The Famous Characters & The Sheeps Live

If you’re in Austin, and out and about tonight, come out to The Carousel Lounge and check out my band.  Oops, I mean my bands.  Yep, playing in two bands and they are both playing tonight.

The Famous Characters are basically pretty poppy.  I play guitar in this band.  Check out the MySpace page HERE.

The Sheeps are pretty twangy and poppy, but a definite countrified note in there.  I’m on the drums in this band.  Check out the MySpace page HERE.

Also, this will be the first time that I’ve played in two bands playing two different instruments in one night.  Should be fun.

Read Full Post »

Ambition is…(SXSW Roundup)

All hail Paul Ford! – He did the impossible. He did the unthinkable. He did the why-would-anyone bother?

He downloaded the entire SXSW torrent file which contains more than 48 continuous hours of music, representing 763 different bands (which is less than half the bands that played).  Are you beginning to comprehend how ridiculously large the scale of South by Southwest is???

And he listened to each song in its entirety. And he reviewed each band. Succinctly. In 6 words or less.

He also provides a link where you can download their songs. Check it out. Comprehensive and kinda handy, huh?

Also, for those who care, The Raconteurs release their second full albun next Tuesday.

And NPR had some really good coverage of SXSW as well. Archives of concerts (some videos), including REM, Yo La Tengo, AA Bondy, Bon Iver and more. And really good blog coverage too.

Read Full Post »

Did The Sheeps Rock Austin?

Oh. 

Oh. They most certainly did.

How many other bands debut to a full crowd (small bar but, probably 75 people) and have a crowd that begs for an encore even after the singer informs them that they don’t know anymore tunes???

“Well, Play ones you already played before!” the crowd demanded.

The Sheeps obliged.

Glory Story was great. Some Honey Pot ladies were rocking in the audience. And there was even The Lone Dancer.

How can you beat that shit?

The only way is to play again real soon.

Jeddler Update – Carousel Lounge calls this AM to let us know that they loved us and we can play again any time we like.  Maybe even a regular gig if we want it.  Who rules?  The Sheeps rule?  And Glory Story, of course.

Read Full Post »

The Sheeps

 

I would say “Come see my band” but with most of ya’ll in North Carolina, that’s just not happening.  But you can enjoy the flyer anyway.  I always like checking out band flyers.  Our first gig is Wednesday.  I’m hoping Gator will take some snaps that we can post, she’s a good picture-takerer.

But anyway, my band The Sheeps is finally up and running and doing something other than rocking Wes’ RockLodge (the garage where we rehearse).  I’m playing drums in this one, and it’s a new kind of drumming for me.  A little slower.  Less Rock, more roll.  Maybe even less roll too.  It’s a kick-back vibe with Wes playing rhythm and singing in his signature warble, Brian on twangy tele or lapsteel, Michael on Rhodes piano, organ or vintage Roland Juno, and Zach on Jazz Bass.  Good guys all around.

We did some recording at The Brain Machine Studios on Sunday which went very well.  We tracked six songs and got everything down except backups on four of the songs.  We’ll finish that up next week and mix it down to be a nice six song demo.

Check out our myspace page to sample the songs and see what Wes comes up with content-wise. 

More on The Sheeps at it develops.

Read Full Post »

What does your world look like?

‘Cause mine needs a thorough scrubbin’!

Read Full Post »

I have a PatrolKitty, and yoooouuu Don’t!

Here in Austin we have a friendly little kitten that patrols our yard. It is true that she is quite skittish and does not protect us from intruders through our back gate at 4am (a story for another day), but she probably would let us know if there were a wayward chipmink nearby. 

I have since found out that kitten is a little bit of a harlot (n. female prostitute – from Anglo-French herlot beggar, vagabond; take it whichever way you want). She solicits food and company from at least four other neighbors. And still manages to look so pitiful and needy whenever you see her. Don’t fall for it! It’s all a ruse! She’s like the fabled panhandler who makes a six figure income; she looks rough but she could buy and sell everyone of us. MastermindKitty is her new name. She will chew you up and spit you out. 

Or just look cute like this:           

 

Other names that she responds equally poorly to are:

Herr Kitty, DerrKittyMeisterGeneral, HelloKitty, MissKittenBottoms, Cat Got your Tongue, ScardeyCat, Blackie, and Edgar.

Oh, and we have no idea if PatrolKitty is male or female. In case you’re wondering.

Read Full Post »