Rituals Aborted

Did anyone notice the funky weather, which turned from rain to driving, huge, glops of snow? Well, being about to leave Grass Lake for Indiana we did. So we toured lovely, downtown Jackson and turned around and went back the brothers house where we had a lovely, fantastic even, lunch prepared by said brother. He served us the steaks I had brought them, which being Knight’s Market steaks were great. He proved himself to be a REALLY good cook. I so totally appreciate a really good cook. As Oliver said “a great home cooked meal and you didn’t have to make it!”
We also broke out the cake that I had brought to take to Grandma’s, and I went insane on it. That cake is everything I love in cake. I am crazy for that cake. I will be making that cake at every opportunity from here on out.

Then we drove back through the crazy snow, and I then took the bonus time to finish the three new songs I’ve been working on. Two for The Bottom 99, and one for our folk band soon to be reconvened, Quatro Veda.
We have been on hiatus for about a year and a half, maybe two, due to some personnel issues and assorted dumb drama. But now it seems like the time is right to give it another go, since Oliver and I are not dealing with the Largebeat scene, time vacuum anymore. Also I have now written 5 new songs and that seems like a goodly number to begin new work on.

Quatro Veda is an interesting band. It originally started as a place to use the material that Oliver and I were writing that didn’t fit into our punk band at the time, FOLLOW 14. But it really took on it’s own character. The musical styles it encompasses are pretty wide ranging, blues, renaissance, sweet pop ballads, low key psychedelia, blue grass, jazzy little numbers, whatever. Because it was sort of an initial dumping spot, it now has a really cool variety.

I get to stretch out a bit and play a lot of instruments. Lots of percussion, bells, gongs, tambourines, harmonica and whatever I can drag out of my cabinet and work in. I’m hoping that as my piano proficiency grows to add some keyboards. We have a wind player/ percussionist. She adds recorder and now clarinet to many pieces, that gives it a really nice feel. She also plays a bunch of crazy percussion she brings in a suitcase. Then we have a straight percussion man primarily working on hand drums. Oliver on guitar, and we’re hoping to add another guitarist so that there can be some occasional bass as well as more guitar interplay.
So that's the scoop on that.

Anyway I guess it’s time to start my day. I’ve had my tea and another slice of the amazing pistachio streusel sour cream coffee cake. Enough to buck anyone up