#rpm2025 — Public Fediverse posts

Another Screwy Day

Today is Thursday and much like yesterday and the day before it is turning out to be a screwy day. Fun.

I overslept this morning. I had a bunch of things I wanted to do before the work day started and then I overslept and screwed up all of my plans. I did get the big things in, my day’s worth of goofy exercise, breakfast, routine stuff like that, and I managed to sneak in a little bit of guitar playing. I put rhythm guitars onto one RPM Challenge song. Not much but better than nothing.

We got a little snow last night. Probably less than an inch. The snow turned into rain and now we have a driveway covered in a nightmare of slush. At some point later today the temperature is going to drop and that nightmare of slush is going to turn into a nightmare of ice and I don’t know if I am going to have time to clear any of it before it freezes. I am super happy about that. Really. There’s not an ounce of sarcasm here. I am thrilled to the teeth by this potential outcome*.

It’s not even noon yet and the work day has been just as crazy as yesterday. Not bad, but a weird combination of hectic and frustrating. It’s looking like tomorrow will be similar, but after that things should settle again. Here’s hoping at least.

In closing, here’s a few guitar pictures from this morning because I am insane.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54324874621/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54325281160/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54325099104/in/datetaken/

*Contrary to the above statement, I was in fact being sarcastic. Extremely sarcastic. My words were dripping with venomous sarcasm. Just call me a sarcasm machine.

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #dailySchedule #Guitar #Music #Nikon #nikonZ5 #oversleep #overslept #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #Recording #RpmChallenge #rpm2025 #schedule #Sleep #SongWriting #work #z5

Another Screwy Day

Today is Thursday and much like yesterday and the day before it is turning out to be a screwy day. Fun.

I overslept this morning. I had a bunch of things I wanted to do before the work day started and then I overslept and screwed up all of my plans. I did get the big things in, my day’s worth of goofy exercise, breakfast, routine stuff like that, and I managed to sneak in a little bit of guitar playing. I put rhythm guitars onto one RPM Challenge song. Not much but better than nothing.

We got a little snow last night. Probably less than an inch. The snow turned into rain and now we have a driveway covered in a nightmare of slush. At some point later today the temperature is going to drop and that nightmare of slush is going to turn into a nightmare of ice and I don’t know if I am going to have time to clear any of it before it freezes. I am super happy about that. Really. There’s not an ounce of sarcasm here. I am thrilled to the teeth by this potential outcome*.

It’s not even noon yet and the work day has been just as crazy as yesterday. Not bad, but a weird combination of hectic and frustrating. It’s looking like tomorrow will be similar, but after that things should settle again. Here’s hoping at least.

In closing, here’s a few guitar pictures from this morning because I am insane.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54324874621/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54325281160/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54325099104/in/datetaken/

*Contrary to the above statement, I was in fact being sarcastic. Extremely sarcastic. My words were dripping with venomous sarcasm. Just call me a sarcasm machine.

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #dailySchedule #Guitar #Music #Nikon #nikonZ5 #oversleep #overslept #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #Recording #RpmChallenge #rpm2025 #schedule #Sleep #SongWriting #work #z5

Another Screwy Day

Today is Thursday and much like yesterday and the day before it is turning out to be a screwy day. Fun.

I overslept this morning. I had a bunch of things I wanted to do before the work day started and then I overslept and screwed up all of my plans. I did get the big things in, my day’s worth of goofy exercise, breakfast, routine stuff like that, and I managed to sneak in a little bit of guitar playing. I put rhythm guitars onto one RPM Challenge song. Not much but better than nothing.

We got a little snow last night. Probably less than an inch. The snow turned into rain and now we have a driveway covered in a nightmare of slush. At some point later today the temperature is going to drop and that nightmare of slush is going to turn into a nightmare of ice and I don’t know if I am going to have time to clear any of it before it freezes. I am super happy about that. Really. There’s not an ounce of sarcasm here. I am thrilled to the teeth by this potential outcome*.

It’s not even noon yet and the work day has been just as crazy as yesterday. Not bad, but a weird combination of hectic and frustrating. It’s looking like tomorrow will be similar, but after that things should settle again. Here’s hoping at least.

In closing, here’s a few guitar pictures from this morning because I am insane.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54324874621/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54325281160/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54325099104/in/datetaken/

*Contrary to the above statement, I was in fact being sarcastic. Extremely sarcastic. My words were dripping with venomous sarcasm. Just call me a sarcasm machine.

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #dailySchedule #Guitar #Music #Nikon #nikonZ5 #oversleep #overslept #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #Recording #RpmChallenge #rpm2025 #schedule #Sleep #SongWriting #work #z5

Another Screwy Day

Today is Thursday and much like yesterday and the day before it is turning out to be a screwy day. Fun.

I overslept this morning. I had a bunch of things I wanted to do before the work day started and then I overslept and screwed up all of my plans. I did get the big things in, my day’s worth of goofy exercise, breakfast, routine stuff like that, and I managed to sneak in a little bit of guitar playing. I put rhythm guitars onto one RPM Challenge song. Not much but better than nothing.

We got a little snow last night. Probably less than an inch. The snow turned into rain and now we have a driveway covered in a nightmare of slush. At some point later today the temperature is going to drop and that nightmare of slush is going to turn into a nightmare of ice and I don’t know if I am going to have time to clear any of it before it freezes. I am super happy about that. Really. There’s not an ounce of sarcasm here. I am thrilled to the teeth by this potential outcome*.

It’s not even noon yet and the work day has been just as crazy as yesterday. Not bad, but a weird combination of hectic and frustrating. It’s looking like tomorrow will be similar, but after that things should settle again. Here’s hoping at least.

In closing, here’s a few guitar pictures from this morning because I am insane.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54324874621/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54325281160/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54325099104/in/datetaken/

*Contrary to the above statement, I was in fact being sarcastic. Extremely sarcastic. My words were dripping with venomous sarcasm. Just call me a sarcasm machine.

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #dailySchedule #Guitar #Music #Nikon #nikonZ5 #oversleep #overslept #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #Recording #RpmChallenge #rpm2025 #schedule #Sleep #SongWriting #work #z5

Another Screwy Day

Today is Thursday and much like yesterday and the day before it is turning out to be a screwy day. Fun.

I overslept this morning. I had a bunch of things I wanted to do before the work day started and then I overslept and screwed up all of my plans. I did get the big things in, my day’s worth of goofy exercise, breakfast, routine stuff like that, and I managed to sneak in a little bit of guitar playing. I put rhythm guitars onto one RPM Challenge song. Not much but better than nothing.

We got a little snow last night. Probably less than an inch. The snow turned into rain and now we have a driveway covered in a nightmare of slush. At some point later today the temperature is going to drop and that nightmare of slush is going to turn into a nightmare of ice and I don’t know if I am going to have time to clear any of it before it freezes. I am super happy about that. Really. There’s not an ounce of sarcasm here. I am thrilled to the teeth by this potential outcome*.

It’s not even noon yet and the work day has been just as crazy as yesterday. Not bad, but a weird combination of hectic and frustrating. It’s looking like tomorrow will be similar, but after that things should settle again. Here’s hoping at least.

In closing, here’s a few guitar pictures from this morning because I am insane.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54324874621/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54325281160/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54325099104/in/datetaken/

*Contrary to the above statement, I was in fact being sarcastic. Extremely sarcastic. My words were dripping with venomous sarcasm. Just call me a sarcasm machine.

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #dailySchedule #Guitar #Music #Nikon #nikonZ5 #oversleep #overslept #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #Recording #RpmChallenge #rpm2025 #schedule #Sleep #SongWriting #work #z5

Ouch

I’m too old for this shit.

Shoveling, I mean. I felt okay when I first came back inside after shoveling, but now that a few hours have passed… Ouch town, population me, bro. Every inch of me is sore, and despite having two of the best nights sleep I’ve had in ages over the last two nights, I am completely exhausted.

I don’t know if I have the energy to do anything other than sit on the couch for the rest of the night. I think we were already planning on ordering out for dinner tonight. Maybe I’ll be able to crawl to the door to bring the delivery in.* I mean, really… that’s asking a lot.

It is a good thing I managed to put rhythm guitar tracks onto two RPM Challenge songs this morning before I shoveled. I don’t know if I will be able to do any more than that tonight, though I really need to. We’ll see how the pain goes. For now though, it’s just couch time. Much needed couch time, believe me.

Here’s a few guitar pictures to hold us over until next time.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54316576981/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54316806444/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54316994390/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54316805879/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54316805869/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54315686237/in/datetaken/

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #exhaustion #Gibson #GibsonGuitars #GibsonLesPaul #gibsonday #gibsunday #Guitar #health #LesPaul #Music #Nikon #nikonZ5 #pain #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photography #Recording #RpmChallenge #rpm2025 #shoveling #shovelingSnow #Sleep #Snow #snowShoveling #SongWriting #sore #soreness #Weather #winter #z5

Ouch

I’m too old for this shit.

Shoveling, I mean. I felt okay when I first came back inside after shoveling, but now that a few hours have passed… Ouch town, population me, bro. Every inch of me is sore, and despite having two of the best nights sleep I’ve had in ages over the last two nights, I am completely exhausted.

I don’t know if I have the energy to do anything other than sit on the couch for the rest of the night. I think we were already planning on ordering out for dinner tonight. Maybe I’ll be able to crawl to the door to bring the delivery in.* I mean, really… that’s asking a lot.

It is a good thing I managed to put rhythm guitar tracks onto two RPM Challenge songs this morning before I shoveled. I don’t know if I will be able to do any more than that tonight, though I really need to. We’ll see how the pain goes. For now though, it’s just couch time. Much needed couch time, believe me.

Here’s a few guitar pictures to hold us over until next time.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54316576981/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54316806444/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54316994390/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54316805879/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54316805869/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54315686237/in/datetaken/

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #exhaustion #Gibson #GibsonGuitars #GibsonLesPaul #gibsonday #gibsunday #Guitar #health #LesPaul #Music #Nikon #nikonZ5 #pain #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photography #Recording #RpmChallenge #rpm2025 #shoveling #shovelingSnow #Sleep #Snow #snowShoveling #SongWriting #sore #soreness #Weather #winter #z5

Ouch

I’m too old for this shit.

Shoveling, I mean. I felt okay when I first came back inside after shoveling, but now that a few hours have passed… Ouch town, population me, bro. Every inch of me is sore, and despite having two of the best nights sleep I’ve had in ages over the last two nights, I am completely exhausted.

I don’t know if I have the energy to do anything other than sit on the couch for the rest of the night. I think we were already planning on ordering out for dinner tonight. Maybe I’ll be able to crawl to the door to bring the delivery in.* I mean, really… that’s asking a lot.

It is a good thing I managed to put rhythm guitar tracks onto two RPM Challenge songs this morning before I shoveled. I don’t know if I will be able to do any more than that tonight, though I really need to. We’ll see how the pain goes. For now though, it’s just couch time. Much needed couch time, believe me.

Here’s a few guitar pictures to hold us over until next time.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54316576981/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54316806444/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54316994390/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54316805879/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54316805869/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54315686237/in/datetaken/

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #exhaustion #Gibson #GibsonGuitars #GibsonLesPaul #gibsonday #gibsunday #Guitar #health #LesPaul #Music #Nikon #nikonZ5 #pain #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photography #Recording #RpmChallenge #rpm2025 #shoveling #shovelingSnow #Sleep #Snow #snowShoveling #SongWriting #sore #soreness #Weather #winter #z5

Ouch

I’m too old for this shit.

Shoveling, I mean. I felt okay when I first came back inside after shoveling, but now that a few hours have passed… Ouch town, population me, bro. Every inch of me is sore, and despite having two of the best nights sleep I’ve had in ages over the last two nights, I am completely exhausted.

I don’t know if I have the energy to do anything other than sit on the couch for the rest of the night. I think we were already planning on ordering out for dinner tonight. Maybe I’ll be able to crawl to the door to bring the delivery in.* I mean, really… that’s asking a lot.

It is a good thing I managed to put rhythm guitar tracks onto two RPM Challenge songs this morning before I shoveled. I don’t know if I will be able to do any more than that tonight, though I really need to. We’ll see how the pain goes. For now though, it’s just couch time. Much needed couch time, believe me.

Here’s a few guitar pictures to hold us over until next time.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54316576981/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54316806444/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54316994390/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54316805879/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54316805869/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54315686237/in/datetaken/

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #exhaustion #Gibson #GibsonGuitars #GibsonLesPaul #gibsonday #gibsunday #Guitar #health #LesPaul #Music #Nikon #nikonZ5 #pain #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photography #Recording #RpmChallenge #rpm2025 #shoveling #shovelingSnow #Sleep #Snow #snowShoveling #SongWriting #sore #soreness #Weather #winter #z5

Ouch

I’m too old for this shit.

Shoveling, I mean. I felt okay when I first came back inside after shoveling, but now that a few hours have passed… Ouch town, population me, bro. Every inch of me is sore, and despite having two of the best nights sleep I’ve had in ages over the last two nights, I am completely exhausted.

I don’t know if I have the energy to do anything other than sit on the couch for the rest of the night. I think we were already planning on ordering out for dinner tonight. Maybe I’ll be able to crawl to the door to bring the delivery in.* I mean, really… that’s asking a lot.

It is a good thing I managed to put rhythm guitar tracks onto two RPM Challenge songs this morning before I shoveled. I don’t know if I will be able to do any more than that tonight, though I really need to. We’ll see how the pain goes. For now though, it’s just couch time. Much needed couch time, believe me.

Here’s a few guitar pictures to hold us over until next time.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54316576981/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54316806444/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54316994390/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54316805879/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54316805869/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54315686237/in/datetaken/

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #exhaustion #Gibson #GibsonGuitars #GibsonLesPaul #gibsonday #gibsunday #Guitar #health #LesPaul #Music #Nikon #nikonZ5 #pain #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photography #Recording #RpmChallenge #rpm2025 #shoveling #shovelingSnow #Sleep #Snow #snowShoveling #SongWriting #sore #soreness #Weather #winter #z5

It Was Just a Matter of Time

May 8, 2021. The musical nerd moment I lived today has been inevitable since May 8, 2021. On that day, my 50th birthday, my beloved bride bought me the best birthday present ever. A new guitar. A Gibson Les Paul Standard 50’s. Since that day I have been living the life of a glutton who owns two, that’s right, two Gibson Les Pauls. I’ve had a Les Paul Custom since 1990, and now I have two. From that day on it has been inevitable that I was going to be a total nerd and record some music with the guitar parts doubled using both Les Pauls together.

Today became that day, of course. I put rhythm guitars onto five RPM Challenge songs. In each case, the guitar coming out of the left speaker is my Les Paul Custom and the guitar coming out of the right speaker is my Les Paul Standard.

Yeah… nerd.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54314748814/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54314762328/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54315308744/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54314195197/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54315307919/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54314195117/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54315319038/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54315308629/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54315319728/in/datetaken/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54315504755/in/datetaken/

#Gibson #GibsonLesPaul #Guitar #LesPaul #Music #Nikon #nikonZ5 #photography #Recording #RpmChallenge #rpm2025 #SongWriting #z5

RPM Challenge Day 4/28

Nothing.

I had a really bad day and went to bed early, thinking I would get a good night’s sleep, but then I woke up super early and spoiled the whole plan. Shit.

I did get to wish my step son a Happy Birthday. I think I wished my nephew a Happy Birthday too. I sent him a text, discovered he has a new phone number, got his new phone number, sent another text, he didn’t respond. We called my sister’s phone to wish him a happy but he wasn’t home so we called his phone because my sister said his voicemail was setup but his voicemail wasn’t set up. I speak now directly to my nephew… I really hope you got that text. If not, Happy Birthday!!

That’s my whole day in a nutshell. Birthdays, back pain, stomach pain, first day back to work. Yippee. Today is an in the office day so it’s going to suck on so many levels.

Happy Merry and shit, everyone! WOOHOO!

#birthdays #collegeKids #Family #Guitar #Kids #Music #nephew #Recording #RpmChallenge #rpm2025 #SongWriting #StepKids #textMessages #voicemail

A.I. Album Cover

During a conversation with my wife and my step daughter the other day I heard two phrases that immediately went into the running for this year’s RPM Challenge Album Title.

One potential title is, “Electric Heat is Crazy Expensive.”

The other potential title is, “Groundhogs Wear Top Hats.”

If I go for one of those titles, what would I do for the album cover art? The electric heat one… no clue. The groundhog one though… yeah, let’s ask A.I. to generate an image for us, shall we?

Maybe… maybe not. I don’t know.

#aI_ #aIImages #artificialIntelligence #groundhogsWearTopHats #Music #Recording #RpmChallenge #rpm2025 #squareFormat

A.I. Album Cover

During a conversation with my wife and my step daughter the other day I heard two phrases that immediately went into the running for this year’s RPM Challenge Album Title.

One potential title is, “Electric Heat is Crazy Expensive.”

The other potential title is, “Groundhogs Wear Top Hats.”

If I go for one of those titles, what would I do for the album cover art? The electric heat one… no clue. The groundhog one though… yeah, let’s ask A.I. to generate an image for us, shall we?

Maybe… maybe not. I don’t know.

#aI_ #aIImages #artificialIntelligence #groundhogsWearTopHats #Music #Recording #RpmChallenge #rpm2025 #squareFormat

A.I. Album Cover

During a conversation with my wife and my step daughter the other day I heard two phrases that immediately went into the running for this year’s RPM Challenge Album Title.

One potential title is, “Electric Heat is Crazy Expensive.”

The other potential title is, “Groundhogs Wear Top Hats.”

If I go for one of those titles, what would I do for the album cover art? The electric heat one… no clue. The groundhog one though… yeah, let’s ask A.I. to generate an image for us, shall we?

Maybe… maybe not. I don’t know.

#aI_ #aIImages #artificialIntelligence #groundhogsWearTopHats #Music #Recording #RpmChallenge #rpm2025 #squareFormat

A.I. Album Cover

During a conversation with my wife and my step daughter the other day I heard two phrases that immediately went into the running for this year’s RPM Challenge Album Title.

One potential title is, “Electric Heat is Crazy Expensive.”

The other potential title is, “Groundhogs Wear Top Hats.”

If I go for one of those titles, what would I do for the album cover art? The electric heat one… no clue. The groundhog one though… yeah, let’s ask A.I. to generate an image for us, shall we?

Maybe… maybe not. I don’t know.

#aI_ #aIImages #artificialIntelligence #groundhogsWearTopHats #Music #Recording #RpmChallenge #rpm2025 #squareFormat

Saxophone?

Do do do, just whistling past the american graveyard again… still… do do do…

I’ve been listening to King Crimson’s Red album quite a bit over the last few days. Crimson, in their original incarnation, had a sax player. First it was Ian McDonald, then it was Mel Collins. When band leader Robert Fripp shook things up and hired a whole new band with a drastically new sound in 1972 the saxophones went away. For a while, at least. By 1974, when they were recording the Red album, they were down to three band members, Fripp (guitar/mellotron), John Wetton (bass/vocals), and Bill Bruford (drums/percussion). Fripp was the only soloist in the lineup… sort of… the other two guys could have cranked out leads with the best of them (because they pretty much were the best of them) but instead they brought in a bunch of session musicians to help fill in the gaps. Among those session musicians were two sax players; Ian McDonald (alto) and Mel Collins (soprano).

Collins plays on the album’s centerpiece, “Starless” and his playing is wonderful (as always). McDonald also plays on “Starless” as well as “One More Red Nightmare”. His playing is out of the fucking world amazing. He wails, especially on “Starless”.

Listening to this record quite a bit lately has me thinking… is the sax playing inspiring me a little? The RPM Challenge is less than two weeks away and it’s coming up on time for me to start recording some new music. Do I suddenly find myself wanting to play the saxophone again? I haven’t taken my alto sax out of its case since I finished the 2020 RPM Challenge. Five years. Is it time to break it out again? I think it might be. I know I can still play even if I am only about 1% of the sax player I was when I was a music major from 1989-1991 and sax was my primary instrument in school. Guitar was a hobby I played on the side, even though I spent nearly infinitely more time playing guitar than sax… which contributed to me leaving school before I graduated.

So I guess what I am trying to say is, if throughout the month of February you start hearing about me writing songs in the key of E flat or B flat instead of E and A, and you start hearing me complain about severe pain in my lips and jaw (due to not having practiced at all in the last five years), then we can probably go ahead and blame Mel Collins and the late Ian McDonald. Just saying.

#altoSax #altoSaxophone #ianMcdonoald #KingCrimson #melCollins #Music #musicSchool #musicSchoolDropout #RpmChallenge #rpm2025 #saxophone #starless

Saxophone?

Do do do, just whistling past the american graveyard again… still… do do do…

I’ve been listening to King Crimson’s Red album quite a bit over the last few days. Crimson, in their original incarnation, had a sax player. First it was Ian McDonald, then it was Mel Collins. When band leader Robert Fripp shook things up and hired a whole new band with a drastically new sound in 1972 the saxophones went away. For a while, at least. By 1974, when they were recording the Red album, they were down to three band members, Fripp (guitar/mellotron), John Wetton (bass/vocals), and Bill Bruford (drums/percussion). Fripp was the only soloist in the lineup… sort of… the other two guys could have cranked out leads with the best of them (because they pretty much were the best of them) but instead they brought in a bunch of session musicians to help fill in the gaps. Among those session musicians were two sax players; Ian McDonald (alto) and Mel Collins (soprano).

Collins plays on the album’s centerpiece, “Starless” and his playing is wonderful (as always). McDonald also plays on “Starless” as well as “One More Red Nightmare”. His playing is out of the fucking world amazing. He wails, especially on “Starless”.

Listening to this record quite a bit lately has me thinking… is the sax playing inspiring me a little? The RPM Challenge is less than two weeks away and it’s coming up on time for me to start recording some new music. Do I suddenly find myself wanting to play the saxophone again? I haven’t taken my alto sax out of its case since I finished the 2020 RPM Challenge. Five years. Is it time to break it out again? I think it might be. I know I can still play even if I am only about 1% of the sax player I was when I was a music major from 1989-1991 and sax was my primary instrument in school. Guitar was a hobby I played on the side, even though I spent nearly infinitely more time playing guitar than sax… which contributed to me leaving school before I graduated.

So I guess what I am trying to say is, if throughout the month of February you start hearing about me writing songs in the key of E flat or B flat instead of E and A, and you start hearing me complain about severe pain in my lips and jaw (due to not having practiced at all in the last five years), then we can probably go ahead and blame Mel Collins and the late Ian McDonald. Just saying.

#altoSax #altoSaxophone #ianMcdonoald #KingCrimson #melCollins #Music #musicSchool #musicSchoolDropout #RpmChallenge #rpm2025 #saxophone #starless

Saxophone?

Do do do, just whistling past the american graveyard again… still… do do do…

I’ve been listening to King Crimson’s Red album quite a bit over the last few days. Crimson, in their original incarnation, had a sax player. First it was Ian McDonald, then it was Mel Collins. When band leader Robert Fripp shook things up and hired a whole new band with a drastically new sound in 1972 the saxophones went away. For a while, at least. By 1974, when they were recording the Red album, they were down to three band members, Fripp (guitar/mellotron), John Wetton (bass/vocals), and Bill Bruford (drums/percussion). Fripp was the only soloist in the lineup… sort of… the other two guys could have cranked out leads with the best of them (because they pretty much were the best of them) but instead they brought in a bunch of session musicians to help fill in the gaps. Among those session musicians were two sax players; Ian McDonald (alto) and Mel Collins (soprano).

Collins plays on the album’s centerpiece, “Starless” and his playing is wonderful (as always). McDonald also plays on “Starless” as well as “One More Red Nightmare”. His playing is out of the fucking world amazing. He wails, especially on “Starless”.

Listening to this record quite a bit lately has me thinking… is the sax playing inspiring me a little? The RPM Challenge is less than two weeks away and it’s coming up on time for me to start recording some new music. Do I suddenly find myself wanting to play the saxophone again? I haven’t taken my alto sax out of its case since I finished the 2020 RPM Challenge. Five years. Is it time to break it out again? I think it might be. I know I can still play even if I am only about 1% of the sax player I was when I was a music major from 1989-1991 and sax was my primary instrument in school. Guitar was a hobby I played on the side, even though I spent nearly infinitely more time playing guitar than sax… which contributed to me leaving school before I graduated.

So I guess what I am trying to say is, if throughout the month of February you start hearing about me writing songs in the key of E flat or B flat instead of E and A, and you start hearing me complain about severe pain in my lips and jaw (due to not having practiced at all in the last five years), then we can probably go ahead and blame Mel Collins and the late Ian McDonald. Just saying.

#altoSax #altoSaxophone #ianMcdonoald #KingCrimson #melCollins #Music #musicSchool #musicSchoolDropout #RpmChallenge #rpm2025 #saxophone #starless

Saxophone?

Do do do, just whistling past the american graveyard again… still… do do do…

I’ve been listening to King Crimson’s Red album quite a bit over the last few days. Crimson, in their original incarnation, had a sax player. First it was Ian McDonald, then it was Mel Collins. When band leader Robert Fripp shook things up and hired a whole new band with a drastically new sound in 1972 the saxophones went away. For a while, at least. By 1974, when they were recording the Red album, they were down to three band members, Fripp (guitar/mellotron), John Wetton (bass/vocals), and Bill Bruford (drums/percussion). Fripp was the only soloist in the lineup… sort of… the other two guys could have cranked out leads with the best of them (because they pretty much were the best of them) but instead they brought in a bunch of session musicians to help fill in the gaps. Among those session musicians were two sax players; Ian McDonald (alto) and Mel Collins (soprano).

Collins plays on the album’s centerpiece, “Starless” and his playing is wonderful (as always). McDonald also plays on “Starless” as well as “Fallen Angel”. His playing is out of the fucking world amazing. He wails, especially on “Starless”.

Listening to this record quite a bit lately has me thinking… is the sax playing inspiring me a little? The RPM Challenge is less than two weeks away and it’s coming up on time for me to start recording some new music. Do I suddenly find myself wanting to play the saxophone again? I haven’t taken my alto sax out of its case since I finished the 2020 RPM Challenge. Five years. Is it time to break it out again? I think it might be. I know I can still play even if I am only about 1% of the sax player I was when I was a music major from 1989-1991 and sax was my primary instrument in school. Guitar was a hobby I played on the side, even though I spent nearly infinitely more time playing guitar than sax… which contributed to me leaving school before I graduated.

So I guess what I am trying to say is, if throughout the month of February you start hearing about me writing songs in the key of E flat or B flat instead of E and A, and you start hearing me complain about severe pain in my lips and jaw (do to not having practices at all in the last five years), then we can probably go ahead and blame Mel Collins and the late Ian McDonald. Just saying.

#altoSax #altoSaxophone #ianMcdonoald #KingCrimson #melCollins #Music #musicSchool #musicSchoolDropout #RpmChallenge #rpm2025 #saxophone #starless

Saxophone?

Do do do, just whistling past the american graveyard again… still… do do do…

I’ve been listening to King Crimson’s Red album quite a bit over the last few days. Crimson, in their original incarnation, had a sax player. First it was Ian McDonald, then it was Mel Collins. When band leader Robert Fripp shook things up and hired a whole new band with a drastically new sound in 1972 the saxophones went away. For a while, at least. By 1974, when they were recording the Red album, they were down to three band members, Fripp (guitar/mellotron), John Wetton (bass/vocals), and Bill Bruford (drums/percussion). Fripp was the only soloist in the lineup… sort of… the other two guys could have cranked out leads with the best of them (because they pretty much were the best of them) but instead they brought in a bunch of session musicians to help fill in the gaps. Among those session musicians were two sax players; Ian McDonald (alto) and Mel Collins (soprano).

Collins plays on the album’s centerpiece, “Starless” and his playing is wonderful (as always). McDonald also plays on “Starless” as well as “One More Red Nightmare”. His playing is out of the fucking world amazing. He wails, especially on “Starless”.

Listening to this record quite a bit lately has me thinking… is the sax playing inspiring me a little? The RPM Challenge is less than two weeks away and it’s coming up on time for me to start recording some new music. Do I suddenly find myself wanting to play the saxophone again? I haven’t taken my alto sax out of its case since I finished the 2020 RPM Challenge. Five years. Is it time to break it out again? I think it might be. I know I can still play even if I am only about 1% of the sax player I was when I was a music major from 1989-1991 and sax was my primary instrument in school. Guitar was a hobby I played on the side, even though I spent nearly infinitely more time playing guitar than sax… which contributed to me leaving school before I graduated.

So I guess what I am trying to say is, if throughout the month of February you start hearing about me writing songs in the key of E flat or B flat instead of E and A, and you start hearing me complain about severe pain in my lips and jaw (due to not having practiced at all in the last five years), then we can probably go ahead and blame Mel Collins and the late Ian McDonald. Just saying.

#altoSax #altoSaxophone #ianMcdonoald #KingCrimson #melCollins #Music #musicSchool #musicSchoolDropout #RpmChallenge #rpm2025 #saxophone #starless