Moscow, Moscow, Your soul is so big

I guess it's time to update this...
I said something about recording a shanty last time, I might still do that. Just thought I'd share a story about my week, because it was pretty exciting. I think it was Sunday when my brother Matt and his wife Amy Bleu came to Spokane, we ate Mexican food and afterward he came and hung out at our place and Jammed for a few hours. My younger brother on Ukulele, Matt on guitar and me frailing on the banjo. It was really fun, we played a song by Eef Barzelay called "I wasn't really drunk." next day they played a show together at the Gallery of Thum' at the famous old steamplant which they converted into a bunch of resteraunts and shops & stuff (you can even rent out their huge boiler tank for banquets) That was cool because Ron Greene opened and so did Bellows Bot (who is also in Amy's band). Then the idea floated around that since I didn't have to work the next day I tag along and go to Moscow with them. So we hit some sports bar and had some beers and I stayed at Amy's place that night.. next day we didn't have to leave until 6 so I hung out with Matt all day. Ate Indian food, shopped at several different music stores (I picked up a metronome, a shorter glass slide which is pretty awesome because of the 5th string tuner always gets in the way, and some thick picks for my brother's mando.) when we got to Moscow the bar looked a lot like that bar in Blues Brothers minus the chicken wire. It really didn't seem like many of the patrons were into it, there was a small group who came up and chatted, danced and even sang along to one of her covers (No Children, by the Mountian Goats) I, having nothing to do but take pictures and watch the show, drank a little too much too fast. I'm sure you've been there before. So the ride home wasn't as ...clean.. as I would've liked it to be, but at least we all made it back in one piece and didn't have to stay in some shitty motel.

I think i'll work on "Greasy Coat" that seems like an easy song
Part A
Am---|Am---|Am---|G-Am-|Am---|Am---|Am---|G-Am-:||
Part B
Am---|G---|Am---|Am---|Am---|G---|Am---|Em-Am-:||

I'd love to be able to play "When dey wud no crawfish" I'd really have to work on the slide for that. OOh I just noticed I have a follower, thanks follower! :D

Shanghai'd

Just saw a "Folk song of the day" video from 1 year ago that featured the song "blow the man down."

In it Patrick explains how in the 19th century Black Ball freighters kidnapped drunkards, beat them, and when they woke up they were on a ship in the ocean/bay/sound/river or what have you. It was either work for them or drown trying to reach the shore.

It brought to mind the tour I took that I thoroughly enjoyed in Portland, OR (which was the #2 Shanghaiing port on the west coast after San Fransisco) which takes you into the tunnels they used to capture the drunk men from the taverns. I believe women were also taken for nefarious sex slaving business.. The bartenders would wait until some poor bloke, or a few, happened to stand on the right spot, a lever was pulled and BAM down to the tunnel they went where they were beaten and their boots taken so if they tried to escape.. the broken glass and nails strewn about would leave a trail of breadcrumbs so to speak.. Shanghaied crew were considered lower than the rats on board and when food was running out... you became dinner.

I've heard the song before, but never really understood what it meant. Blow the man down = beat the living hell out of him..

I really want to record this one as my first singing attempt since it is very simple (G and D in 3/4). So yeah, look forward to that.. if your reading this.

Singing?

I can't imagine being able to sing while playing... I mess up when I try to say a single word.. It'll come with practice I reckon.

community

Friends and family are awesome, they'll always make you feel good. I just got done playing a round of drunken Risk, seriously Steel reserve is the best beer you can get for your money....

I got on Tangier Sound again today! For that I'm extremely excited and grateful to the Costellos. Steve From Ohio said something that I thought was pretty deep..
he commented on my latest video..

"Awesome, keep posting! Seeing folks in this community all grow together as musicians is one of the most inspiring aspects of this whole craft."

And every word of that is true. Even though I haven't been there for that long.. the fact that little old me could inspire someone to pick up a banjo is beyond awesome.. Maybe in the near future I could start doing tutorial videos, that would be very rewarding and pretty cool..

I think I'll go to bed now.. I can't stop hiccuping though... turns out that's not just a cliché.

Four AM Frailing

I recorded these instead of Sleeping tonight.

Banks of the Ohio


and Big Rock Candy Mountain



one is a song I know well, the other is one I barely know. Tried these without the resonator on so see what it would be like. I dig it.

Featured on Tangier Sound!

How cool is that??!
Me on Tangier Sound

Rosin The Beau

Oh yeah, HAPPY NEW YEAR! aught nine! Woohoo!

Cripple Creek