On the Road Again with Paul Green School of Rock All-Stars, Part II, New York

That's keyboard wizard Ms. Allie Hauptman singing a duet with Dom

So I was pretty much out cold when Eric came home last night but here's what I got:

(1) Allie did in fact not only get to sing Whipping Post for her Rock School All-Star finale at BB Kings in New York last night, she brought down the house and Paul gave her a wonderful, moving introduction.

So basically ignore everything I said about that in the post below....

(2) The kids fucking rocked and there were a lot of famous people in the audience who went absolutely crazy over them but I'm not allowed to name names for various reasons which I will disclose at a future date.

(3) Here's a copy of an email Eric got from a fan following the show:

"You were phenomenal last night. That was by far the best Packard Goose I have every heard live. Absolutely inspired. Excellent. I am still shaking. Words cannot express..."

More to follow....

Today's headlines

That would be Der Uberlord, Paul Green, and Ike Willis, when the kids performed at Cafe Dunord in San Francisco. As I've been saying all week, this weekend the Rock School All Stars will be playing three shows with Ike in Philly tonight, Bergen County, NJ tomorrow, and NYC Sunday.

I just stumbled on all of these photographs taken at Cafe Dunord and there are so many that I think I'll just post the link so that all Rock School kids/parents/friends who didn't see them or know of their existence, either, can have a good look because these photos are really large and a lot of fun. In San Francisco the kids played to a packed house and Cafe Dunord had to be one of the coolest venues ever. So without further ado, here is the link to some really great pics.

In other news, Julie says to me yesterday "I won't be home tonight, I have to go to the recording studio."

My reply: "Oh yeah? I thought you guys were finished the soundtrack."

Julie: "No, we added a song. We're doing 'Don't Stand So Close' by the Police and I have to go lay down bass tracks with Stewart Copeland on drums".

GULP.

I talked to her when she got home late last night; she said it was incredibly difficult and challenging as a musician because if you know music, Stewart Copeland, formerly of said Police, is a fantastic drummer and the master of polyrhythms. But she seems pretty happy with the result.

By the way, Ike Willis also went to the recording studio and added the vocals to "Inca Roads" and "Zomby Woof". He did it in one take; Phil Nicolo, owner/producer of Studio 4 where they recorded, was blown away. Ike was in top form last night. Wow! (Btw, Julie and Eric are both on Inca Roads and Eric is on Zomby Woof).

Anyway, this soundtrack is going to be fucking amazing!

As for me, well, I'm still on a high over having the #1 rated book at Fictionwise and I hope that will encourage more people to pick up a copy. I'm working really hard on the sequel and I'm having a blast with it because the female character has relocated to New York City and is doing all kinds of crazy things...and of course I'm using though fictionalizing some of the places/experiences I've had there in the past year with the kids even though this book is obviously not about me or Rock School...it's pure 100% fiction. But at least I know what the inside of the NYC Knitting Factory looks like courtesy of attending the kids' shows there, etc. and I've been to a million music stores and restaurants so that's what I mean when I say using what I've experienced via my travels with the kiddies.

So anyway, that's all for now though something tells me there's more coming later. I'm still on my first cup of coffee and I know there's other stuff I want to talk about, so I guess check back again later today if you are so inclined.

And err...Happy Friday!

Holy Cow!

Somehow, Three Days in New York City has just been given the recent highest rating ebook position, coming in at #1, at Fictionwise! If you don't believe me (even I don't believe me), here's the link

You can, in fact, buy the book at Fictionwise, or, in the alternative, make my publisher really happy and buy it at a reduced price off of their website here

Wednesday, March 2

That tiny picture is the only one I could find of The Fire, which is where Eric and his band, Flamingo, have a gig March 19. And yes, they are on the schedule...I'll post that below along with some more info on the club because it's a really, really cool place and this is Eric's first legitimate gig not affiliated with Rock School...his own band, his own rules, etc. Sigh...must be nice to be young, good looking, and so fucking talented.

Meanwhile, things have been completely nuts in my life. A lot is going on, and I really hate doing this, but I can't say anything about anything yet which is why I haven't been posting daily. There's all kinds of crazy exciting stuff happening with me, the kids...life in general. It's tempting as hell to blab it all here or at least to tease some more, but I can't. Just stay tuned. There's a lot coming. But at least this way if some of it doesn't pan out, I won't look like an idiot. Or at least a complete idiot, just a small one.

Anyway, here's info on The Fire:

No matter how far the gentrification of north Philadelphia creeps, hipsters who feel driven out of their down-and-out haunts will always have The Fire. Located on the outskirts of Northern Liberties, this cozy bar doubles as one of the city's most under-appreciated music venues. No matter which hat it's wearing, The Fire -- named because of its proximity to the local fire station -- draws without drawing a crowd, maintaining an air of obscurity, if not exclusivity. The drink selection is cheap and no-frills, and the food effective in its own way, although people don't generally show up here for high class fare. Instead, they come for the feeling that, in a city small enough that nothing stays a secret for long, The Fire remains a safe haven from the college kids and trend-chasers who long ago overtook Old City, and have steadily worked their way north.

And here's the schedule for March which now reflects Flamingo on March 19: Concerts

Of course I'm also really looking forward to the shows Eric is doing this weekend with former Zappa guitarist Ike Willis. Ike and I are great pals and I can listen to him talk about his days hanging out with John Lennon all night long. Last evening Eric says, "Hey Mom, I have to go now." I'm like, where are you going, it's cold, snowy...what's up on a Tuesday night? "Oh, I'm going to the airport with Brandon (another Rock School drummer graduate) and we're picking up Ike (he lives in California) and going out to dinner.

Here's a pic of my man Ike Willis with Eric on drums and daughter Julie on bass and the other beautiful girl is Teddi, the singer/guitarist in the additional separate-from-Rock School-band Eric, Dan and Julie have going on:

So anyway, Eric, Brandon and Ike went out to eat at Silk City, which is the ultimate punk/goth/old hippie diner in our neighborhood - the food really rocks but the floor show is even better, so no one probably even gave two teenage boys hanging out with a middle aged black guy in dreadlocks even a second glance. They talked music all night and had a blast. As I said, Eric and the Rock School All-Stars are doing three shows with Ike this weekend - one at Indre Friday night (his dad is going to that one); one in Bergen County, New Jersey Saturday night (I'll be there!), and one in NYC on Sunday at BB Kings (neither of us will be at that one - we've had enough of BB Kings to last a lifetime. Been there, done it, it's a chain restaurant/venue on 42nd Street in the heart of New York City touristville, with bad obscenely expensive junk food and I'm sorry, I just do not enjoy listening to music with plates and glasses clanking all evening long and a policy that tells me I have to eat or I will be paying a minimum anyway, in addition to paying for tickets to see my own son...feh. The last trek to BB Kings to see Eric play maybe five songs as part of a big Rock School All-Star production (with 4-5 other drummers sharing the bill) in December cost me $300.00 counting tickets, bus fare for the family (should have driven...grrr), and the aforesaid horrible food)so unless Eric and Julie are doing their own gig at BB Kings or John Lennon or George Harrison come crawling out of the grave to perform, I'm taking a permanent pass on that place.

But I admit, the first few times they played there, it was a lot of fun. I walked around for weeks boasting "Julie and Eric are playing BB Kings in New York City aren't we all just so cool!" to anyone who would listen. Anyway, don't mind me, I'm getting old and cranky. Or honest. Either/or. Whatever. I'm really looking forward to seeing Ike again and hanging out at the show in Bergen County Saturday night.

Odds and Sods Part II

The above pic was taken the last time Julie played at BB King's and that's my other "son" Louie on guitar. Eric is of course on drums but he's hidden as usual.

Right now we are in white out conditions - it looks like a blizzard, in fact, it probably is a blizzard, and my boss said I could go home but I'm not particularly anxious to go out in that so I'm vacillating back and forth here...cab, no cab, walk, sleep at the office (ha), etc.

So while I try and make up my mind, I will drive you all nuts and tell you what my daughter made me for dinner last night. Her Sunday dinners are now legendary. I would have taken digital photographs but I was starving and she'd spent the entire afternoon tantalizing me with the various aromas coming out of the kitchen.

We started out with with hand made dumplings stuffed with chicken, dried shitake mushrooms, garlic, and scallion. She made a dipping sauce that was to die for -- soy sauce, scallion, garlic, lime juice, rice wine vinegar, honey, and chile peppers.

I really think I could live on that sauce and all it needs is some booze in it and I would never require another form of food or drink.

Next course: A healthy salad. Rock lobster tail meat tossed with red onion, celery, tiny chunks of steamed red bliss potato, vanilla oil (made from real vanilla beans) and a mixture of sunflower and hazel nut oils, creme fraiche, dijon mustard, fresh tarragon, lemon juice, and white wine vinegar served over red lettuce and maiche.

She surrounded our individual plates thusly...the lettuce on the bottom, the lobster salad mixture in the middle, and all around the rim of the plate, seared scallops.

I didn't want dinner to end, ever.

And what's maiche, you ask? Because I had no idea myself, it sounds like something you'd spray at someone trying to steal your handbag. It's actually a wonderful lettuce, nutty and buttery tasting.

Only Julie would know from maiche.

Dessert: A heart healthy key lime pie made from yoghurt. Now you might think that sounds gross, but it was one of the best key lime pies I ever ate in my life. I can't wait to go home now and eat another piece - that's going to be my dinner tonight.

Anyway, that's the news for now. I should really leave the office; I'm terrified of getting stranded here really. I was only joking about sleeping here - it's bad enough I feel like I do that anyway. And besides, that pie is calling my name...

Flamingo

So as I've mentioned, besides his brilliant band with Julie, Teddi and Dan of Rock School, Eric has a side project with some other Rock School kids - Haffie, Matt Manser, Julia Ranier, and Dan Nitz. The name of their band is Flamingo, and they've just finished recording/mixing a six song demo called "Among the Ash Heaps and Millionaires".

You get ten points if you know where that phrase orginates.

Okay, time's up, I'll tell you. It was the alternate title F. Scott Fitzgerald had chosen for The Great Gatsby.

Anyway, I got my first listen to the newly mixed CD yesterday and almost fainted. First of all, let me say this. I'm the world's harshest music critic. I may rave about my kids here, but there are plenty of times I'm dissatisfied and I don't hold back. I'm probably even too quick to criticize because these kids are such incredible musicians that I expect greatness from them all the time. I've been to Rock School shows where I leave on an almost magical high with a silly smile pasted on my face for days; but I've also been to shows where I've been pissed beyond belief at sloppy playing and/or bad, inappropriate set lists and I've even made nasty comments likening the shows to crappy suburban high school recitals. In other words, I'm no angel, even where Julie and Eric are concerned.

From the minute I heard the opening notes of Flamingo's CD yesterday, I had the chills. First of all, Julia's vocals...I can't even describe it. She's the way Norah Jones or Aimee Mann or even Natalie Merchant wish they sounded...with the sixties psychedelic soul of a Janis Joplin and Sandy Denny thrown in. You don't get that from her when you hear her doing covers for Rock School like Springsteen's Born to Run or Boston's Long Time. (Okay, I despise Springsteen and Boston so maybe that has something to do with it). But anyway, on this CD, Julia's voice is other worldy - she's fucking unbelievable.

And then you have the guitar players: Haffie, Matt, and Julia herself. These are three of the best guitarists in Rock School, apologies to the other Rock School greats because yep, there are many, but these three have a spectacular chemistry together. And I feel like a traitor saying this because my own daughter is a bassist, but Dan Nitz, who normally plays guitar, kicks ass on bass.

But most importantly - the song writing. It's fucking amazing! I tried to put my finger on their sound and to be honest, I couldn't, because it's so original they may be one of the few bands to be actually doing something NEW! It's fresh, it's modern, but there are influences of Zappa, Cream, and even the Allman Brothers... with a modern bluesy, jazzy twist. And the lyrics are also very, very impressive. But I think their time with Paul/Rock School and being part of his All-Stars and studying Zappa is what I hear the most - that unbelievable, intelligent musicianship and their tightness as a band. It's pure perfection. What's even more fun is that they are all such talented, well rounded musicians that on one song, they switch off instruments and some play glockenspiel, dulcimer, even trumpet.

Anyway, one of the Rock School teachers, Nero, heard the demo for the first time and immediately got Flamingo their first gig opening for his own band on March 19 at a really cool club in Philadelphia, The Fire. They aren't on the schedule yet because it stops at March 12, but of course I'll be posting updates here.

So that was my excitement for yesterday.

Time Fries...

That would be my daughter's boyfriend, Matt, on bass and his first cousin, future megastar, C.J. Tywoniak, on guitar

Wow, has it really been three days since I posted? Time fries, as I was told by my favorite waiter at a Chinese restaurant when I ate there with my kids. He hadn't seen them in a while and was shocked to see they were now young adults. Time fries is probably the most perfect expression ever, huh. Anyway, there's been a lot of turmoil in the House of Slick over the past 72 hours but it all seems to be straightened out now (I hope!) so I'm back.

First of all, thanks to the lovely and talented M.A. Burns who forwarded me the above photograph, several more of which I'll be posting, taken at the recent Tony Levin/California Guitar Trio concert. She is a huge prog rock fan and travels with the band snapping photos, and she was really freaked out by the talented Rock School kids who opened for them. Anyway, we met for the first time at the show, chatted a bit, exchanged email addresses, and then she sent me a disk full of her photos. How cool is that!

Also, thanks to everyone who has bought my book and coffee cups, etc. Sheesh, I didn't realize being a writer also meant being a saleswoman, but there you have it.

So without further ado, and because I need Eric to go on line and update my website which I've neglected terribly since starting this blog, here's a few more of M.A.'s photos and M.A., if you are reading this, YOU ROCK!

Louis Graff

Max DiMezza and CJ

Kenny Liu and Julie

Max

Paul conducting the band

My wild child, Eric

C.J.

Matt and C.J.

UPDATE -Eric's just wrapped up my website renovations for me. Please check it out at www.robinslick.com

Quick plug for Flash Fiction Cafe (and me)...

I'm just popping by to let you know that you can now purchase one of my two stories selected to be on coffee mugs (and which will be shipped to cafes and coffee houses all over the world) directly from the site right here

My first story to go print is called Dreaming of Flying, and as you can see, you have your choice of two different mugs. I assume the mug with my story Last Supper will be forthcoming within the next few days.

C'mon, you know you want one. I'm gonna be famous someday. Even if it's for jumping out a 40th floor window naked screaming "I can't take it any more!"

Seriously, support your local writer. And there's some other really great writers with mugs for sale as well. Support them, too. And I must admit, they are very cool looking cups - you may even want a set of four. Ha ha.

Odds and Sods...

So I'm still depressed over this insane world and recent headlines -- who gives a fuck if Paris Hilton's address book is hacked and on the web and what Jesus looked like as a young boy (don't even get me started on that one). Or that Bush was a pothead in college (like we didn't know that - he should start smoking again if you ask me). Anyway, the word is that apparently Hunter Thompson took his life because he couldn't deal with getting old and being in pain.

I can relate.

But luckily, while I agonize over the above as well as my novels and a couple of short stories out there in "should we accept or reject" limbo land, I can live vicariously through my kids. There is a strong rumor that a MAJOR rock star is about to join them on both the soundtrack and in concert but again, I'm sworn to secrecy. All I can tell you is that this is someone I idolized -- have all the CDs/albums/even eight tracks dating back from the seventies...and well, I'd better not say anymore and jinx it. But of course more to follow...

Anyway, the poster above is about some upcoming shows in which my son is performing, and if they're anything like the one in Florida, I cannot wait.

Eric told me it was one of the most awesome shows ever. The sound man at the Broward Center worked for seven years for Pink Floyd among others and he was amazing. The kids opened with a Floyd song - Time - and they all had wireless mics. But of course here's my proud mom moment - they did a verson of the Band's The Weight -- which I have never heard them do; I didn't even know it was in their repertoire; and guess who did the vocals while he played the drums? Damn it! I love the way Eric sings but he rarely does it in concert. He told me he aced the song and had Stevie and Madison singing harmonies with him. They also did a killer version of Almost Cut My Hair and Fil did the vocals.

Another cute story was that Eric was doing the opening riffs to a Devo song and he's the only one on stage. So he keeps drumming, and he's looking around, like, where the hell is everyone? Suddenly, those maniacs - Joey, Mike, and Dan, came running down the aisles with their wireless mics screaming ARE WE NOT MEN? or something like that and the crowd went wild.

I hear the audience clapped and screamed throughout - it was completely sold out; they were all strangers -- no family or friends, and it was an amazing experience. I've of course been scouting all of the Florida newspapers to see if anyone reviewed them, and you know if I find something, I'll post it here.

Why, why, why did I miss what probably would have been my favorite classic rock All-Star show? But Eric tells me there will be more of that at the shows listed above in NJ and NY, so I really can't wait.

He also told me a hilarious story about getting lost in the van with Uber Lord Paul for three hours looking for fun and games in South Beach after the show...nuff said about that.

Another bizarre tale concerns the airport in Atlantic City where they boarded the plane for Florida. When Madison was asked to remove her shoes and she said "Aw, do I have to?", over the loudspeaker came "SHOE REFUSAL, SHOE REFUSAL". Then, when Eric put his duffel bag through the x-ray machine, alarms started ringing because he had his cowbell in it. The security crew removed it, held it up, and said WHAT IS THIS?

Yeah, he plans to bring down the plane and take over the world with a cowbell.

But anyway, Eric told them what it was, and they said "Oh, is this your instrument...you know, what you play?"

D'oh.

So he explained further, even though he really didn't want to, and they started asking the usual lame questions: Oh, you guys are musicians, do you like being musicians, etc. etc.

Get used to it, Eric. The world is stupid and they get even stupider when faced with "celebrities".

In Julie news, she's still really into her band with Teddi, Eric, and Dan -- they had rehearsal here last night and they're just awesome, but before their practice, she made us dinner. Holy cow - fresh tomato soup with cheddar accompanied by a small plate of home made ravioli (!) stuffed with wild mushrooms in a light cream sauce. I thought I was eating in one of the best Italian restaurants in the city. She's amazing! And woo hoo, I get to take the left overs for lunch today.

And yes, as soon as I'm "allowed", I will be posting more news on Julie's band as well as a separate project Eric has with some other Rock School kids - I'm going to have my first listen to the mixed version of their CD tonight. I hear it's incredible, but then again, why wouldn't it be.

Damn it!

I was of course going to write all about Eric's spectacular experience playing drums at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Florida this weekend but I'm sitting here feeling very shocked and sad right now and unable to think straight.

'GONZO' JOURNALIST HUNTER S. THOMPSON DIES

Legendary US author Hunter S Thompson, a sharp-witted icon of the 1960s counter-culture, has died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police say.

The 67-year-old writer and journalist, best known for his 1972 book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, apparently shot himself at his home at Woody Creek, outside the ski resort of Aspen in the western US state of Colorado.

Thompson's son, Juan, released a family statement to the Aspen Daily News, saying: "Hunter prized his privacy and we ask that his friends and admirers respect that privacy as well as that of his family."

Thompson was considered by many to be one of the most important American authors of the 20th century.

The ever-rebellious Thompson was born in the southern state of Kentucky in July 1937 and frequently got into trouble with the law in his early years for drinking and vandalism, spending 60 days in jail on one occasion.

He was enlisted in the US Air Force in 1956 and managed to get assigned as a sports writer for the air base newspaper at Eglin Air Proving Ground in Florida.

But the unsettled youngster quickly became dissatisfied with the rigours of military routine and his high-jinks led to an honorable discharge after only a year in 1957.

He spent several years in Puerto Rico and South America working for various newspapers, mostly as a sports reporter.

In 1963, Thompson wed Sandy Conklin, a union that would last 18 years and produce one child, Juan. He also moved to Woody Creek, where he would spend most of the rest of his life.

Almost always writing in the first person, Thompson flirted with the border between fiction and fact and threw out any attempt at objectivity. His style became known as 'gonzo' journalism and made him a cult figure.

He shot to fame in 1966 after the publication of his book Hell's Angels, the story of his relationship with the then-feared motorcycle gang.

Thompson made his drug and alcohol-fueled antics and clashes with authority the central theme of his work, challenging the conventions of traditional journalism and creating a larger-than-life outlaw persona for himself along the way.

The book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is the apocryphal tale of a wild, drug-fuelled weekend spent in the desert gambling hub of Las Vegas by the protagonist Raoul Duke, a thinly disguised version of Thompson.

Thompson claimed at the time that the book and its tales of LSD use were accurate examples of gonzo journalism but later admitted that some of the events in it never took place.

But the stories of his heady experiences earned him a popular reputation as a wild-living, hard-drinking, LSD-crazed writer bent on self-destruction.

The book became the basis for a 1998 Hollywood adaptation, starring Johnny Depp as Thompson's alter-ego, Raoul Duke.

In 1970, Thompson ran for the office of Sheriff in Pitkin, Colorado, campaigning on the "Freak Power" ticket. He lost by a handful of votes.

His other works include Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72, a collection articles he wrote for Rolling Stone magazine while covering the election campaign of then-president Richard M Nixon.

Thompson became such an icon that cartoonist Garry Trudeau based the wild character of Duke in his "Doonesbury" comic strip on him.

Thompson is survived to his second wife, Anita Beymunk, whom he married two years ago, his son Juan and a grandson.