MUSINGS OF MUSIC AND OTHER RANDOM MATTERS

The basic story line
is, even though he never played guitar before and had not played a musical instrument since tuba in elementary school band, Bill T received an electric guitar in 2005 -- as a joke.  From then on, despite a musical talent deficit, he tried to learn instrumental surf music but at first could not find an instructor.  He met Paul the Pyronaut -- a surf guitarist a couple of generations younger.  Over a few years they wrote some original songs.  And -- much to our surprise -- we had a band!  The Lava Pups were a reality.  For how long, who knows?  You have found Bill T's musings.

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Getting to Flying Whale - Are We There Yet? 

The nervous energy of the a day of preparation carried over.  Was I eager to get going?  I really must have been. 

I was up at 5:00 a.m.  Made two pots of coffee: one for Becky and me and the other to fill a thermos. 

Grass Valley is far enough away from home that we were going to spend the night.  Avoid fog.  Icy roads.  Tired driving.  Et cetera . . . et cetera . . . et cetera.  So bright and early in the morning I pulled together my clothes and toiletries for the trip.  They were folded and stuffed…Read more

Getting Close - Anticipation? Of course! 

We had three “rehearsals” under our belt.  Three?  The clock was running.  Soon, we were going to be in the studio.  We had set the date for recording less than a month earlier.  Three rehearsals?!

My feelings and thoughts ran the gamut from meaningful to picayune.  Excitement?  Yes.  Anticipation?  Yes.  Anxiety? Yes.  Did I know what really to expect?  No.  Was I completely ready?  No.  Was I going to be flummoxed if we play short of perfection?  No.  Was I worried?  Not yet.  Had I ordered food?  Not…Read more

First Rehearsal - A Reality Check for "Into the Flow" 

Time for the rubber to hit the road.  The day for our first rehearsal came.  I was both excited and apprehensive. 

A litany questions popped in and out of my mind in staccato rapidity  Would I even remember my own songs?  Would I be able to play them?  Would I be the weak link?  After all, I had the least musical experience.  Had I been spending too much time on a project which was going to fall on its face?  Would the songs stand up when played by a band?

Possibly food would help.  Becky made a steak…Read more

Let's See -- We Better Rehearse This Puppy! 

We had players.  We had songs.  We had to set a date for recording.  After a couple of schedule changes, Paul agreed that we could record in January.  After all, he is a performing musician; timing depended upon him.  If The Pyronauts had a gig, “Into the Flow” had to take a back seat.

Wait!  We had not played together.  Had I overlooked that we needed to rehearse before recording?  This was not like a bunch of professional studio musicians playing.  We just could not show up.

We had to test this…Read more

Along Comes Don -- We Got a Band 

Several years ago, Becky, Darby, and I attended the Bark Festival at Squaw Valley -- 2 days of wine tasting, music, and dog-related paraphernalia.  It was a fund raiser for the Tahoe-Truckee SPCA.  But the dogs and people in attendance generally did not want for much.  The vendors offered a wide-array of products.  Jewelry.  Organic and natural foods.  Animal artwork.  Everything for a pampered pooch and pampering “dog parents.”

There, as we were heading into the parking lot, I noticed a couple.  The guy…Read more

Meet Glenn - The Beat Behind the Lava Pups 

In late 2009, Becky and her brother renovated a warehouse.  The concept was he could clean out his garage and store his “toys” and I could have a place to play music.

Like many of my “projects,” my plans were somewhat grandiose.  My vision was a place where different ages would get together to draw or paint, play music, and maybe share ideas.  Discourse between ages would expand the horizons and open the minds of young and old alike -- a bridge over the “generation gap.”

That plan fell flat on its face.…Read more

The Lava Pups Come To Be 

Let’s see.  We have 8 original songs.  Primitive, garage-style surf instrumentals.  I have “record a CD” on my bucket list.  But, of course, a CD cannot be recorded without a band.

Somewhere along the line, I created a fictitious band known as the “Lava Pups.”  It was "fictitious" because no band existed at the time.

Initially, the thought was the “Lava Dogs.”  That sounded manly and ferocious.  The “Lava Dogs” would play “lava tube” and have a snarling dog logo.  Fiery eyes and flashing teeth.  Maybe…Read more

We See Slacktone -- My Songs Are So Lame! 

This is the ongoing saga of how "Into the Flow" came to be.

So I have the basic melodies for 8 rock instrumentals.  None is a threat to real songwriters.  Each needs help from Paul the Pyronaut.  But the songs fit my musical mind.  Simple.  Primitive.  Repetitive.  My style.  But a whole CD . . . ?  Of course, if I wait until I have 8 complex songs, no CD will be recorded in my lifetime.

On a Friday night, we head off to Auburn for a night of surf music.  Slacktone.  The Pyronauts.  Frankie & The Pool…Read more

Real Songwriters Have Nothing To Fear 

The products of my songwriting process cannot be compared with the art of real songwriters.  They provide the sound tracks for the lives of millions of people.

Bob Dylan appeared at Lake Tahoe during the summer.  I last saw him in the pre-electric folk days -- Bob Dylan and Joan Baez at the Greek Theatre at Berkeley.   Forty-five years later, he is an icon.  The electric sell-out debate is long passed except for a few diehard sexa-plus-genarians.

Bob Dylan is a songwriter for a couple of generations.…Read more

Hold the Banal Lyrics - Rock Instrumentals Are My Sound Track 

As you know from previous posts, learning guitar is difficult for me.  It is a slow process and generally requires brute memorization and the song or riff firmly imprinted in my mind.  Becoming acceptably proficient at any one song takes time -- sometimes, way too much time.

Yet, somewhere in the recesses of my mind, I hear snippets of songs.  They come to me while walking the dog or going for coffee in the morning.  They can pop up while I am driving somewhere.  They are the soundtrack of my daily life.…Read more

Morphing into "Into the Flow" - From Words to Music 

In June 2009, a concept came to me.  I was driving to Willie’s -- known primarily for its inexpensive hamburgers and chili -- to meet my sister Sue for breakfast. 

The concept was a series of songs, essays, or poems about graying and getting older.  They would be performed, recorded, or . . . whatever.  At the time, I thought that I had a head start on the project with “Alzheimer’s Lament.”  It was a bit on the dark side beginning with:

Once you were among the brightest
You were there for us in any… Read more

Paul the Pyronaut: Surf At Last! 

The struggle to learn surf and instrumental rock did not keep me from loading 500+ rock instrumentals on my iPod.  I just lacked the talent to get that music from the iPod to a guitar fretboard.  The songs were not limited to music of my youth.  My iPod included Los Straitjackets, The Mermen, The Halibuts, The Eliminators, and The Aqua Velvets.

Somehow I learned that Pollo del Mar -- a San Francisco surf band -- was going to play in Nevada City.  I convinced Becky that we should spend a Saturday in Nevada…Read more

Surf, Huh? Is that like the Beach Boys? What! 

Armed with my Costco Starcaster, the “Fender Method, Vol. 1” lesson book, and no knowledge of guitar, I started lessons. 

Well, “no knowledge” is a bit of self-deprecating hyperbole.  After all, I knew that it had six strings, created noise when I hit them, and, when played by others, made music I loved.

I do not remember much about my first lesson other than being asked what kind of music I liked.  I explained that I was a small “c” catholic.  The blank look on my instructor’s face meant that I had to…Read more

How Did the Return of Surf Come About? 

Time to switch to the first person.  A third person blog is just too ego centric and probably requires a flat-billed oversized hat and baggy pants hanging off my butt.  That is not my style, and I just cannot destroy language that much!

Some time before Becky surprised me with the Costco Starcaster Special, I rediscovered surf music.  I really cannot remember what brought it back.

I listened to The Fabulous Wailers in the early 60s.  “Road Runner” was a friend's favorite song.  He played it on the juke…Read more

Introduction - Guitar [What? Or Fill in the Blank] 

The goal of this Blog is to share how “Into the Flow” came to be.  But we undoubtedly will have digressions along the way.

Our story begins when Bill T’s wife -- Becky -- bought him an electric guitar.  She did so with tongue firmly planted in cheek.  It seemed like a relatively low cost practical joke.  The new Costco Starcaster Special was a complete surprise.  Since he never played guitar before and never displayed any musical proclivity or talent, she made sure that she did not spend too much and that…Read more