Fret Time: Grove Church and Quick Before Sinking

A lot of fret time this past weekend. It started Saturday afternoon with a sound check and rehearsal for the Grove Community Church. We practiced until about 4:30 then rocked the 5:00 p.m. service.

I played my Les Paul Classic Gold Top through a ’65 reissue Fender Deluxe. The LP sounded good; easy to play, tons of sustain. I miss not having a trem bar, though.

Later that night I sat in with Quick Before Sinking in downtown Riverside.

I brought along the Fender Stratocaster, and played it through Adam's Mesa Boogie. QBS is an amazingly talented group of guys, so I have no idea why they asked me to sit in.

Quick Before Sinking is: Adam (The Epic Beat) on guitar and vocals...

Dr. Mark on bass and vocals...

Scott on drums and percussion...

Ian--who is also a great drummer--dialed in the sound for the band, and snapped a few photos...

And I did something I rarely do in public: I sang.

My brother D-Rave says I'm not a vocalist, and I have to admit he's right on this one. But no one ran screaming from the venue, so it's all good. There's a video of it floating around on the web, but I'm pretty embarrased and can't post it here...

Most of these photos I stole off of Jon Risinger's web site. Sorry, Jon. But when you look at the picture below that my daughter snapped during the show, I think you'll understand why...

Then early Sunday morning I was back at the Grove to play two more services.

But my brother Gary is always on my mind, still. That's an Infant of Prague mass card from his funeral, there on the left side of my pedal board...

Dismantle the Sun

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,

Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,

Silence the pianos and with muffled drum

Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead

Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead,

Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,

Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,

My working week and my Sunday rest,

My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;

I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;

Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;

Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.

For nothing now can ever come to any good.

(“Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone”—by W. H. Auden)

Angels of St. Mary's

Watching over the funeral mass...

Appears to be a Stratocaster...

Not Even the Angels in Heaven...

It is Friday morning...

Gary continues to defy all prognoses.

Although his various vital signs have become increasingly dire, he has amazed all nurse and doctors, both present and passing through this home.

Above all, however, he has been resting comfortably this entire week.

As we continue to sit vigil by his side, I have been mindful of the words of Jesus:

"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven...Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” (Matthew 24:36/42)

From Boise,

brian

The Next Tattoo

I'm planning at least one more tattoo...maybe more.

Above is a picture of my favorite cross that I wear. I got it the day of VHL-stock. I was thinking it might make a great tat for the other arm.

I’m also considering something like this:

The serpent entwined around a staff is known as “the rod of Asclepius,” an ancient Greek symbol associated with the healing arts, or medicine. You may have seen it at a hospital or your doctor’s office, depicted as something like this:

There are several theories as to how the symbol came to be.

In Greek mythology, Asclepius was the son of Apollo and practitioner of medicine. The image combines a staff—a symbol of his authority—with a snake which, in shedding its skin, symbolizes rebirth.

But there’s also a biblical connection here, and I’m more interested in that.

When the Israelites were making their exodus, wandering across the vast barren desert, they complained to Mose and to God about their desperate situation: "Why have you brought us...to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water..." (Numbers 21:5).

In anger, God sent fiery serpents to attack the Israelites, and many died. (God’s a pretty irritable dude in the Old Testament, isn’t he?) The Israelites came back to Moses with an appeal to God, repenting for their sin and asking forgiveness. God then told Moses to make a bronze serpent set on a pole, and commanded that anyone bitten by the fiery snakes should look upon the bronze serpent so he or she would be immediately healed.

Any ways, I was thinking about this image for a tattoo as a tribute to my brother Gary.

Para Flotar

Just got back in from Boise...feel like I'm drowning, barely keeping my head above water...