Our good dog Gordon gave us a little scare. Gordon is about 15 years old (he looks pretty good huh.)  Little dogs have a hell of a time with their dental hygiene. for some reason they just don't produce the same amount of bacteria fighting enzymes in their saliva, hence bad breath, decay,cavities, and infections that lead to serious health risks. Gordon's mouth began to swell and his breath got worse. We took him to the vet, and they put him on an antibiotic. We started him on that medication hoping to take care of his infection. He immediately  started behaving like a dog on his last days.  Pacing around in the middle of the night, standing and staring at you with a different look in his eyes, laying down in places away from us, and, of course looking the other way when presented with freshly cooked chicken. This makes it hard to give him his meds (he has been on heart meds for some time.)  Amber and I both enter into that horrible emotional place of saying goodbye soon.  So we take him off the antibiotic, and return to the vet. At this point his blood work has come back and it's all bad. She says he's in kidney failure, losing weight, and all his blood levels are wrong. We decide to try a different antibiotic (hoping we can take care of his infection)  On the way home we buy him some fresh fancy dog food, and hope he'll take his meds again.  Back home we make him a batch of scrambled eggs, and he's way into that, and he wolfs down all his hidden meds, and he also loves the new dog food. Within a couple days he's looking and acting like himself, and eating a lot. We finish the antibiotic, and he's coming back to health day by day. He even has some of his old attitude back, and that makes both of us so happy. His breath even got better. Last night (4th of July) we had a little BBQ, and enjoyed the evening. Later we came inside, and Gordon layed on the couch, and fell asleep. He looked so happy, and had a real happy 4th of July, and I hope all of you did too.

I would not say I'm currently in a rut, or uninspired. I even have a few new songs bouncing around my head. The truth is I'm enjoying an empty solo calendar. It's not truly an empty calendar (not sure I'm capable of having an empty slate), but I have no solo shows till Aug. 29th. It's more GRAND HEAD season right now. We shift gears and get a little filthy. Grand Head has shows coming up in August, and it will destroy my voice. That band is very aggressive, and heavy. When we start a show I always tell myself to take it easy, don't blow your voice out, but when the first power cord hits I can't help it. I have only one gear, and it's pedal to the floor. Someday the toll will be too much. Then I can look forward to playing quiet acoustic songs for all of you till I'm 85.

The house itself was part of the show. People wandered through the rooms, and took it in. The weather couldn't have been more perfect. The floor to ceiling windowed doors were open. The night air coming through, and the music going out. It's hard for me to really enjoy the moment, because I'm also the host and sound person and greeter, and manic caretaker of everyone's good time. I don't feel it was my best performance, and I really wanted it to be my "Best" performance. It fell short for me in that category, but it almost always does. Now I await the depression that follows. Oh, here it comes.

And then, suddenly, I'm brimming with self doubt. An all encompassing, negative feeling about everything I'm doing. It came upon me from a lot of little things. Varmints chewing away at the base of me, weakening me. I guess it doesn't take that much, I guess my base is not all that strong. I've never felt like I have a good voice, a consistent voice. I'm probably not the first singer who doesn't care for the sound of his own voice. Sometimes people tell me how much they like my voice, and I think well about myself for a few days, but compliments are fleeting. They're like a drug that wears off. More, more, more, more please.

The big Gordon House show is Saturday, and I'm a mess. 

The drawing pictured, is the concept for the cover of the new album. Carrie Wilkins is the artist, and she doing a great job of bringing my ideas into the world. Thanks Carrie. All in all, things are gonna be ok.

New album title? Chasing Down A Far Away Sound.

I went to bed too late, and got up too early. Now I'm drinking coffee, and will be a grumpy old man by 11am. I can't help myself.

I woke with thoughts of the Gordon House show. How grateful I am for everyone who spent hard earned money on tickets. I must tell you I was real bothered by having to charge $25 for a ticket. It was the only way I could afford to do this show, and I felt it was special enough to warrant  the ticket price. So, again, I say much love and gratitude to all you ticket buyers. I will do everything I can to make it worth your investment. 

Pictured is the bathroom upstairs at the Gordon House. The house is modest sized, but so full of home, heart, detail, love. 

And so I woke with a brain steeming with how I can make this show special. Worried that I'll fall short. I better get some more coffee, just another cup.