Saturday, October 2, 2010

The Art of Craft

I've been thinking about the art of craft lately. And vice versa. It seems as though the line between the two is very fine. When does a cooking trade become a culinary art? And when does wood working become sculpting? It's not the tools you use or even the ingredients it seems. Is it a matter of utility and purpose? If the pipe were to be a real pipe instead of a painting of a pipe, it would serve the purpose to burn and enjoy tobacco. But isn't it also sometimes the pleasure of holding the wooden shape in your hand? Enjoying the hand carved curves, and feeling the passage of time smooth its wooden contours? So how is that different than enjoying the idea of a pipe? I guess to me, the drawing of a pipe tells a story more than anything.

All these thoughts were brought up after playing a show in Johnson City, TN. Why? Maybe after speaking to various people about their various crafty university programs, such as: Bluegrass and Old Time, and, my favorite of all, Storytelling. Yes you can get your masters degree in the (art?) (craft?) of storytelling.
There is also the International Storytelling Center right outside of town in Jonesborough, tn!

I think part of me keeled over and fell in love with that town. Now sure, you probably don't need to go and spend money on a program like that if you already live in the Appalachian mountains and could learn from you old neighbor down the street, but if it's beginning to be a lost art, then why not? I'm glad it's out there. And people go to school for all kinds of crazy useless things, like philosophy and literature, so I don't really see the big difference frankly.

When it comes down to it, isn't everything a story to be told? Don't know what exactly this all has to do with my question about art and craft, but I know it relates somehow. Any thoughts?

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Hey folks, I got a job. After living on nothing for 2 months (I'm still living on basically nothing), I miraculously got a job picking up shifts at a vegetarian restaurant. And it's the first one I've ever cooked for! I strangely love it, but that may be because it's one of the most friendly, easy going work places I've ever been in. Everyone works hard, it's just that we all help each other out and no one's grumpy about their job. I know...it's a bit creepy. The other part of it is that they let me go on tour! And I'm not alone. You can't throw a stone without hitting a musician there.

Other news is that my roommate chopped all my hair off yesterday. Actually more like buzzed. It was the first time I had a buzzer taken to my noggin, and I have to say, it was quite liberating. It's definitely got character seeing as how some parts are longer than others, but I like it because i don't have to worry about it. I know it's not really hair buzzing season now that it's cooling off, but I was sick of the previous. Don't have any pictures, so you'll have to use your imagination.

I have to be going...I'm going into the restaurant today to help with a deep cleaning. So I must say au revoir for now.


Saturday, June 26, 2010

On the road again

This tour has been a roller coaster unpalatable to those with weak stomachs. In other words, we have not coasted, but rather have had severe highs and lows. Musically speaking, we've had some rough luck. Some due to canceled shows, and some due to no-show shows. Non-musically speaking, we've witnessed a shooting in Cleveland, and we missed a show in Iowa due to our car breaking down in Minnesota. Good news? Our car is fixed, (it was just the glow plugs that needed to be replaced), and instead of moping around in Iowa, we sold a large handful of CDs at an open mike which not only made up for our lost show, but for the car expenses we'd acquired too.
So here we are in Salt Lake City, getting ready to embark on a 2 day journey through desert winds and heat so we can make it to the great supple earth of California (or so people like to think), in hopes of completing the remainder of our tour with high spirits and worthwhile shows.

It's hard to even try to summarize our trip so far since there's been many ups and downs, and it may be the full moon and my hormonal body speaking, but I could certainly use a moral boost. Maybe a couple of days in the desert 100 miles out from any working toilet will be a good place to cleanse my mind and clotted notion of where we are and where we're headed in life.
For those of you that actually read this blog when I actually keep up with it, I thank you for taking the time to stop and tune in to my little stories. It means a lot to know that even a couple of people are connected to me at a time when my life is transitory and friends are a distant idea. But I want to let you know that if I was at one point lucky enough to have cooked dinner with you, played scrabble with you, listened to music with you, come up with unforgivable but decidedly good puns, then you can be sure that I have a sentimental corner in my brain kept just for you.

I have been too cheeseball today. But these are my sincere thoughts. I doubt I will gain access to blog until out of the desert, so until then, stay cool and go for a swim!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Fall Tour '09

Richmond, VA
























This is our friend Alison who is 'Alison Self' who played a house show with us in her lovely Virginia home.

Old friends embracing.

Our musical traveling partner Rae, or, 'One Tough Cookie' saying hello to a house cat.

It's a stand-off.

Dave and Stu and Williamsburg on our way to get delicious Italian food.

These are all views from Dave's uncles' apartment balcony/fire escape. Beautiful, no?

"View from Brooklyn no. 1"


"View from Brooklyn no. 2"


"View from Brooklyn no. 3"




Goodbye New York.


Detroit, MI
The Trumbullplex. Just your average crumbling mansion.

And just your average across the street crumbling mansion neighbor.
Oh Detroit, I think we have a future together.

More pictures to come...

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

what to say in the new year

Well, it's true. I haven't said a thing since June, and I apologize. This is awkward because I am trying to type every so softly while Dave sings earnestly in front of me to record a song we're doing on our upcoming full length. I'm tuning out a little, but there are words that keep turning up: "Cause there's nothing left to say."

"I know as little as one can know"

There are so many lines in the song that are quandaries in themselves.

That's how I've felt for the last 6 months or so. I've had trouble surmising the words to paste up here on this page. I feel like there have been so many transitions for us this year. We finally made one more to start off the new year though. We made a move to a cozy new house with some friends. We'll have Food Not Bombs here, we'll have shows in our shed, (which we've dubbed "The Outhouse"), and we're getting settled in our really comfy attic space which is our new bedroom, music studio, office space, meditation room and library, all in one.
It is indeed out with the old, in with the new this year and a new life has been birthed in this dwelling. It should be just the thing for our time here in Nashville when staying still between tours.
Let's see if we can manage to stay in one place this time for more than 6 months. And I'll try to find some place within me to spout thoughts and words and things that I don't know the meaning of, even if "there's nothing left to say."