Saturday, July 9, 2011

Summer 1990 - (Do Elves Sell?)

6/11/90
Out to Carolbellview for 4 track laydown of folkie tune, first try was in hyperspace but later slowed down. Two versons of Do You Think (Mikies song) floating abut, other new solo efforts around including Carry Me Away and Strange as it may Seem and new gospel one and first pass of Galactic Storm and new one for Pam, keep em coming by God. No new chords from Les, must be cranky. No recording plans as master reel languishes. Electro drums quit but midi saves the day. Finally some rain as heat breaks

7/18/90
Gala Barn Jamboree, takng advantage of the photo mans summer hours. New coiuntry standard 1+1=3 in the oven. Les obsessed with Salisbury, which is given lively if somewhat ponderous treatment. Obligatory runtrhu of In July (actually written in August 89 for you trivia buffs, you dont care? Well f.y.) Opened with Deadly Embrace which Dr J seems to find catchy, so closed with it also. Talking studio, talking Baby Huey, talk talk talk. Les delivers his version of Do You Think, ohso folksy plus rockin versions of There Are Times, new mellow intro to Land, footstomping Rangers. Closed with covers Doug Kiln, Punk. Baby and Heat in the news on the farm.

7/20/90
Its a boy Mrs Likert its a boy. Better get a ToysRUS credit application. Sunch with the Lenders and highpowered meeting with baby huey himself,who seemed colicky and out of sorts, probably needed a change. Be commercial he says. Do Elves sell?

8/1/90
Barn 3rd straight time, better watch it, we might get good. Nah. KB duo with Salisbury in vogue, good version of In a Dream. Debut for New Dark Ages, Les fiddles with chords, hates one part. 1+1=3 debut not much fanfare, even less for If This is Lost, critic board deems it uncountry, OK OK, I'll put in a line about BBQ chicken. Overture tightening up, as are Deadly and Storm. There are Times catching on as fast tune. Thank You good as usual. Les unleashes tape for new folkie tune, looks like 7 Years Ago tome. Gary shoots tick at Les, who be St Louis bound. Dallas for me, still recovering from Talledega. Johnny quote of the month on phone, is it a new week already?

8/7/90
Out to Lamplight or something studio for taping of 1+1, either an update to the theory of relativity or a new formula for toothpaste. Living room atmosphere (close that window for the vocals) for good reason but good tape emerges, Dave Folsom likes the tune sure he does.

8/17/90
Over to Davids for a quickie Endless Fascination, piano from hell has to go if possible however, sounds two steppable to me, however. Over to Senderbilt where Les is making 8 track noises, remember when 8 track meant those cartidges from KTEL. New tap with ascending riff for a change. Technopoem delivered.

8/18/90
Dad in Law visit to Terye, Carol Belle laid down on about 7 tracks, sounding good man.

8/21/90
Houston the 8 track has landed in Belleview, thats 1 small check for les one giant leap for senderkind. Debut runthru of Look To the Skies on fabulous though haunted MR T machine. Complete studio revamping looks fab-oh. My amp will never leave barn again after failed recording test, sound was similar to Blatt. Even godarilla outperformed the little wiener. EZ payments started on 4 track handmedown deck. Les delivers dirge tape, currently working up Momma and Ascending Something. Oh to be young, alive, and a Sender. Dont know about singing in the closet however.

8/28-29/90
Over to other place for even crummier mix of Endless, but at least piano from hell is gone. Belleview visit as the Big T in shop already, say it isnt so. 4 channel era dawns with easy payment plan, Gary seeks to find out if 4 X 0 is still 0. Unveiling of Circle and Seven, Les however doesnt remember his own riffs, or at least doesnt recognize my necessary revisions. Gala runthru of many older tunes with 2 guys on stool routine, closet booth is ready. Magellan trilogy tape blank. Oh well.

8/30/90
4 channel comes to MiniFarm Studios (the Ross), oh god look at all them buttons ma.

9/11/90
Prelim Hallo flyer, Johnny shaky (redundant news tip of the day). Over to Belleview for return of 8 track, passable version of Carry me Away, new tape for third theme of Magellan delivered, 4 channel taping frenzy continues in barn. Back thru heavy T storms.

9/27/90
Work schedule intruding on band practice, jeez. Hearse delivered, looks good out back, along with new mannequin. Quickie to Belleview after Dallas flyin, Les delivers bizzaro version of Techno, remixed Carry. At the piano for moving renditions of old favorites while dancing Ernie and Mikie, what gets dog slobber out of polyester? Work nearing completion on Magellan Opus, cornering the market on explorer rock. Santa Clara looming. New 4 channel work has included Wasnt Easy/Nathaniel/Best Friends/Keep Yourself Alive.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

1990 Ends - (Johnny Not So Goode)

10/10/90
Back to barn at last for Halloween re=hearse-alls, flyer out, fever pitch buildng. New wilburys first new covers in years, its allright (deedily deedily or whatever man).Johnny brings wild man friend who temporarily mistakes female mannequin for a previous girlfriend (or was she?)., may as well get used to weirdos onstage. Les speaker smells funny, or did the groundhog buy the farm under the drum platform? We hate it when that happens. Rock and Roll beginnng sounds mushy, or is it my brain. Prunes strong as ever (just as they are in real life wink). Fall is in the air as Oakland cruises towards an easy series.

10/17/90
Preparty barn tuneup, Les cranky about amp acting up, Wilburries sounded better last week as Gary forgets fill parts. Reaper is dirgelike the way I like it, Pretenders puts on fales airs, and Johnny still doesnt remember the intro to R&R (could his brain be overexposed). egad. But my troubles were just beginning, as my midnight stroll into the fireplace would later prove. Blackeye city now man. Cowabunga man. Steve out Saturday for garden graveyard, rewire new beer signs, studeo shaping up. New tune One Mans Poison and another jam. Mom in Law in town. Help me. Somebody

10/22/90
Les announces new bass amp out of nowhere, good god, wants hasty pratice this week. Eh whot?

10/24/90
Pre Halloweenie tuneup as Les fiddles about with on again off again new bass amp, which gives us all dark forebodings. New receiver kicking, old receiver on way to burial grounds, more PA speakers lined up for arena like sound. Tubes go down plus Opera selections, champagne batting order is lined up. Johnny disappears promptly at 9 (the cinderella complex?) Les doesn't like descending Wilbury part but nobody cares, nags Gary about guitar fills, which he forgets anyway. Mom in law still hanging in for pre baby blitz. Raining again, screwing up garden graveyard. Almost time to charge up the hearse. New tun You Dont Know Why joins One Mans Poison. Lyrics for Damage Control underway, Autumn Wind and Didnt You Know also floating about.

10/27/90
Halloween V bashorama starts slow but matures into vintage party, extensive outdoor sets include hearse, lighted coffin, vegetable graveyard, mannequins, litup masks, amp candelabras and a vulture in a pear tree. Ad nauseum. Beetlejuice costume for Gary and Werewolfs of Gallatin for Les outdo Johnny, who went too far this time and came as an undeveloped roll of film. Guest jammers included Jimi, Thad, and Johnny not so Goode, who also stole my Steppenwolf imitation. Arm and a Leg mannequin controversial fut fuckem this aint Cincinnatti. Barwa in crowd with new Mrs Barwa, possible jams in the making. Prizes to big Head guy and Sphinx, Snow White. Gary stays sober enough to get fingers out of most orifices, Les amp holds up oh thank you, Johnny gets rock and roll intro (or WAS I drunk), what more can you ask. Nurse Feelbetter was my personal favorite though she wouldnt consent to an exam. Look to the Skies at the Helium balloons, another party in the books.

11/14/90
Ah dont want no sympathy. Ah just want yo, what the hell rhymes with sumpathy? Empathy, wimpathy. Smellview visit finds new rock tune on the way. Les studio in disarray, Les recorder not to be found jeez, copies of all songs delivered. Cooking up Barry allstar review next week as Turkey Day and Baby Day loo. Magellan debut turns into Shasta singalong of My Little Runaway, dont ask me how, but thats showbiz. Del Shannon and the explorers. Also Welcome to New Year stomp for the hayseed set to purchase should they fall off the turnip truck long enough. Final Techno sounds flacid, run for the whiteout. No I didnt buy a tuner. Because.

11/20/90
? No more rocket fuel.

11/28/90
Baby Day (the birth of my son Nathaniel Likert, born 12/7/90) looms as gala Barry Doug Thad athon unfolds in bar, Barry rollng like an 18 wheeler on Overture, See For Miles, Punk, Land, Mule, Deadly and other assorted metal mashers. Doug adequate but flaccid on big wood drum kit, but not bad considering he's never heard of the Who. who? Thad pulsating, playing riffs to Kicks and Pretenders note for note. Gary coherent for a change back on the bud. Ya Ya version of RR on time, Buckinghams, Badfinger, Turtles et all. New Strong and Family tunes, lyric contest cooking, oh please pick me oh please. Better end this turkey for another year. See ya Bye


12/18/90
Final 1990 wrapup wraps up at Belleview home for indigent wannabees. Gary, somewhat tipsy from office part delivers chronicles, Mother Vol 1 tape and YES YES YES file, retyped and everything, yes Les there is a Santa Claus,. Les says stop drumming on tape reels, jeez. New Foundation chords ringingly melodic, new chords for winter song melodically ringing. Closed with gala opera hitfest including a surefire hit coffee house version of Amon Sul, I'll be pitching it to Peter Paul and Mary.

12/27/90
Terye expeditin with Dad In Law for Nathan tune, how folkie can you get. He needs a shower curtain.

12/21/90
Any thoughts of no more Johnwa this year come crashing down as Olde St Slug cruises in about 8 for some drums and stuff from his first country gig in 2 years. See you in April.