Welcome Lyndon Improvisation (Zak Claxton)

*Indicates the first time I've performed this song in SL.

It's good to be back! Massive thanks to everyone who came out to the show at TIONE, especially the following who helped support it!
Bigfoot Hendrassen, Aurelie Chenaux, Sesh Karachi, Triana Caldera, TheaDee Resident, Roan Blackburn, RansomTalmidge Resident, Brooklyn Breen, not4gods Resident, my great manager Maali Beck, and the wonderful stage manager at TIONE, my friend Christine Haiku!

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Congratulations, President-Elect Trump

Dear Mr. Trump,

Congratulations on your victory and your upcoming role as our next President of the United States. It's a job that I'm sure you'll accept with all the seriousness and responsibility that it entails, and I wish you all the luck in the world in fulfilling the goals that will, in your words, make America great again.

Perhaps the most difficult part of your job won't be extending your appeal to people like me... those who did not support your candidacy, but whose support you'll eventually need to accomplish your goals. That's likely not going to happen, but many Presidents have dealt with a majority of the population disagreeing with them, and they ended up just fine. No, as you're already aware, the challenging part will be those moments when the people who voted you into office slowly come to the realization that you're not the leader who they thought you were. Many of them elected you in the belief that you are as filled with darkness as many of them are. And -- let's be real here -- you're simply not.

There are those, Mr. Trump, who believe that you will be able to put a complete ban on immigrants based on their religion. You can't blame them for thinking this; you certainly inspired those thoughts. How will they react when this presents itself as impossible without a constitutional amendment that specifically allows for religious persecution, or when they become aware that any such legal change couldn't only apply to people of the Muslim faith but rather any religion that falls out of favor of the moment?

Then there are those who are expecting you to fulfill your pledge to build a physical wall that extends over 1,500 miles through desolate terrain from San Diego, CA to Brownsville, TX. You're a smart man; you know this wasn't ever within the realm of possibilities. Those people are going to be disappointed, Mr. Trump. Sure, you'll be able to find others to blame for your promises remaining unfulfilled. But most of them -- the truly deplorable ones, as they've been called, will just blame you.

And then there are those things you stated or insinuated that might actually happen. You could stack the deck of the Supreme Court to try and repeal Roe v Wade, for example. But the reality is that you, personally, don't really want to do that. You never did.

The good news -- at least for me and people like me -- is that you're really not the man who you painted yourself to be during the election. Hey, you're far from the first person who created a false image that allowed himself to attain office. It's understood, and though we grumble about it, it's expected that most campaign promises aren't worth the paper on which they're written. But now the election is over, and you have an opportunity you never, ever had before in the private sector: you can do things that will make you loved by millions and millions of people.

At the end of the day, that's what you truly want -- it's not hard to see. You want to be loved, and that's fine. Nothing would make me happier than to find out that there's a Donald Trump whom we haven't seen over the last two years. As Secretary Clinton said in regard to you during her concession speech this morning, "I hope that he will be a successful president for all Americans," and I share her hopes. You know very well that the "all Americans" to whom she referred include people of color, people of different sexual orientation, people from around the world who come here in search of a dream and are willing to work hard to make this country great. Those are Americans, the people whom you serve. They're counting on your support, as are all of us.

There will be times -- probably much sooner than anyone expects -- that the very base of people who helped elect you will turn on you when you don't promote or allow for hatred. Be strong when that happens. You will never be liked by everyone, but you can surprise many of those who assume they could never live in a country under your leadership.

We'll be standing by and waiting for this version of Donald Trump that wasn't apparent during the election. We're going to give you a shot, and you're a tough and smart guy who knows how to take advantage of an opportunity. Grab this moment to do the right thing. And, as I said, we'll be watching closely, and we'll be ready to take action in the case that I am mistaken about who you truly are. We take our rights and liberties pretty seriously here in America, and you will be under more scrutiny to defend those rights than any President in history. Needless to say that as President, you've just become the employee of 320 million people, and it's going to be a tough adjustment becoming a servant of the public.

As I said up top, I sincerely wish you luck. We all look forward to watching you do your best. This will be the hardest job you ever had, and perhaps it will all work out... for you, and for all of us.

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Heart's Desire (11.01.16)

Fun people, cool place, happy Zak. Photo by Triana Caldera.

Something I've noted time and time again over the past 10 years of performing live music in Second Life: when I least expect to have a great show is almost certainly when those great shows will happen. Take yesterday's show, my debut at Heart's Desire, as a perfect example.

I didn't have a bad day, but I did have an insanely busy day leading into that evening. Multiple business meetings, deadlines to accomplish, and everything else that was the extreme opposite of how people think a rock star spends his or her day. It certainly didn't give me much time to focus on my music, or even to plan a good set list. I barely had time to set up my gear and properly warm up before the show. Additionally, it was the first time I was going to perform at this venue, and there have been wildly unpredictable results in those situations. I never know how many of my friends/fans will be around in SL at any given day/time, or who want to hang out at some place they may not have heard of or visited previously. And then, there's my own degree of... I won't call it "stage fright", but there's a higher level of anxiety when one performs for new people at a new place. Will they like what I do? It's a subjective experience, live music, and you never really know if you're the right performer in the right venue until you start that first song.

So, you'd think the best I could have hoped for under those circumstances was a decent show where I played adequately and we got a few people there, and I'd have been fine with that. However, that's not what happened. Instead, unexpectedly, my guitar and voice both chose to cooperate with what I wanted them to do, the venue (the place itself and the people running it) was fantastic, and we had a really great crowd made up of Zaksters and new folks alike, and everyone really seemed to dig what I was doing. It's hard to measure these things tangibly, but I felt like it was one of my best shows of 2016.

Seeing a buttload of Zaksters in the crowd probably contributed to my having a good show at Heart's Desire. Photo by Triana Caldera.

I actually dressed up for the occasion... a rare event in and of itself. Photo by Triana Caldera.

Side note: the way I ended up performing there was pretty cool, and it was a story I related during the show. During September's Twin Cities SL Jam, I met a number of folks who I hadn't previously encountered in real life. One of them was Cryptic Harmony, a singer whose name I'd heard quite a bit but hadn't really gotten to know. We chatted during the Jam, and she told me that she helped book talent for a venue. I told her that I was always up for playing places in SL where I hadn't been before, and to connect with my manager Maali Beck. When Heart's Desire appeared on my schedule, I hadn't made the connection that this was the place that Cryppy was referring to in our talk at the Jam, so it was a fun surprise to put two and two together when I took a closer look at the contract.

I should add that the venue owner Spence Corwin seemed to be a super nice guy, the venue staff was totally organized, and the folks who were hanging out there were cool and receptive to the music I was playing. I honestly can't ask for anything other than that when I do any show in SL... or anywhere, for that matter.

Heart's Desire set list...
Northern Sky (Nick Drake)
Carey (Joni Mitchell)
This Afternoon (Zak Claxton)
Big Empty (Stone Temple Pilots)
Things Under Trees (They Stole My Crayon)
Falling Down (Zak Claxton)
Pancho & Lefty (Townes Van Zandt)
Cat’s In the Cradle (Harry Chapin)
Blew the Dust Away (They Stole My Crayon)
Landslide (Fleetwood Mac)
Always Tomorrow (Zak Claxton)
Fire & Rain (James Taylor)

Gigantic thanks to all who came out to Heart's Desire for my debut... especially the following who helped support the show!
Shagwire Praga, crypticbabe Resident, RoxxyyRoller Resident, SpenceCorwin Resident, RansomTalmidge Resident, Christine Haiku, scottlara Resident, not4gods Resident, Triana Caldera, Sesh Kamachi, Aurelie Chenaux, TheaDee Resident, ElusiveButterfly Ember, my manager Maali Beck, and all the great folks who run Heart's Desire! Can't wait until next time!

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

The Back Room's Halloween Spooktacular (10.17.16)

Getting spooky at Sassy's Back Room. Photo by Kat.

I play so rarely in Second Life these days that it's always a fun and exciting event when I do get in world and rock. When it's at a themed event put on by my friend and fellow musician Sassy Nitely (aka Barbie Horsley), there's no way it could go wrong. And, as a result, last night's show was as fun as I'd hoped it would be, and then some.

I arrived to find the place really decked out in the Halloween spirit. The event had started at 6PM, with Sassy herself performing, followed by Zach Cale, Dirtydee Sweetwater, and then Savannah Rain, who was performing when I arrived. I was followed by Lyndon Heart who, like me, kept inadvertently calling the venue by the wrong name, like "The Back Door" or "The Back Yard", because we were seemingly situated literally at the back door to the back yard of the place. Regardless of that ongoing faux pas, the stage and surrounding areas looked completely awesome, and the idea of having the stage set on the porch was brilliant. Hats off to Sassy and friends for the great design.

I should mention that I LOVE half-hour (as opposed to full hour) shows. Granted, it curtails my choices for songs, and limits the amount of interaction that I normally like to do with my audience. But just getting up and rocking with almost no room for filler is a fun experience, and I always enjoy playing events like this.

Count Zakula strikes again. Photo by Kat.

Fun crowd, good show, happy me. Photo by Kat.

A funny side note. I try and pick out my scarier songs when I play Halloween shows, because... duh. So, as I was looking down the list of songs by my band They Stole My Crayon, I had to laugh; almost all of them are unsettling enough to be featured in a Halloween set, which should tell us something.

The Back Room set list...
Psycho Killer (Talking Heads)
Blew The Dust Away (They Stole My Crayon)
People are Strange (The Doors)
Ashes to Ashes (David Bowie)
Sleeper in the Valley (Laura Veirs)
Things Behind the Sun (Nick Drake)
Things Under Trees (They Stole My Crayon)

Massive thanks to all who came out and hung around in Sassy's spooky spot for my show! Special thanks to the following people who helped support it.
TheaDee Resident, Triana Caldera, Zach Cale, Kat Claxton, Sesh Kamachi, Tyche Szondi, my excellent manager Maali Beck, and of course the lovely owner of The Back Room, Sassy Nitely!

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Three Ways to Get Your Crayon On (and a Fourth Coming Soon)

As you're well aware, my blog-reading friends, on August 19, my band They Stole My Crayon released the album we'd worked on -- sporadically -- for the previous four years. I wrote about it here, in fact. It was our plan to see if there was any interest from a few independent labels, but we knew that as a non-touring band, that was a long shot at best. Being aware of this, we had a "plan B" in place form the get-go, which was to release the album ourselves via our own indie record label, Casa Rosita Records.

And that, dear friends, is exactly what we've done. There are now three ways to get our debut album immediately... and a fourth on the way.

1. Bandcamp

We really like Bandcamp a lot, which is why it was where the album initially debuted. Their system is very fair to artists like us, and our release of the album there saw it become one of the best-selling alternative albums worldwide during that week. You can buy the full 12-song album in very high quality audio formats for as little as $7 (though you can give us more, as many have generously done), and on Bandcamp, unlike other stores, it comes with a 12-page digital booklet with lyrics, photos, and more. Click here to check out the TSMC album on Bandcamp.

2. iTunes

Since we're doing a full self-release of the album, it would be silly not to be on iTunes. It's the world's most popular retailer for music, and let's face it: iTunes is a super convenient and trusted source for music. We're happy to now offer the album on iTunes to our fans, who will finally have something really good to buy with that Apple gift card from Aunt Sue. Click here to experience The Crayon on iTunes.

3. Amazon

As long as The Crayon is available in the world's leading music store, it's not a bad idea to also have it in the world's largest online store of any kind. Here's one cool thing about buying our album from Amazon: the album is priced at $8.99, which is a buck less than you'd pay for it on iTunes. So while you're there buying socks, a garden hose, a tub of personal lubricant, an HD television, and some bird seed, you can also get yourself some Crayon. Click here to check out TSMC at Amazon.

4. Compact Disc (Coming in November)

Do some people still want physical media (as opposed to streams or downloads) in 2016? You bet your sweet patootie they do, and if we had more financial backing, we'd not only put out the Crayon album on CD, but we'd also do a vinyl run as well. That might happen someday, but for now, we're happy to tell you that some time next month, the album will be available in very limited numbers on Compact Disc, in a snazzy clear jewel case with an 8-page booklet. We will be sure to let folks know when it's available, and how they can purchase it.

5. Wait... what about Spotify???

At least for now -- and for the foreseeable future, possibly extending into infinity -- The Crayon has decided not to offer our music on streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play, Tidal, Pandora, or any of them. Our own previous experiences in releasing music via streaming has not been good. While it allows for a certain degree of discovery by possible new fans, the fact is that our songs can be streamed hundreds of times with our compensation literally being pennies. We feel our music has a value. A lot of time, effort, and money went into making the TSMC album. Please note that there's nothing wrong with these services, and we've used them as music listeners. The problem is that the current system of compensation from all of them leaves much to be desired from the standpoint of the music creators like us. As I said, we might do a 180-degree turn and add our music to streaming services, but there's not clear reason why it would be good for us to do so. And now you know.

Monday, September 26, 2016

Stand Up To Cancer at BS's Bring-a-Friend (09.25.16)

Doing my thing -- with a happy crowd and a sad guitar. Photo by Triana Caldera.

Sometime in August, my friend Still Braveheart hit me up on Facebook to ask if I could do a show for the Stand Up To Cancer charity. I told her I'd be happy to, but that my schedule was really nuts. At the time, we were preparing our They Stole My Crayon album for release, and I had a bunch of other stuff going on.

"Also," I wrote back to Still, "I'm heading for the Twin Cities Jam in mid-September, so I can't book anything directly around that time frame."

"The jam is why we are doing it the full month," she replied. "I will be up there too."

So, that was great news. I got to meet Still in person for the first time while in Minnesota -- many hugs were involved -- and we scheduled a date a full week after the Jam ended for me to do a show for the great charity that she champions. I also somehow managed to avoid getting seriously sick, like seemingly 90% of the others at that Jam experienced directly afterwards. So, everything was perfectly ready for me to do a successful fundraising show, right?

Uh, not quite.

See, I'd had a little problem upon my flight home from Minneapolis. Normally when you "gate check" an instrument, it is handed back to you immediately as you step out of the plane. The reason is easy to understand: a gate-checked instrument is not supposed to be stowed in the area with the rest of the luggage. It's usually put where the airplane transports pets, in a pressurized, temperature-controlled areas. Much like puppies and kittens, acoustic guitars don't like the extreme environments of flying 35,000 feet in the air. They also don't like being tossed around and banged against other luggage. So when I stepped off flight 604 at LAX, I was already perturbed that I had to wait for over 20 minutes for the crew to find my guitar. Then, as I walked along, it became obvious that the instrument case was freezing cold, and that there were ding marks on the outside of the brand new case. It had obviously been thrown in with other luggage, and I will never again be able to recommend American Airlines to my fellow musicians who travel with gear.

What does this have to do with my show? Well, this part is my bad: I did not plug in and test the guitar after that flight. I did inspect it thoroughly (it looked fine). I did play it acoustically (it sounded fine). But I didn't plug it in like I would for a show, and we were only four or five songs into that show before I regretted that decision. The guitar started cutting out, or giving a garbled version of its usually beautiful sound. The long story short: while the guitar was banged around in its case during the flight back to LA, the connection to the pickup was loosened. It only took about two minutes to fix it after the show and its perfectly fine now, but for one of the only times in almost ten years of doing live shows in SL, my guitar failed me when I needed it.

I almost had to finish the show a cappella. My guitar kind of participated enough to continue to the end. Photo by Triana Caldera.

That having been said, other than the intermittent and crappy-sounding guitar, the show went fine. We got some cool people to come out and make generous donations, which was the only purpose of the event in any case. I was somewhat forced to change my music-based show into a comedy routine of my screaming at my guitar each time it started cutting out on me, but these things happen. As I told the crowd, the only thing I refuse to do is give up, and I made it through the hour with my crippled instrument limping along with me, and it all turned out okay.

One last note... a really important one. Stand Up To Cancer's mission is "to raise funds to accelerate the pace of groundbreaking translational research that can get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives now." It's a charity where 100% of the funds received goes toward its stated goal, and I'm happy and proud to be able to offer whatever small level of support I can.

BS's/Stand Up To Cancer set list...
Free Man in Paris (Joni Mitchell)
Falling Down (Zak Claxton)
Pink Moon (Nick Drake)
Fire and Rain (James Taylor)
Rikki Don’t Lose That Number (Steely Dan)
Underwater Underground (They Stole My Crayon)
Carry Me Ohio (Sun Kil Moon)
Everyday I Write the Book (Elvis Costello)
Blew the Dust Away (They Stole My Crayon)
How Soon is Now (The Smiths)
Shame Chamber (Kurt Vile)
Things Under Trees (They Stole My Crayon)

Huge thanks to all who came out and gave generously

They Stole My Crayon on the Radio (09.23.16)


Listen to an excerpt of the broadcast. Courtesy of 89.9 WJCT.

One of the main reasons that I like my band They Stole My Crayon has nothing to do with the music itself. It has a lot to do with the interaction between myself and my bandmates Bunny Knutson and Christina Lee. The only reason the band happened in the first place, back in 2012, is that we were hanging out together having a silly and fun time, as we tend to do as old friends. That level of frivolity has maintained itself throughout the years we've been friends and bandmates, and we tend to do things in somewhat unique ways.

An example happened last Friday night, when we'd heard we were going to get our first radio airplay of our music. The three of us are big NPR listeners, so it was a complete thrill to find out that an NPR affiliate, Jacksonville-FL's 89.9 WJCT, was going to give us a spin on DJ John Maycumber's acoustic alternative show String Theory. We knew that "Got Guilt", the opening track on our debut album, certainly met the requirements of being both acoustic-based and alternative, and felt pretty good about the idea that John could fit the tune into his program set pretty well. At first, we didn't hear back from him, and then when we initially did, we ended up getting bumped (which, by the way, happens a lot, whether it's an appearance on a talk show or any other promotional opportunity where there are a lot of entertainers competing for attention). But the following Friday night, which is when String Theory airs, we got a pretty solid confirmation that we'd be on.

The Crayon has an interesting way of communicating. We all live in Southern California -- Christina and I in the same home -- but Bunny is all the way up in the Valley. So, we get together in person less than many might assume. And, of course, we all have jobs and stuff that keeps us from hanging out and doing band stuff in person as much as we'd like. What we do instead is have these real-time conversations within a private Facebook group that we've used for years in putting together the album and so on (the only non-bandmate in that group being the "fourth Crayon", our mix engineer and friend Spencer Crewe). It just so happened that Friday night, Christina was cruising around the desert with her family, who'd come down from Seattle on a pre-scheduled trip. I was here in Redondo Beach, and Bunny was up in Tarzana. However, despite the distance, we weren't going to be "apart" during such an auspicious moment in our band's history.

So, there we were on our Facebook group, chatting away at 8PM on Friday night, and all of us listening to WJCT over the Internet stream of their broadcast. We had no idea when we'd be played, and we were all having a lot of fun while the show ran through its eclectic playlist. Then, about five songs into the hour-long show, I started getting text messages from friends and fans who were watching the show's online listing update. "OMG YOU'RE NEXT!" was the one that caught my attention.

Our little band being played on an NPR station. Image courtesy of Kirsten Max.

And sure enough, as a song trailed away, we heard the familiar (to us) sounds of Bunny's acoustic guitar playing the opening sequence of notes for "Got Guilt", followed by Christina's, mine, and finally Bunny's voices. Being a hyper-critical listener, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the audio quality of the stream held up pretty well for our music. When the song ended and we all congratulated each other, we continued to listen to the show, and after another song went by, John Maycumber (bless him and all DJs who still do this) back-announced the set so far. It was even better than we expected.

"... also, They Stole My Crayon before that. We'll dedicate that one to everyone in my first grade class, heh heh heh. "Got Guilt", name of that one."


Awesome! We couldn't have been happier. While Bunny and I have both had our music played on various radio stations, it was Christina's first experience hearing herself on the radio. It's still a very big deal for a musician to hear his or her original works broadcast to a large audience. There's no guarantee it will happen again, though we're certainly going to be making more efforts in that regard.

Monday, September 19, 2016

Second Life Twin Cities Jam (09.15.16 - 09.18.16)


Note: for this blog post, I'm brazenly stealing images that have popped up all over the Interwebz. Please consider people like Gwampa Lomu, Kat Claxton, Gina Catenazzo, and many others credited for these fine pics! Above: the entire group of musician and superfan Twin City Jammers.

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 15
5:40am shouldn't be this harsh when I usually awaken just 20 minutes later at 6:00. But I got past my morning fatigue pretty quickly; it was the day that we were departing for the Second Life Twin Cities Jam for which we'd registered months ago, and I was excited. We were scheduled for a shuttle pickup to LAX at 6:55, followed by a four-hour flight to Minneapolis/St. Paul.

The first fun thing that happened was at the airport itself. I was having a last cigarette before entering the security line, and Kat and I were going to take a selfie (something we tend to do at airports for reasons that are inexplicable even to us). While we were doing so, I noticed a person creeping into the picture frame in a photobombing attempt. I snapped the pic and then turned around to find Lauren Payton (aka Maddison Thespian in SL; you'll find that I sometimes use SL and RL names interchangeably, depending on what I tend to call the person in question). She was on our flight, it turned out, so we hung out and chatted. It was like the Jam was already starting from 2,000 miles away.

LAX selfie with Kat; level-10 photobomb by Maddie.

Flying high with Kat, somewhere over America.

The flight was smooth, and after we landed, Jess Smith (aka Triana Caldera), one of the Jam organizers and (more importantly) one of our best friends, was there at MSP to pick us up. We tried to tell her we could just grab a shuttle and she wouldn't hear of such a thing. After arriving at the Best Western in Eagan, MN, we got checked in.

One general note about any SL Jam: you don't want to miss a thing. It's pretty rare for people to be hanging out away from the group. Even people from SL who may tend to be more introverted than the average human seem to be right there in the midst of the action. Not many folks are staying alone up in their rooms, or being apart from others (and even when they are, it's when folks sequester in little groups with their close friends, and even then, it's usually not for long). Besides, the only way to get in on the musical action is to be there amongst your musical peers... but I'm getting ahead of myself.

The main room wouldn't be available until the following day, so Kat and I joined the other early birds in a small conference room, where there was food and snacks, and we started the process of saying hello to old friends whom we only see at these sporadic events, as well as meeting some of the people with whom we hadn't yet had the pleasure. A few were "Jam Virgins" who were making their first appearances as musicians or fans at an SL Jam; others were simply people who hadn't been to the Jams that Kat and I had previously attended in San Diego (2011), Nashville (2014), and Orange County (2015), but many had attended others we hadn't gone to, places like Dallas, Chicago, Montreal, London, Florida, and elsewhere. As usual, it was great to see the human faces behind the avatars. Second Life may offer an idealized version of the human experience, but I've always been a guy who is more interested in exploring the heights and depths of reality.

Getting silly (already!) with Kat and Jess on Thursday night.

That evening, Ed Lowell had arrived with his truckload full of live sound gear. While he and some others unloaded mixers and PA speakers and monitors, I decided to entertain the entertainers by doing a batch of '70s/'80s TV themes that the lovely Deb Haas (aka Taunter Goodnight) was calling out. We were still very much running on Pacific Time, so even though it was getting pretty late, when Jess had to make a run by the house she had purchased only a few months before, we wanted to accompany her to check it out. It's not like we head that way very often, and wanted to see it while we could. It was astonishingly large and pretty. A side note: Minnesota is, especially during this time of year when the heat and humidity of summer has passed and the onslaught of frozen temps of winter have yet to begin, amazingly beautiful. I certainly couldn't live there year around; my body is too accustomed to the mild climate of Southern California to even consider it. But they picked a perfect time to host the Jam there. I loved it.

TV theme time with Taunter.

After a long day of travel and fun, we slept soundly that night. While some folks seem to enjoy staying awake for days on end throughout these events, Kat and I aren't among them. There's a name for the condition when you lose interest in partying all night; it's called "getting old", and we enjoyed a night of good sleep instead. The real fun was about to begin.

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 16
As is the case at most Jams, the hotel where we were gathered offers a complementary breakfast. The main rule of all musicians in the universe is to eat free food whenever it's offered and available, but we nearly missed out. Still being on West Coast time, we slept until 8:45, and Kat kindly got out of bed and wandered down the hall to pick us up food and coffee before the breakfast area was shut down. After feeding and showering ourselves, we headed down to the Jam area. One note on the showers, which will be my only complaint of this entire blog: they sucked! You'd get the water temperature set between freezing and burning, and then it would randomly jump to one or the other while the shower progressed. I learned to be ready to jump out of the water stream when either occurred.

But that's a pretty minor thing to bitch about. I got dressed and grabbed my guitar. My advice to musicians at a Jam: always have your instrument readily accessible. You might have a total of ten seconds notice before being called in to participate in a song performance, and if you're planning on running up to your room and back to grab your guitar (or iPad or whatever you need to do your thing), the song will be done before you're ready to go.

There were three rooms being put into use for the Jam: the aforementioned conference room, another small room which would be used for accessible gear storage, and the main Jam Room itself. But if you know anything about performing musicians, you know that having an "official" area to play means nothing at all. We don't need no steenking room, mang! So that morning while preparations were being made by others, a group of people gathered under a staircase (how typical, huh?) and pulled out guitars and started playing. Old friends like Lyndon Heart, Gina Stella, and Kaklick Martin were there, and I also met a guy named Collin Martin. He seemed super nice and was obviously a talented player and singer, so we and some others pulled chairs into a circle and started screwing around on random songs, rarely finishing them but having lots of fun in the process. It was a cool warm-up moment, and full of laughter.

Friday morning musical trolls lurking under the stairs.

The main Jam Room would be available at noon. Meanwhile, despite having had breakfast, we were hungry once again, so Kat, Jess, Lyndon and I went out to Jake's City Grille and lunched. I have to mention that Lyndon, in addition to being one of the most talented musicians with whom I've ever had the pleasure of performing, is simply one of the greatest people to hang out with. I enjoy every time our paths cross.

By the time we got back, the Jam Room was pretty well set up. Various guys were in the process of testing each mic and cable, so what better kind of sound check is there than just doing a tune? I've never been shy about kicking off any musical event; someone's gotta go first, and if no one else does, I'm happy to break the silence. I had nothing prepared, so I just plugged in and started strumming. Grif Bamaisin joined me for an impromptu "Welcome To the Jam" song while musicians and various SL friends filtered into the room.

"Welcome to the Twin Cities Jam. Expect some feedback."

The format of this Jam -- which I couldn't have more strongly supported -- did not involve people doing long, individual sets on their own. Instead, the entire Jam was a "3-Song Signup" format. Musicians would just request a slot on the schedule, which was then put up in the back of the room via projector. Then, depending on what kind of tunes they were doing, they'd either recruit specific people to play along (and possibly do a bit of rehearsing in the hallways beforehand), or simply be joined randomly by others who would just pop up onstage. This is the true essence of a Jam. It's exciting and fun for both the performers and the audience this way, and keeps everyone involved at all stages. There was a constant cycle of different people onstage at all times, and I loved it.

That afternoon and evening, I hopped onstage with a bunch of friends, new and old. Lyndon and Taunter joined me, Grif, Max Kleene, and MrMulti Writer for a few tunes. Then I hopped onstage with Strum Diesel, who is as energetic a performer as I've ever known in SL. I've been an admirer of his for years, so rocking a few tunes with him (along with was Max, Ben Cleanslate and others) was a huge pleasure. I also sat in on lead guitar for some tunes with Kaklick... playing along to his originals is always a blast.

Getting rolling with Grif, Lyndon, and Taunter.

I'm never "Stuck in the Middle" of these people. Wait, I actually am.

Rocking with Strum.

Jamming, SL Jam-style.

A short while later, I wandered into the hallway, and walking past the prep room, heard Lyndon, Max, and Kaklick working out some heavy vocal harmonies. I had to get in on that shit, and a short while later the four of us were onstage doing a killer set of "Listen to the Music", "Harvest Moon", and "The Weight", backed by Ben on bass, DennyMac on lead guitar, Hojo on fiddle, Collin Martin on the cajon, and Cellandra Zon on bongos. Not that I make these kinds of comparison, but musically, it was one of the tightest groups with whom I've ever performed at an SL Jam. It was good enough to actually take out and play live in real life. I've heard much worse from actual bands.

I know what a good band sounds like. It sounds like this. If you could listen to the photo above, you'd agree.

Great music usually means great fun, for both the band and the audience.

Speaking of "actual bands", we did have two of them there at the Jam, each of an entirely different nature. This was the second time that I've been to an SL Jam that included The Follow (Amy, Troy, and Mat), and they are obviously a tight, talented unit. A very familiar SL-based streaming band, Quadratix, comprised of Max, Ben, and DennyMac, also did their thing live. Fun to see in both cases.

I didn't sign up for my own three-song set that night; I'd been on stage enough for the time being, and wanted everyone to get their turn. Dinner that evening consisted of the wonderful ribs created by Suzen Juel (Juel Resistance) along with some yummy pasta dishes and salad and such. I was quite happy -- and full, and tired -- as I fell asleep that night.

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 17
It was, once again, the call of free breakfast (and coffee, of course) that pulled us out of bed before 9am on Saturday. The day began like most Jam days, with people hitting the stage starting at 10am and going continuously from there. After backing Suzen during her set, I got my name on the list and did a few tunes that I've played often in SL, including "Heart of Gold" and "Airport Bar". Then I nabbed Lyndon to joined me onstage for one of my own tunes, "The Waiting Boy". He's covered it before, and I mentioned it was a huge honor to have another musician appreciate your work enough to do it themselves.

Doing my solo stuff Saturday morning.

I seem to making a point about something. I should probably shut up and play my guitar.

It is never not fun playing with Lyndon Heart. Never.

There were a ton of great performances that day... way too many to mention. One set that I had high expectations for didn't disappoint; seeing Voodoo Shelton and Mulder Watts do their stuff live was probably a highlight for everyone who appreciated their excellent musicianship. As I sauntered back into the room at one point, I saw they'd posted the schedule of "Random Pairings". This is fun part of many jams where they literally put the names of all performers into a box, and then pick them out two at a time. Whoever comes up together has to then pick a song and perform together. I've had some great fun doing this in the past, and am always happy to play with whomever I am paired. This time, I'd be lying if I didn't say I was more than little happy to see myself paired with Max. He's not only a super-talented SL musician, but also a great guy whom I've known nearly the entire time I've been in SL (which will be ten years in October). We match well musically, and the only challenge was choosing a song to do. Knowing that Jess is a massive Foo Fighters fan, when we hit on "Learn to Fly", I knew it would be a cool one, and it was. We traded off on lead vocals. I enjoyed the hell out of it.

Being randomly paired with Max did not suck at all.

Rocking with Max, doing some Foos.

This is what an SL Jam is all about. It's about other things too, but people don't like me taking pics of that stuff.

Speaking of Jess, I was proud of her when she gathered the courage to join in and do a song. Paired with Gandalf Mornington, they did a nice version of "Amie". After that, there were more 3-song sets, and I'd promised Kaklick that I'd back him up on his originals, which I did, on bass, along with Krell Karu on guitar and Max on Cajon. It's really difficult to remember each and everything that happened... it was a constant stream of combinations of players that came and went. I can tell you that over the past five years I've been going to SL Jams, the level of musicianship and strength of performances has gone upward for damn near everyone. It was truly impressive. I'm hesitant to name more specific people (because I don't want to leave anyone out... there were tons of outstanding performances all around). Over the three days, I was super impressed by both people I didn't know well, like Collin, Dominoe Effect, Cryptic Harmony, Hojo Warf, Damon Welles, and more... and by the folks I've heard for many years in SL, like Lyndon, Max, Strum, Suzen, DennyMac, and many others. Even those who I got to know from just hanging out, like ProfessorShowbiz, ToySoldier Thor, Tyche Szondi, Olivia DeCuir, and Luka Mikoyan, made my trip worthwhile along with old SL/Jam friends like Heavenlei Lexenstar, Meegan Danitz, Gwampa Lomu, Ray Weyland, Gaia74, Still Braveheart, and my good buddy GMetal Svatur.

Gandalf with Jess, who did a great job stepping in with some vocals.

Playing bass for Kaklick, along with Max on percussion and Krell on lead guitar.

I think we set new selfie records that night. Here I am with Heavenlei while others selfie behind our selfie.

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 18
All good things, as they say, must end. It's the unfortunate reality that these events always feel too short. But I feel that the Twin Cities Jam was one where the time was well spent, and we made the most of it.

One big memory I'll take from Sunday is the time that Kat decided to join me for a complete 3-song set onstage. While she's a member of my band They Stole My Crayon, her experience performing live in front of an audience is lacking, and the Jam was a perfect opportunity for her to get her "stage legs", with an accepting and friendly crowd. We got up around lunchtime and with Max once again on cajon, did "Help Me", "Blew the Dust Away" (a Crayon tune), and "Wish You Were Here", where we were joined by a slew of our pals like Lyndon, Ben, and Strum. It was a great way for us to wrap up our TC Jam experience.

Performing live with Kat, along with Max and others. Awesome!

A bow after a "white man dance-off" with Collin Martin (which we both lost, somehow).

After some pizza lunch, it was time to make the rounds and say goodbye. I won't forget seeing poor Lei at that time, tears flowing copiously as she bid her friends farewell. That's what happens when you build these amazing relationships with people around the world who you don't get to see whenever you feel like it. I think that as a result, the people who attend SL Jams really develop this massive appreciation for each other, even though we span many different backgrounds, age ranges, places of original, races, religions, sexual orientations, and other things that would normally differentiate us. Our love for this completely unique thing that's hard to describe to others who haven't yet experienced it is undeniable.

Seriously, this is like the iconic Iwo Jima photo, except with selfies.

One last note: the people who organized this Jam should be thanked over and over again by everyone. They dealt with a lot of stuff that we all took for granted, and perhaps not everyone was truly understanding and grateful toward the hard work that went into this. It was amazing how smoothly it went, and that's due to the work of Taunter Goodnight, Triana Caldera, Smidge Frimon, Paula Leeming, Suzen Juel, and David Devaney. If you enjoyed your experience there, give them all the credit.

At MSP with Kat, ready to head back to Los Angeles.

Around 2pm, Jess once again insisted on escorting us back to the airport, so with our packed bags, off we went. After some more last hugs, we got through security, boarded our uneventful four-hour flight across two-thirds of the USA back to Los Angeles, and were home. Was the time away and the long travel worth it? You betcha, as they'd probably say in Minnesota. I've been in just about every music performance environment that exists, and there's nothing quite like an SL Jam. In fact, there's nothing even close.