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STILL HERE!

Well, news has been almost non-existent with many reasons, in fact I’m not even sure of what they are or entail. This much I can say, I fell asleep at the keypad. Yup. Probably the biggest reason. I spent some time in a cover band, which was fun but not for me. Since I’m non-confrontational it took a few months to exit the band. Doing 3 sets of 30+ tunes for $40 a gig when I would play for free was, well, insulting. Kinda. LOTS OF WORK! So, I made a decision to stop learning tunes and get back to my first loves. Writing. Recording.

I still went out on auditions, almost joining another band. And I was playing with friends on weekends but they all ended up blowing away in the wind for other adventures. Again, it was fun for awhile. I met some great people as well. Ultimately, I purchased equipment to play live and now storing it for the future gig or show. 

So what have I been doing? Well, looking for like minded musicians to play live with, rehearse with, work on tunes etc. Recording and trying super hard to clean up my mess! Yup, my studio area is impossible to work in without tripping over gear. Getting rid of some would be a great idea. When I think “I don’t really need that Roland Keyboard anymore” I get sad, basically talking myself out of selling it. I have picked up a new Alesis E-Kit and just got a Simmons drum amp to use with it. The amp was not working so I took it apart, soldered a few bad capacitor connections and installed a new subwoofer. Presto Changejo it’s working now.

Of course we just squeaked through an election. Which gives me hope that some of my bills will reduce accordingly. The previous administration was not good for my personal pocketbook.Lots of anger on both sides. Since I live in California, which is a single party state, it doesn’t matter which way I vote anyways. Back to music!

I have spent many hours writing new tunes, some good, some bad, some really bad (smile) Bought a few acoustic/electric guitars for playing live and spent the next few months watching TV. Sucked my life away. Very enjoyable as well. Since all things must pass, with December close and the new year about to complain that I haven’t finished this CD, I’ve been trying hard to stop buying new musical toys. Slowly making progress on this aspect of life. Also, listening to tunes from almost 45 years ago of a progressive rock band I was in called “Stray Raven”. Great band and I was stupid to leave it, the arrogance of youth is my excuse.

So, I am posting a badly recorded tune, with out of key vocals which I recorded this month. For fun. Completely different style as well. Take a listen and enjoy/don’t enjoy. Won’t make or break any musical direction I was headed in would say…(smile)

“Tell Me How You Feel”

Got sidetracked a bit…

We played a Halloween gig in October. It was a blast. But very time consuming musically as I didn’t know most of the tunes, having been sheltered only playing progressive rock for years. The band members are great and I like contributing however I can to the tunes.

Yep, that’s me on the right dressed as a Gypsy Pirate pretending to be a bass player. My therapist had a field day with this one!

therapist: how does it make you feel to be dressed up as a pirate?

me: gypsy pirate

therapist: whatever. How did it feel to play bass as a gypsy?

me: uh, gypsy pirate…

therapist: sure, whatever.

me: how does it feel to pretend to be a therapist that never dresses up?

therapist: you may have bass player trauma.

Which after that comment, I left the session. I KNOW I have bass player trauma. Not need to rub it in. I guess the point here is I was working on tunes and put URONEPROG on hold. And I’m back! Now when we get together we only learn a few tunes instead of trying to cram the entire catalog of music into a couple of rehearsals. Hopefully, while I adjust my bass guitars with a few major needed tweaks, I can finish the few tunes required to round out the EP. Until then, here’s a couple of short videos from the Halloween gig.

Almost Halloween!

So, lot’s of things happening. Well, a few things to be sure. First, I noticed the website was not displaying properly. That was not good. I tried explaining that to my critters and they cocked their heads from side to side like an understanding was forming in their tiny  brains. But when I asked “what have you just learned?” they ran off looking for cookies and lizards. Maybe I was being too optimistic or just ignoring millions of years of evolution. Don’t know. 

I moved on, not wanting to dwell or contemplate the universe and instead went about finding the issue on the website. After updating all the plugins, removing ones not being used, making sure the latest version word press was installed, it still didn’t work. Fortunately, I had a backup from a month ago. Yay! I restored the earlier backup and presto chango, everything worked again. What had gone wrong? I saved the bad website to peruse at a later date. In the meantime all is good!

I finally got the rest of the artwork back for the CD. This means I can finalize the tunes and upload everything for mastering and printing. Well, when I am cash solvent which should be at the end of October. Who knew it was expensive to make your own CD’s and Vinyl Records? Well, the company that makes them does… (smile)

During this time I joined a local cover band in my area. The people are great and I am enjoying playing with them. Soon to play live as well. It’s good for me as I am very rusty at playing cover tunes and just in general. Everyone is patient with me as I get up to speed. And it’s way different from what I normally play, not being progressive. Who knew 4/4 time signatures could be so hard after playing 7’s, 11’s and 5’s? (Big Smile)

This is the closest the CD has come to being done. Sadly, Doug’s dad passed a short time ago. His mom will get to hear it, although his dad was the musician of the family.  I never knew it would take this long to finish. And to be sure, I had to split it into 2 EP’s for now. But hey, what is that cliche? Better late than on time? Or something like that.

Stay frosty and until the next update

cj

Eek!

Wow, it’s been awhile. An update is needed just about everywhere. Let’s see, around xmas eve I received a gift which sent me to bed for the next 2 weeks. The weeks after were spent recovering, gaining my strength back. Which in itself was fraught with danger.  I could barely stand and basically tripping over my feet just trying to walk to the kitchen.

Fully recovered and back to my old playful self, I started up the studio gear and after 2 notes shut it down. Could not focus on anything. So, decided to give music a rest for another few weeks.  Being in bed all day, I’ve been catching up on tv series which as it turns out is making me sick in a different way. I start watching a show and less then 10 minutes in, a “woke” agenda rears it’s ugly head. I think about cancelling all tv and just focusing on music but I really like the Star Trek series on Paramount for now. So, until they go “woke” I am keeping Paramount. About the only thing I’ve watched that was not infested with woke crap was the new Top Gun, Maverick movie. Loved it. Just pure movie making at it’s best. 

I’m just about ready to continue working on tunes again. But it makes me wonder how historically, with the lack of proper medical care and miracle drugs, the talented artists of old were able to function? When they got the flu, it would knock them out for months at a time! Geesh, I’m feeling fairly blessed having access to supermarkets, plumbing, sanitary water, washing machines for my blankets and clothes, refrigerator to keep food from spoiling, central heating (Expensive now!) to stay warm in winter, water proof roof to keep the rain out, a vehicle for transportation, coffee maker that continues to work with the abuse I put it through. Did I mention coffee? I really like unleaded coffee the best. Don’t like the caffeine jitters much.

As I started to function again, I made the mistake of reading various news websites. Which made me sick all over again. “Woke” should be classified as a disease. I’m not getting on a soapbox because this site would be consumed with my never-ending thoughts of how we are fooled and steered into directions better left alone.  But hey, now that I am somewhat recovered, I can turn off the news, the tv, the radio and just concentrate on making music. In a way, I’m avoiding the big bad world by focusing on tunes. Who knows how much time I have left on this plane of existence? Might as well spend it doing something I feel is right and helps the earth spin. Because music does just that. Brings tears of joy, healing energies and soulful reminders we are visitors to this time period.

Enjoy the world and consume coffee!

cj

 

 

 

I’m Back!

Although I really have no idea what that means. Being back where? I guess I’m saying that I’m still alive with all the craziness of the last couple of years. My critters are still alive as well and they loved having me around more. It still seemed like I couldn’t get as much done as I wanted to. Which I think is what the psyop was about. It certainly slowed me down.

I was able to learn more about repairing amplifiers etc. Guitar amps and stereos plus the occasional device from outer space. Well, it seemed like they were from outer space when I would take the cover off. So many strange looking pieces soldered and wired up to produce something. Oh well. Distracted me from working on tunes, plus going to work as well. The heat has played a small part in the delay to finishing this CD. My central AC doesn’t work, well it does it just leaks freon or what ever has replaced freon. 

So, I rarely work on tunes except in the evening when I am very tired. And it has cooled off. For awhile there I was addicted to all the new Star Trek series, Strange New Worlds, Picard, Discovery and a not-star trek called The Orville, which was great fun!

Time to get back on track. Which I will, right after this movie I’m watching…

I’m Still Here!

Although sometimes I think I’m not sure where here is. I have been working on other projects. Just not this one. Why you ask? (You didn’t ask? smile) You would think I had more time since our wonderful (sarcasm) lockdown started. Instead, I ended up working more. AND…there were more chores to do as well around the house.

I have been spending some time repairing old amplifiers like the Harman Kardon 330a and the Five Twenty (to drop a few names…) That has kept me from wigging out. It’s hard to work in the field when no one will let you in to repair whatever issue they have. So, lot’s of driving with very little work.

But all things must pass…and now that my schedule will be more stable, I can get back to finishing the last recordings. However, I seem to have forgotten how everything is wired along with all the buttons. The hundreds of buttons. So many buttons. Geesh, and to think I used to know what they were all for.

Like riding a bike I hear. You never forget. Tell that to my very small brain.

More soon…

New Video

Updates. updates, updates. Oh My!

I had a guest musician perform a solo on the song “Finale”. Kinda cool as he’s in New York and everything was done via the internet. That song will be updated soon as I am still editing it. Although it’s really done. Just being careful in my mixing. (smile)

Also, have been experimenting with videos. I thought “why not do a simple video of Public Plane?” so, I searched for royalty free video and public domain ones that I could use, which doesn’t mean I won’t in the future actually purchase ones I really like, it was more of a test for me. One to see if I could make it, and two to post it. Not only here, but various youtube like sites. Which I haven’t done yet but plan on. Will also probably fiddle with the video some and change a few parts as I find clips I like better.

Until then – give her a spin.  Located on the Music page. It’s a trip through the Universe and back. Kinda. (smile)

Yay! Starting to work again on tunes…

“I bet you thought, we couldn’t do it…” (shamelessly taken from a Gentle Giant tune)

Back again. Starting to work more on finishing tunes. You would think this is something very easy to do. Life, has a way of getting in the way of… Life. No complaints. Just happy.

Joined MeWe recently. Not because it’s better, or privacy related issues, but mostly because FaceBook has become something different than when I joined. Granted, I never did much there and although I planned too, apparently I missed the boat. Which turns out to be a good thing as the drama with FaceBook was not something I was interested in. Which turns out to be a good thing!

After joining MeWe, I posted for a guitarist to perhaps write a solo for a tune in the wings that’s almost finished. Sure enough, I found one that’s quite good. I’m appreciative that he’s even taking a stab at recording a solo and even if it doesn’t work out I’ll be posting a link to his tunes and playing. He’s quite good. For the moment he’s working on a few different leads and will let me know when finished. Until then, I wait.

So, MeWe is cool. Still has drama as the CEO says he’s not for free speech. But, hey, it’s miles beyond what FaceBook has become.

Stuff in the works for now…

 

 

 

another update – or just some thoughts

So, these last few months have been difficult. At the beginning of the year, I was going to finish fixing up my house and possibly move to another state. Also I had planned on working on the last 2 tunes on the CD to finally complete it. But none of my aspirations were quite realized.

With the lock down in place in IcontrolyouFornia, I lost focus on what was important. Since my job was considered “Essential” I didn’t get that much needed space to work on the tunes. But now I think I have a handle on things. Which is why I have been updating the site as well. On my personal site, I made a few lyric videos out of tunes I had done almost 30 years ago! What a blast it was as well. You can see them at the links below.

This got me thinking: Why not make one from the new CD and post it on the URONE youtube page (which is not live yet!)?

Maybe soon…

updated the entire site

Well, it’s still the same content of course. But I moved the site from one of those website builders that you have to pay quarterly for – which doesn’t work for me as word press offers even more options along with plugins that make it super simple to edit and update! This also keeps things in line with my personal music and news site – carljasper.com.

I am still learning the power that’s included with word press – it’s nothing short of amazing what can be done! Hopefully, I will be able to spend more time refining this site to make navigation for you much easier and more direct as time goes on.

cj

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