The Slick family in print...

So yesterday I'm sitting around with my family, kind of half-heartedly googling stuff, and I asked Eric, "Hey, you don't have any news for my blog, do you? I mean, I saw the blurb in Modern Drummer and..."

"Excuse me? What blurb in Modern Drummer?" Eric asked, startled. He jumped up from his prone position on the sofa.

"Oh, I think it's just an on-line thing -- it's called "Update News From the Current Modern Drummer"...you know, stuff that probably either didn't make the issue or happened after the issue went to press..."

"Mom! That means I'm in the print issue!"

"Nah, I don't think so. It's updated..."

"I've been reading Modern Drummer since I'm ten years old. I know what I'm talking about. Update News is a feature that appears in the front of the magazine."

"Holy crap, Eric! Does this mean you are in the actual magazine?"

"Yeah...get up and let me see what it says on line, though."

"Nineteen-year-old Eric Slick is on tour with The Adrian Belew Power Trio. The trio will be recording a live CD to be called Side Four Live."

"So you are telling me that if we go to Borders or Barnes and Noble and buy this month's Modern Drummer, you are in there?"

"Yes! Oh god, you're going to make me walk into town and buy you a hundred copies now, aren't you," Eric sighed. (though secretly pleased)

"What do you think? Gary, give Eric some money...he needs to go magazine shopping."

Even when Eric left to pick up some copies of Modern Drummer after assuring me many times he was actually in the issue, I was still dubious. Updated news available on line sounded to me that it was just that...updated cyber news, not in print. I waited for his disappointed phone call.

Well, as you can see by the above photos, as usual, Eric was correct and I was wrong, and this is his first mention in a major magazine exclusive of Rock School.

Needless to say, we are all very excited.

And in our wacky world of cosmic happenings, on the cover of this issue is drummer Marco Minnemann. Marco, naturally, is Mike Keneally's west coast drummer -- Eric is Mike's east coast man behind the skins and as previously shouted out here, Eric will be playing with Mike at the SOR Festival in Asbury Park on June 23.

Further investigation on Google revealed another blurb from Modern Drummer at Melodic Rock, who really does the article up nicely in huge capital letters.

Speaking of Side Four Live, it's officially being mixed today, and it's a joint effort between Adrian and the fabulous Saul Zonana, who says in his In The Studio section:

"Side Four is Adrian Belew's new live CD featuring his power trio. I have the pleasure to be mixing it. It's packed with energy and all of the classic Adrian and Crimson tunes."

I'm unable to copy other chunks from Saul's website but read his bio -- it's pretty impressive and I know my family is crazy about him after touring with Saul and Adrian last year. And here's a really cool article about how Saul and Adrian first began working together...with a reference to the late Ken Latchney.

Also, Eric will be drumming with the fabulous Chris Harford at John and Peter's in New Hope, Pennsylvania, on May 19, 2007...and doing double duty because Eric will also be opening for Chris on the drums that night with Dave Dreiwitz/Crescent Moon.

So that's Eric in the news; here's the latest on his mother:



I found that on the website of Matilda Kay, who had this to say:

"The newest literary magazine out of the California Central Valley features some great writers from across the country.

Fiction stories by: Brad Listi, N. Frank Daniels, Conrad Romo and Susan Henderson.

Literary articles by: Lauren Baratz-Logsted, Cindy Wathen, N. Frank Daniels, Robin Slick, Susan Henderson and N.L. Belardes.

The layout is classy and goregeous! The writing is outstanding! You won't be able to put it down.

Get your free copy at Russo's Books at the Marketplace or Metro Art Galleries downtown.

Or order your copy online at www.noveltown.net/books. (Online orders - minimal cost to cover shipping).

Read excerpts from the magazine and see photos from the Noveltown Review's premier Mixer on Paperback Writer."

I have a huge box of Noveltown Reviews kindly sent to me by the publishers and I will be doing my best to see that they are distributed in book stores and coffee shops all ovr Philadelphia.

And while I'm on the subject of Ms. Kay, this morning I came down to the coolest email from her:

"Hi Robin,

I work with Nick and Melody in Noveltown and I just finished your book. I loved it! Sexy sexy! You have a gift for sarcasm and believable characters. :) I understand there is a sequal, I have to read it!

Well just wanted to drop you a line and let you know I enjoyed your book.

Take care!

M.C.
www.matildakay.com"

By the way, Phaze has just released the second Edition of Three Days in New York City...I'm psyched...the new cover is very beautiful and the book itself has a few new additions (See? You can edit a book after it's been published...so for all of you fellow OCD writers out there, your similar strange behavior is not for naught).

And while I bite my nails over "Daddy Left Me Alone with God", currently out there in submission land, I've started a new novel which may or may not be a departure from my other work. I fully intended to write something serious but I can't help it; I have a warped sense of humor and I can't do "stern" nor do I want to do "literary" so I'll let you know how it all pans out. I've never been an organized writer who uses an outline, anyway...half the fun of writing is the surprise of where my convoluted thoughts take me and my new book will be no exception.

Later,
xo