It’s the day after my birthday. The first of 355 Unbirthdays before my Jesus Year. I’ve woken up late but I’ve woken up earlier than Heather, and I’m sitting in the dark watching MTV, which I never watch. I was flipping through channels and encountered the Red Hot Chili Peppers and stayed for a song and then stayed for another song…
The Chili Peppers are simply some of the best performers ever, and it sort of bothers me that they’re one of the grunge-era bands that I haven’t ever seen Live. Whether in lightbulbs or socks, antics aside, Flea and Anthony Kiedis especially are just amazing to watch.
My first “song book” was a Led Zepplin anthology which I promptly failed to ever open. My second one was a bass book from RHCP’s album Blood Sugar Sex Magik and that strongly influenced my concept of the fretboard and how a bass could be played. Though I’ve put down bass mostly by now, and focus almost exclusively on guitar, watching Flea play reminds me of just how much I Love the freedom of that instrument.
It’s funny, watching them play “Give It Away”, seeing a familiar song evolve, and imagining what it must be like to have been playing with the same person for 24 years. Heather and I have been together for 5, Audrey and I had been playing together for about 8. Watching MTV and encountering something that’s affecting me? How bizarre.
I watch musicians every night, and most of them leave me unfazed. Watching an MTV concert on a widescreen TV today is giving me chills.
In the studio again. And just for the record – in the 1700’s, in the 1800’s, and perhaps as recently as the 20th century, Matt would’ve been persecuted as a witch. Mistakes vanish, and the sound is particularly amazing. We’ve just whipped through Bearclaw’s Mule, and now Choke Cherry is being felled, hewn and structured into nothing short of spectacular. Matt’s on the market now, people… go make a demo with him.
