SCF Schedule Change

Friday July 17th, Wild Wing Cafe – Alpharetta, GA will be Electric Boogaloo instead of Stone Cold Fox.

This Weekend @ The Savannah Wing, An Introduction.

Ok, This blog is mostly for the benefit of those on Facebook from my hometown that may be in the savannah area this weekend, or that may feel up to making a drive to hear fun music.

I will be playing in Savannah this weekend. For those of you that haven't seen the band that I have been with the past 5 years or so, here goes.........

Friday and Saturday we will be at the Wild WIng Cafe @ City Market in Downtown Savannah. the address is

27 Barnard Street
Savannah, GA 31401

Friday night we will be there as Stone Cold Fox (yeah, we do like 4 different shows). Stone Cold Fox is a 70s Funk/Disco Tribute. We go all out and do the costumes and dance steps and such. Examples of song we play include; Boogie Knights by Heatwave, Give It To Me Baby by Rick James, Lady's Night - Cool & The Gang, Boogie Man - KC & The Sunshine Band, Boogie Oogie Oogie - Taste O Honey, and many many more. My character in that show is "Orange" Julius Jackson.

Saturday Night we will be there as Electric Boogaloo. Electric Boogaloo is a 80s pop and metal tribute. Not unlike Stone Cold fox, we will be in costume and playing the hits of the 80s. Songs include; Let's Go Crazy - Prince, Talk Dirty To Me - Poison, You Give Love A Bad Name - Bon Jovi, Rebel Yell - Billy Idol, Let's Dance - David Bowie, My Sharona - The Knack, Don't Stop Believin' - Journey, Sweet Child O Mine - Guns & Roses. My Character in this show is "Juicy fruit" Johnson. Kind of a Time type costume.

Usually @ the Savannah wing start time is between 10:30 and 11. Hope to see you there.

J

Opened doors, eye drops & bell bottoms

 

It was March of 2001, we had just moved from the first AVP location on Old Alabama to the 2nd one on Old Milton Parkway. It was the first Monday after the weekend we moved, which was also the Monday after St. Patty's Day. I Was at my cube in the back of the office and I hear a knock on the door. I got up and opened it. In walked a lady that claimed she was the new accounting/shipping & receiving girl. Her name was Sharon.

Through the years I got to know Sharon quite well. She had two daughters that she was absolutely crazy about. She was originally from England, but had been in the states for a while.

Eventually, Sharon sort of became the office Mom. She looked after all of us.

When I had my house-warming cook out, she cooked all the burgers and dogs, and no one could ever had told her different. hahaha

When I had pink eye, she would come over to my desk three times during the day to put the drops in my eyes. (yeah I am pretty damn squeamish with my eyes) She even knew the schedule better than I did.

Whenever one of us felt remotely sick, she would be the one to come over and put her hand on our forehead and check our temperature in a mom like fashion.

When I joined Stone Cold Fox, she put all the inserts in the bell bottoms of all my costume pants. Hell she even made me an Orange vest for OJJ.....and wouldn't take a penny for it.

The past couple of years, she and I haven't been quite as close as we used to be......nothing bad.....just didn't get to talk as much and things like that.

About 2 weeks after my throat and sinus surgery this past summer, Sharon stared feeling ill. She went to the hospital and it turned out she had cancer. She was in the hospital for a while. I was able to go and see her a couple of times.....

She eventually got to go home, but never came back to work.

Last week, her health took a turn for the worst...... she was readmitted back into the hospital.

My buddy Jeff and I were planning on visiting her in the coming week or two.

Today we got a call that she was fading fast. JB, my old boss went to the hospital to see her......He called Jeff and said if you guys want to see her....you need to come now.

I left the office just after 3pm today. I was about half way there when Jeff called me to tell me she was gone. I went anyway and hugged her daughters.

earlier this evening, me and a couple of co-workers went and had a pint and raised our glasses for Sharon.

RIP, I will miss you.

j

Today In History

Today in History

Here's a list of things that have happened on January 21st throughout the years......

• 1793 King Louis XVI was guillotined for treason
• 1915 The first Kiwanis Club was founded in Detroit
• 1954 the USS Nautilus, the 1st Nuclear-powered submarine was launched.
• 1950 George Orwell died in London.
• 1928 Jose Januario deSousa was born.

That's right, today is my Dad's 81st birthday. I just talked to him and it sounds like he is kicking ass!

Happy Birthday Pop!!!!

Catch up time: My Lesson, gigs, 65 Sally, etc., etc

Ok, time once again to catch due to my slack ass blogging habits. Actually, lately I have been trying to more of an effort to actually write in my journal. You  know, actual pen and paper...hahaha! For thos of you born in the past 20 years, that is what you had to use before computers. I actually write in two journals, one that is in real-time (in other words writing about what is going on now) and another that I am writing about things from earlier in life, ie... college, high school, childhood... I will probably transpose some of those here at some point so beware.................

OK, first thing.... My lesson with Oteil came and went. It was great! I had to play the night before and didn't get a lot of sleep, but I woke up around 6:30 and I was wide awake. ha! I picked up Krista about 7:30 or so. I drove about 70% of the way, then Krista took over. AT Oteil's house, he offered Krista to hang out in his living room, but she declined and went shopping instead.

The lesson was awesome....We talked a lot about chord voicings and improv. Not a lot of stuff that I get to use in the SCF bands, Some stuff for The Stallions. It was more theoretical than anything. Learning how to voice chords on 4, 5, and 6 strings and such. He did touch on some slap stuff and that was bad ass. One thing that helped me with SCF stuff... he showed me a new way to aproach playing with a pick. I am not normally a pick player, but there are songs in our show that require the sound of a pick (Several in the 90's and a handful in the 80's). I am however a slap guy and he showed me how close "picking" can be like slapping. And the best part is that it has made a difference in the last couple of gigs.  

There was a cool part in the lesson, and yes I did record it, where I was playin a walk and Oteil just jammed over it. It was about a minute of playing, but it was perfect.

Special thanks to my KICK ASS girlfriend, Krista, for riding with me..... hell, she did the majority of the driving.

That night I played with Electric Boogaloo in Suwanee, and once again a packed house and a fun time. As always special thanks to all our regulars. You know who you are....

Next up, Thanksgiving.............. We didn't play the night before at Dixie, so Krista, Jersey and Undietaker and I went and caught the Slippery When Wet show at the Suwanee Wild Wing.... We started at the Boogaboo Creek for dinner then meandered to the Wing. The Slippery show was great as always. It was also good to catch up with Jason, Anthony, Brian and Paul. Sean and Luna were out as well. It was fun to hang out with them in a non playing setting.

For Thanksgiving, I went to Krista's parents house for a very nice lunch and a rousing game of Scrabble.

After that it was time for the Mafia to get fired up. Not the normal crowd, but a decent one none the less. again, thanks to all the regulars for their continued support. We couldn't do it without you.  

Some of you that make it out to Rock Mafia on a regular basis have may have noticed that I have been playing my 4 string a lot lately. In fact, unless you have been to a Stallions or Dock Martins show, you haven't really seen much of my 5 string. Some have even asked if I have abandoned the 5. No, I have not. I still consider my 5 string Lakland my main bass, just playing the 4 for kicks right now. 

Black Friday weekend was an off weekend and on Friday I went out and saw my friend Justin play at PUB 71. Saturday I went to Dixie Tavern for Hipnotic Unplugged. Good shows all around.

The following weekend, we played in Gainesville on Friday night. It was Stone Cold Fox with Ashlee singing. A good show and a great response form the crowd. Ashlee did a bang-up job.

The next night we met up with Sean and Luna to see Justin at the new club Primal. What a nice club! Justin played bass with the opening act, Spencer Rush, I think was his name. Great original stuff. Primal is a neat club. I know Jason is trying to get us in there at some point. nice stage with a great PA.

Next  up was a Dock Martins/Electric Boogaloo weekend at the Alpharetta Wing. Both nights were a blast! I debuted my new Curly Neal/Harlem Globetrotters jersey with the DMs on Friday night. The crowd was great! My girlfriend actually came to a DM show....ha! Team Bower was also in the house.

After the show a bunch of us went to Waffle House, here are some pics from that.

 

Krisa & Skelly getting ready to order.

 

 

 

 

 

                         Sean seeking my autograph.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Michael are friend and waiter at the Casa De waffle

 

My friend and bad ass bass player /singer. If you have seen the Band Justin, you seriously need to check them out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Luna Ahslee. And I think she might be thirsty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday night was even more crowded. The people in Alphy sho do loves them some Boogaloo on a Saturday night. Unfortunately, that night was our last Saturday in Alpharetta for a while. Starting next year they are opting for a DJ on Saturday nights, at least for the first few months. At the moment we are booked for the Friday AND Saturday at the end of March, but that could change.

 

This past weekend, Angela came and got me and I picked up my Mustang. Woohoo! I drove it from Japer, GA all the way to my house in Duluth. it rocks! I have a lot of work to do on it, but mostly onsie/twosies such as the door hanlde on the interior left side. I even it rode it to work after lunch on Monday and showed it off to everybody at the office.

The first and foremost things are getting insurance and getting the ignition switch fixed so I don't have to pop the hood to start and stop her. ha!

Last night we had a pretty decent crowd at Dixie Tavern. If we could judt get a good consistent non-holiday schedule there, I think we could get that place rockin pretty good on a regular basis.

Coming up...... Tonight is the last Rock Mafia In Alpharetta before we take 2 weeks off for XMAS Day and New Years Day. Then I am heading home to my flks for the week, then back next Friday for a gig at Suwanee. After that, New Years in Greenville. WE should have a pretty decent group from Atlanta coming up with us. That mixed with the GVegas regulars should be a blast. I should blog more before New Years and then it is time for my yearly recap.

Later,

OJJ

My Lesson

In the past 26 of playing the bass, only the first couple of years was I ever really nervous playing in front of a crowd. Excited I have been many times. Big crowds, special events, New Years in a packed Greenville Wild Wing..... whatever the case may be, but I haven't felt nervous really since doing a recital in high school on the Double Bass (upright bass for those that not knowing what the hell a double bass is....... and the Bull Fiddle for those that are still confused).

Well my friends, times are a changing. Tomorrow at 9am central time, I will be in Birmingham, Alabama for a lesson with Otiel Burbridge, an incredible musician and bass player. And I am Rolling! I have felt butterflys like this in a long long time. I am so pummled I can barely contain myself. Feels pretty good. I even have the shakes a little bit. I feel like I want to sweat a lot. haha! Feels pretty good. When I get off work I am going to clean my bass and et it nice and spotless for the lesson. (not playing it tonight, playing the 4 string)

Oh well, I need to get back to work. just wanted to blog something about the lesson before the fact.

An update on the lesson as well as updates on the past few gigs including Halloween will be out in the coming days.

And for those of you not familiar with Oteil Burbridge........ Oteil was the bass player for Col. Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit back in the early and mid 90's. they were and incredible band with bunch of talented player all anchored by Oteil. More recently he has played with his own band Oteil and The Peacemakers and of course, he as had the duty of holding down the bottom end for the Allman Brothers Band. NOW do ya understand where I'm comin' from?

Later,

OJJ

A NEw MAFIA NIGHT!

Starting Wednesday October 29th, Rock Mafia will be adding a Wednesday night show at the Dixie Tavern in Marietta, GA.

The show will run for four weeks on Wednesdays from 9:30 - 12:30 through November 19th, 2008. (Extensions will be decided at the end of the 4 weeks)

Come out and eat, drink & sing.

Check out Dixie's menu they have great food. In particular, try the Andoullie Sausgae Sammich......YUMMYTIME! They also serve Tator-Tots!



Dixie Tavern
2319 Windy Hill Road SE
Marietta | Smyrna
770.690.0090
http://www.dixietavern.com