My first skydive.

March 29, 2010

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Andrea In Gislow Garden

February 26, 2010

Andrea In Gislow Garden, originally uploaded by michaelphale.

Here is Andrea hanging out in the garden of the late Elsa Gislow’s Muir Woods home, now abandoned. The dogwoods thought it was spring, even though this was taken in mid-February.

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God of Sound

February 25, 2010

God of Sound, originally uploaded by Rey Misterio (Juan Molinet).

Rey Misterio (Juan Molinet) posts his lively illustracions from Buenos Aires, Argentina, according to his Flickr profile. I present you a great graphic of the elusive God of Sound. A negative background with lightning bolts, drums and waveforms would extend it’s reach past the music theme.

Appropriate for Vishnu’s Nue-style ipod skin?

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NocNoc SF

February 24, 2010

Great people, great beer, great music. I can’t get enough of this place.

View Larger Map

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Indies Trader

November 19, 2009

Here is a surfing video I edited with Jeff McCarthy in 1998 when we were working for Perry Ferrell.

Indies Trader from Michael Hale on Vimeo.

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The Family Studio

April 27, 2009

Last year Mom surrendered her barn workshop to become our ‘music room’. It started when I wanted to buy a used drum set and the barn was the only place to house the thing. I got a sweet deal on a Pearl Export Pro Series 5 piece. Sunny got into the spirit quickly and started adding pieces to the set. Mom’s workshop quickly became the ‘music room’, complete with electric guitars, a bass and a couple of amps. Soon a microphone showed up along with a tambourine and shakers.

Over the past few months I have been back to Tennessee twice and I have been making some modifications to the room. To start, the barn is a cinder block structure. The old workshop has power, space heaters and outdoor carpet. The walls, however, are painted cinder block. Not so good for a jam room. After about 15 minutes the reverberation from the cymbals starts to really get to you.

I cleaned the room up, removed some pool toys and sleeping bags from the floor and riveted up a old red, black and white Mexican blanket that was my bedspread when I was about 9. I hung the blanket up by the rivets next to the drum kit, in an attempt to dampen the sound.

Mom and I threw around some ideas and we concluded that covering all of the walls with hanging sheets might do the trick. It was off to the Goodwill store for some sheet shopping. I found some jersey material sheets in red and purple. Next was how to hang them so they didn’t look lame. I lost my momentum for the day and didn’t get the sheets up. Later that night I remembered that I wanted to pick up some snacks at Trader Joe’s in Atlanta before I drove to Nashville. We started talking about how great Trader Joe’s is and when is Nashville going to get one? Growing up in California, we grew up with Trader Joe’s. Sunny even worked at a couple when he was a young surf rat. One thing led to another and was online at the Trader Joe’s website. I did a little victory dance when I saw that Nashville had a new Trader Joe’s. We immediately started making our plans for the next morning, which included swinging by a Costco.

While I was in Costco, I picked up two cheap 5′x7′ carpet rolls for $22. They were made from recycled water bottles and fairly light. Later when we got back to the house, I threw the carpets down on the floor of the ‘music room’. They were too small for the room, but they were a nice addition. Then it hit me. Glue the carpet to the cinder block walls! Which I proceeded to do and very much liked the result. One tube of Liquid Nails per carpet roll did the trick. Then I had to fly back to San Francisco the next day, so the room would have to wait.

I was back in Tennessee a month later with two large Indian tapestries from Haight St. for the ceiling. Mom went back to Costco and picked up 5 more rolls and over the course of two days I was cutting and gluing dark grey recycled water bottles to the walls. It made a huge audible difference, and it looked nice. The ‘music room’ suddenly was renamed the ’studio’. I picked up some flags at a military surplus store up the road, popped some rivets in them and hung em up. The framed photo of Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley received some sticky back velcro and is solidly hanging up on the carpeted walls.

I am looking forward to some family jams over the summer. I still need to rip out the electrical system and completely cover all of the block walls with carpet and install a power conditioner so the amps don’t buzz from dirty power. I also need to pick up two more tapestries to do the ceiling up right. All that’s left after that is some shelf installation and possibly a ceiling fan for those hot summer nights.

I am afraid I will have the urge to get a computer interface mixer and some decent microphones for some serious recording. I should really learn to play some more songs before I dump loads of cash on recording gear. On that note, I am off to practice my guitar.

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R.I.P. Lux Interior

February 5, 2009

Just the other day I was thinking “I sure would love to see the Cramps again” and as I do a few times a year, I started searching to see if the Cramps had any shows scheduled. Their official website hadn’t been updated in nearly two years and they have no official MySpace or FaceBook pages, making the search far from simple. After finding no shows I gave up for the time being.

Well, today the Cramps official website was updated. Not with an album announcement. Not with a tour schedule. At first it was just black. As of this writing, it is updated with a classic photo of Lux on a stage floor and the dates that he was alive.

Lux isn’t the type of person that many people associate with being a hero or someone to look up to. Most people haven’t even heard of the Cramps. Since I was 14 I have respected the Cramps and Lux Interior for blazing their own path and trampling on the rules that govern the music industry and popular society. My list of original and influential artists of my time is a very short one and the Cramps are at the top of that list.

Here is the video that was my introduction to the Cramps (in 1983), from Urgh! A Musical War (circa 1981).

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!!!

February 3, 2009

telnet towel.blinkenlights.nl

!!!

the ‘trailer’ states that IPV6 gets you color.

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Devotchka

February 1, 2009

Here are some snaps of Devotchka performing at the Fillmore in San Francisco on January 31, 2009.

They put on a very fulfilling and excellent show, complete with string section, several instrument changes and special bonus aerial dancers.

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Updated Photo Gallery

December 20, 2008

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The Bay Bridge, from SF.

November 13, 2008

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Lucero

July 28, 2008

Finally, I was able to see Lucero this year. I missed them in Nashville earlier this month.

I caught both shows at Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco this weekend. Saturday was more of a rockin’ show, but Sunday produced some of my favorite songs I might not otherwise see live.

The band was very cool, hanging out in the club while Glossary and Jessica Lee Mayfield played. I chatted for a bit with frontman Ben and the tour manager Chris. They were very approachable and genuinely nice folks.

Big thanks to both the band and the venue for being photographer friendly.

A few more pics can be found on my Flickr page.

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Jamboree in the Hills 2008

July 23, 2008

Mom and I rolled into Morristown, OH from Pittsburgh around 6pm on Wednesday. My cousin Jayme and her sons, Jason and Kaleb, stopped by for a swim. Aunt Robin and Uncle Robert took us up to Chaps for a bite to eat. We ended up sticking around until 11pm. Soulbridge was the local cover band who played out back in corraled tent. Through Robin and Robert, I met about 20 people that night. And yes, the waitresses wear chaps there. MPH got a fine taste of Belmont county.

Thursday at around 1pm, Mom, Robin, Robert and I headed over Jamboree central. Robert had arranged for Mom and I get our wristbands from the show rather than at an off-site location. Mom being neighbours with Reba and me flying all the way in from California, along with Robert being the Mayor of Morristown all contributed to this exception. Later, back at the house, my cousin-in-law Michael came by with his buddy Tucker to take me down to the Fine Day campsite. The super deluxe 1974 Roadking 2202 Rockwood camper awaited our arrival. We later dubbed it the double-duece ought-two. A fine piece of camping machinery, complete with a generator, microwave, a fan, and a wide awning, all headed up with a Dodge SportsMan van chassis. Later on we met up with Mom, Robin and Robert at the green-H. The green-H was a marker at the Jamboree bowl and the central location of our Jambo partying. I had plans to head to the Thomas house with Mom, Robin and Robert. I barely noticed the music coming from the stage. After several beers, I decided it was best that I head back to the Roadking with Michael and Tucker. When I returned from the porta-john, everyone at the green-H had evacuated. I don’t know how, but I made it back to the double-duece ought-two with everything except my sunglasses. I crashed for a bit on ground until it got a bit chilly, then I headed inside the Roadking for some padded warmth. I was cutting logs until Tucker came in, loudly demanding the keys to the truck so he didn’t have to sleep in a folding chair in the cold pre-dawn air.

Friday welcomed me with a much needed warm shower at the Thomas’ followed by a good-ole Robert Thomas breakfast. I would be ready for Fine Day with my sleeping bag this time. Before I was fully awake, talking about heading over to the bowl later in the day, Michael and Tucker showed up. Robert hooked me up with a cooler and we were headed back to the Roadking, despite my talk about laying low for the afternoon. Before we headed out, we had to pick up my cousin Beth at Michael’s folk’s place. “That’s our camper?!?” Apparently, it was her first sighting of this fine recreational vehicle. I decided to pace myself so I wouldn’t loose anything. We chilled out at the campsite for a few hours, watching the camp-sights, meeting our neighbours, and having a few beers. Us three boys took turns dragging the cooler wagon up the hill to the Jamboree bowl. It was only about a half-mile, but after three beers in humid 90 degree weather, it was quite a workout. Teamwork left us with a cooler packed with beer and ice at the green-H where we quickly met up with Mom, Robin and Robert. I headed to the VIP section (many thanks to Robin and Robert) for some grub and limo-style bathrooms. I brought back some food for everyone who didn’t get free food and it was well received. The music was jamming out of the stage and it was officially a party. I was being introduced to many people as the nephew who flew in from California for his first Jamboree. For the entire weekend, I was referred to as a Jamboree virgin. We all headed back to the campsite together this time. We hung out a bit before I decided to take a walk. I roamed deep into the campsite and stumbled across a mesh tent with a few guys playing live music. I decided I needed some company. I headed back to the Roadking and dragged Beth from her comfy Dodge Ram front bench seat bed. Mike was snoozing, as he usually was before 11pm. Tucker was game for some rambling. We headed back to the campsite with the musicians and slowly mozied our way in front of the tent. It was a great atmosphere with the cool night air filled with some acoustic Skynyrd covers. Then Charlie began to sing and my beautiful atmosphere began to crumble. We chatted with some folks for a bit then headed back to envy of Fine Day, the Roadking 2202. Beth went to bed and Tucker and I roamed around some more. At some point I whipped out my mini sleeping bag on the ground and had a few hours of shut-eye.

After a couple hours of napping upstairs at the Thomas’, I was treated to some good coffee and another king’s breakfast. The fire chief came by to chat on the porch and he was still there after I shaved and showered. Soon after, Mike and Tucker drove up waving for me to hurry up. Another nice afternoon under the Roadking awning. Our neighbours, six or seven girls from somewhere in Ohio, came back from the mall, three of them dressed in prom dresses. One red, one white and one blue. It was a true kodak moment. The looked great, but they looked like they would be way too hot. Mike and Beth tried to convince them to cut the dresses into skirts, but they were not into it. They would endure the heat for fashion. Later that day, they were asked up on stage and one of them took advantage of the situation to propose to her boyfriend while she was on stage. I brought over some more free VIP food to a welcome crowd. Saturday was the peak of the party. The sights were amazing. Custom made coolers everywhere. Men and women in bikinis. Everyone was squirting everybody. Beads were flying. Beer was going down like oxygen and the music kept getting better. Robert and I went for food and we came back with some manly roasted turkey legs. Right after the Brooks and Dunn hot air balloon flew over us the sun started to go down. That was Aunt Robin’s cue to break out the bowl of vodka infused mandarin orange slices resting in jello. I warned Mom to take it slow with the jello shots. She thanked me later. Soon after the tequila green jello container was being passed around. The place went nuts. Everyone was singing and dancing. I have never felt so at ease with 80,000 drunk people dancing around me. Saturday night didn’t produce any live acts at the campgrounds. We even went looking for Bubba, who was playing just up the hill from our campsite on Friday. Tucker and I roamed Fine Day and tried to get into the other campsites to check the scenes there. We were denied without appropriate wristbands. After bailing on the all-man slip and slide, I lost Tucker somewhere near the school bus with the hot tub. I ran into an acquaintance of my cousin’s named Jen who was at the Roadking earlier that afternoon. After joking with the campers, we found our way back to the 2202 and I crashed for a few hours under the stars.

Mike and Tucker nearly drove over me on their way out for coffee. They dropped me off at Robin and Robert’s and after my morning nap I fueled up on coffee. Robert and I were the only ones who headed back to the bowl for some more Jamboree. The hot wet air quickly turned to an almost cold wind when we noticed the dark gray storms moving north of us. Not one minute after Robert headed to the bathroom, I found myself drenched, running towards the tin-roofed shelter to avoid the sting of the hail on my skin. Once inside the shelter, I caught a man stumbling backwards towards me from the 70 mile an hour winds. Lawn chairs, blankets and people were being pushed by the wet wind. Once the sideways rain subsided, some folks thought it would be a good idea to drop the tarps on the side of the shelter. Robert found me at the shelter after a bit. We decided to hang tight and enjoy our beer. We headed out for a while before the second wave came. It had been many years since Mother Nature gave me a good shower like that. The air became warm and the announcement from the closed stage stated that another wave was coming through before it would clear and the show would commence in an hour. Once the rain ceased and we ran out of beer, Robert and I headed home. We cruised around town checking out all of the downed trees and limbs. Mom and Robin shared their storm experience at the house. All of the furniture on the porch was blown about and several items needed to be retrieved from the yard. We received word from Jayme and Scott. They had no power and there were trees blocking the road to their house, where we had plans for dinner. Panic struck me. How could I have travelled all the way to Ohio and be faced with not being able to see Jamie and her family? Later, Robert confirmed that the trees were just a delay and the worst case scenario would be that we would have to visit with no power. Relief. I decided to walk off my panic with a visit to the Blackhorse Inn to take some pictures. We packed the leftover Jamboree picnic food and headed out to Centerville. We arrived to welcome hugs and a huge living room of plush carpet. My talented nephew Jason was quick to share his prized guitars and we began to pluck some notes. During an impressive Stairway to Heaven on a Spanish classical guitar, I asked a seemingly mesmerized Kaleb if he liked to listen to Jason play. I received a big nod of approval. Shortly after, Beth, Michael, Issac and Josie arrived. Fresh fruit, cheese, crackers, then hotdogs and beans filled our bellies. Beth and Michael told me how they had to cut the Roadking awning off of the camper after the storm ripped it up. The view out of Jamie and Scott’s front door looked like a Sierra Club photo. Only after a few times that Mom though all of Beth and Scott’s light bulbs were burnt out, the power came back on. All of the boys swarmed Robert the entire time. Wresting ensued. Sissy (Josie) only jumped in and out of her grandmother’s lap about 2000 times.

Before I could blink it was time to head out.

My Jambo photos on Flickr

jamboreeinthehills.com

JITH on Wikipedia

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