Eddie Vedder redux and more...

BREAKING NEWS -- WHAT IS THIS? Is it internet radio? Their playlist this week features two songs from the Rock School soundtrack, which won't be released for three more weeks -- Barracuda and School's Out. So does this mean radio stations have the CD and are now playing it? I'm confused...I went to their home page and clicked on "Affiliates". It looks like it's getting radio play at certain stations across the country starting this week? Arghhh...I can't figure this out and Eric isn't home to ask. So if anyone can 'splain it to me, please do!



I kind of had to repost the above Eddie pic because I'm way depressed today so I need eye candy.

But before I talk about that, let me direct all my pals in Seattle to the latest news. Yep, I will be there May 25, and here is the link for the events. Apparently, the movie is being shown twice, May 25 and May 26, but on May 25, the film will be shown at The Egyptian Theater at 7:00 p.m. and then the kids will be performing with Eddie Vedder and "other special guests" at 9:00 p.m. at Neumos. I'm guessing I won't be at the film unless the theater is close to Neumos -- actually, I'm hoping it is because even though I'll be seeing the movie in L.A. the night before, I could see it 1,000,000 times and probably will. But in the event the theater and club are not within walking distance, I'm sure the kids will not be at the movie but setting up and doing sound check/rehearsals, so that's where I'll be for sure. Anyway, as it gets closer to the actual date and I have more info, I'll post it here and email all my friends in the area so we can meet up. But my suggestion is to buy tickets for the kids' performance at Neumos immediately - they are only $8.00 and it's not public knowledge that Eddie Vedder is one of the special guests (and I do know who else may be there but I can't blab it yet) though between this blog and other news sources, that info is going to leak and I'm sure it's going to be a sell-out. I'm so neurotic, I even bought a ticket for myself.
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So in other news, I've made some serious lifestyle change decisions today. Let's see how long it takes me to break them. For one thing, I'm now on a "for life' diet. I'm through eating sugar and junk food. I feel like crap because I've been on the skids for weeks and I know it's my diet making me act so off kilter. I've been hiding from my blood pressure doctor but I have to face the music next week because my prescription is up and I need to make an appointment ASAP. He's going to freak if I don't get a grip on my eating habits. Actually, he's a really nice guy, which is worse. He looks at me with these sad eyes and says things like "Robin, you are a smart woman, do you want to die of a stroke or heart disease? Have you joined a gym yet?"

I will never join a gym. I despise gyms. But I do walk four miles a day to and from work, so that's got to account for something, right? But the diet thing -- that I can do. (Yeah, right. Well, I'm gonna try...and I've just walked past a box of Munchkins in the office five times without being tempted)

Secondly, for those of you who are members of my on line writing group, the fabulous Zoetrope, I've also decided to put myself on a strict diet from that as well. I'm determined to only sign on twice a week, on Wednesdays and Fridays. I picked those days because they were already designated days for the past two years where I meet up with one fellow writer for chatting, workshopping, etc. But the rest of the week...man, it's really gotten out of hand. Instead of writing, I find myself fucking off there all the time for the social aspect. While I've met a lot of great people, I've also met one too many disturbed individuals. I guess the reason so many freaks flock to cyberworld is that they can't function in the real world so they hide behind a computer screen and then let it all fly. I'm guilty of the same...not in that way but I tend to be anti-social and reclusive in the real world and take on a much more extroverted, happy persona in cyberspace.

Anyway, a turning point came for me this weekend. A few things happened. First, my kids weren't home and I had two days to write and instead I screwed around on Zoetrope. Not good. I have two books I'm writing simultaneously and I can't be slacking. Secondly, and this was what really rattled me, I read two stories during an exercise on the site that affected me bigtime, though in opposite ways. The first story was so terrible, so poorly written, that I said to myself: This has got to be a joke; this person has to be putting us all on. She's got to be a troll. I had to sit on my hands to keep from typing something nasty about her story and asking her WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU AND HOW DEMENTED CAN YOU BE? Luckily, I refrained. But I had to ask myself, Why are you wasting your time with this shit? Then I read the second story, written by a guy who is actually a friend of mine, which was so good, so perfect, so beautiful, I got all teary. Worse, I was filled with a terrible depression (like, I will never be able to write like this in a million years) and an intangible sort of longing...I don't know, I can't describe it. I felt old, lonely, melancholy....it was really awful. I'm still shaken; I thought about it the entire two mile walk into work this morning. I can't be doing this to myself. I know it's probably hormonal; I know I have a lot of stuff going on right now like pressure at work (I'm swamped beyond belief with horrible paperwork), the pressure of writing the aforesaid two novels; the pressure of my kids suddenly being adults and getting ready to move on...but anyway, I need to make my mind a blank and concentrate on just my writing instead of wishing for things I'll never have and/or a youth I can't recapture.

So anyway - if you're a Zoetrope member and need to reach me other than a Wednesday or Friday, you can email me at Robin81700@aol.com.
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So that's today's news for now -- I do believe I'll just sit back and enjoy the photograph of Eddie Vedder (and doesn't he look like Eric Clapton in that photo? Sigh...) and try and have nice thoughts.

Happy Mothers Day (wait...isn't that an oxymoron?)

Another pic from St. Louis:

Looking totally freaked out as I prepared for four hours of signing books


I have a ton of pics but I think I'm going to post a link to my photosite thing so you don't have to look if you don't want....I've got my own personal photosite page with a zillion rock school pics, pics of book fair in St. Louis, pics of the family, etc. etc. I have to go look and see if there's anything I need to delete, first. (ha)
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So yeah, Happy Mothers Day. I woke up at 3:00 a.m. and couldn't go back to sleep so I can downstairs just as my son was walking in the door. He decided to give me my gift while the two of us were alone - a really beautiful painting he had "commissioned" by his friend, Hannah, a very talented artist. How cool is that! I will hang it in my new improved water-bed free bedroom along with a painting sent to me by my good friend, artist Marty Ison....I'm gonna have to post photos of these two paintings for sure. I also recently picked up a painting by a local artist, Vincent Natale, and I dunno, the world may be crashing and burning all around me but at least I'm surrounded by beautiful paintings and music.
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So this appeared in today's Chicago Tribune:

NON CELEBS TO WATCH IN THE FUTURE

By Allison Benedikt
Tribune staff reporter

As has become the tradition, this summer's movie slate is jampacked with every variety of celebrity: the pop star (Jessica Simpson), the SNL crossover (Adam Sandler), the brooder (Russell Crowe/Scarlett Johansson), the scandal-ridden (Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie) and the Scientologist (Tom Cruise).

But put down your glossy tabloids for one measly minute and think of all the other people who make your summer a moviegoing utopia and your stars look "just like US." Thank you, non-celebrity film people. Thank you.

And now, a few to watch:

Paul Green, subject, "Rock School"

"Talent is a dirty word in this country," says School of Rock founder Paul Green. "To me, talent is unquantifiable, so we leave it out of the equation."

Instead, Green focuses on getting his students -- kids from ages 8 to 18 -- playing and performing. "The best way to learn to do almost anything is by doing," his school's manifesto reads. "Therefore, from the moment a student joins one of our schools, he or she is playing music -- loud, with other musicians, and on genuine equipment -- and before long we have our students playing shows."

And these are not kiddie gigs, my friends. Green's apprentices have played the Knitting Factory, CBGB and, last summer, did a 19-show West Coast tour. And now: They're gonna be in pictures.

In "Rock School," director Don Argott turns his camera on Green and company, following them all the way to Germany's Zappanale (a festival dedicated to Green's rock god, Frank Zappa) and documenting the teacher's tough love. ("I'm always joking that Don screwed me," Green says of his aggressive screen presence.)

(If this sounds vaguely familiar, Richard Linklater's 2003 "School of Rock" had a similar premise, but Green says he was not consulted for that film.)

Not long ago, Green was just a struggling musician paying his way through college by teaching lessons at a Philadelphia guitar shop. "I got fired -- and took all of my students with me, cause that's what you do." What started as 20 kids in his living room is now nine schools, with more on the way.

Green, who recently moved to New York, has given up his own rock-star dreams. "The nail in the coffin was when I saw `Almost Famous.' It was a cheesy movie, but I loved it -- and I realized: I want to be a rock star then."

Now he concentrates his energy on the students -- and on developing not just their musical muscles, but also teaching them about the music biz and steering them away from top 40. "If someone's listening to Nickelback and then they hear Black Sabbath, they're gonna know the difference," Green says. "In the end, the kids always come around."

And when they surpass him? "That's my mental struggle. There's Paul the guitar player and Paul the teacher. If the latter succeeds, the former isn't happy."
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Anyway, Julie is in the kitchen preparing a Mothers Day brunch for me - some type of homemade pancakes with vanilla and toasted almonds and whipped cream. Mmmmmm....

And as is their usual yearly present to me, both kids will be at Rock School today, thereby leaving me alone with the computer and not asking me When Can I Go On, Mom every five minutes --- I really need to work on my novel and that will be my gift to myself.

Cheers!
(oh god, don't you just hate when Americans say that? Almost as bad as "ciao". Ha! Sorry - I'm in a werid mood and am sugared out already even though I've yet to have a bite of pancake - I guess my brain is already sending my body those hyper vibes)

I get to meet Eddie Vedder!!! Errr...I mean, the Paul Green School of Rock School All-Stars will perform with Ed....

Okay, I've known about this for a few weeks but have had to keep it quiet until now -- not only are the kids playing with Jon Anderson when we fly out to Hollywood in two weeks for the private premiere of Rock School, the following day we head for the Seattle Film Festival where they will play two songs with Eddie Vedder following the screening of the movie there - they'll perform Courdoroy and Eddie's rendition of I Wanna Be Sedated.

I'm gonna die. I fucking love Eddie Vedder. Okay, it's not just because he has the looks I adore...sigh...long brown hair...I love his voice, I love his politics (hates, hates, hates Bush), head butted with Ticketmaster but was ultimately beaten down, damn it (Like I don't hate big corporations enough: The feud with Ticketmaster started when Eddie was fed up with the price of Pearl Jam's tickets. Also, Pearl Jam wanted to donate $20,000 of their profit from three arena concerts as a charitable donation to the Seattle Center Arts and Sciences Academy. The money raised would be used to send two teenagers to the Northwestern school of the Arts. Before the tickets went on sale, Ticketmaster demanded that another dollar be added to the price of the tickets. Then Ticketmaster refused to contribute the $20,000 lowering it to $14,000. However, this would only be the beginning. Although Pearl Jam's first attempt to tour without Ticketmaster failed, they got what they wanted when the price of their tickets were lowered for their fans. However, with tour cancellations and a year's preparation to book tour dates, Pearl Jam reconsidered working with Ticketmaster. Pearl Jam's spokesperson, Kelly Curtis said, "We don't want to make a point on how difficult it is to tour without Ticketmaster, and we made the point...I think you'll find that the band is going to do whatever it takes just to play".)

Grrr....no wonder I'm the way I am...I read stuff like this and I want to buy a high powered rifle.

Anyway, getting back to Eddie, I love that the Who are his favorite band, and he did one of my all time favorite duets with Pete Townshend when they did a remake of the old song Pete did with Ronnie Laine:

Heart to Hang Onto

Johnny boy, he's always propping up the bar
He's sees life crystallized through his jar
He says he only lives for beer
But deep in his heart is a cry of fear

Give me a heart to hang onto
Give me a soul that's tailored new
Give me a heart to hang onto
A heart to hang onto

Sally seems to get bigger everyday
She evens out in a contented way
A finger on the pulse of every guy
But deep in the night you can hear her cry

Give me a heart to hang onto
Give me a life that's tailored new
Give me a heart to hang onto
Oh please a heart to hang onto

Give me heart to hang onto
Give me a soul that's tailored new
Give me a heart to hang onto

Danny, he wants to save for a new guitar
He's going to learn to play but he won't get far
He thinks it's an easy going' high
But his whole life is just another try

Give me a heart to hang onto
Give me a suit that's tailored true
Give me a heart to hang onto
A heart to hang onto

I need a heart... to hang onto...

Anyway, have I mentioned I LOVE EDDIE VEDDER????
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So anybody else hear Paul Green on WMMR last night? He was really, really good - low key, intelligent, made a funny as hell analogy about movies when disc jockey Dee Snider of Twisted Sister Fame (yep, Dee is a radio personality now, and one who did a fashion shoot in Esquire Magazine last month for fuck's sake) asked him about the "coincidence" between the Jack Black movie "School of Rock" and "Rock School"...anyway, the bottom line is, WMMR, who once reigned in Philadelphia as the #1 rock and roll radio station but slid when they started playing white rap trash...anyway, WMMR is now playing rock again and they talked with Paul on the radio about a big WMMR premiere event for the opening of the movie here next month. I dunno, whatever, it all sounds like a lot of fun and we're all really starting to get excited. The movie has been in production, post-production, etc. etc. for three years now and I can't believe it's finally going to hit the big screen next month with the soundtrack coming out in a little over three weeks. Eric was actually recognized by someone the other day who saw the trailer for the movie on the big screen while seeing Kung Fu or Sin City at one of the major theaters. Paul gave me a list of the movie theaters/films showing the Rock School preview trailer right now and I'm crazy enough to go spend $10.00 just to see the Coming Attractions and then leave before I have to fucking sit through Kung Fu. Ha! Oh, if anyone in the area wants this list, drop me an email.
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Anyway, just a reminder to those in the Philadelphia area -- tonight and tomorrow night, Rock School does Queen, and Eric will be sitting in on drums on three songs:

Hump Day (hooray)

An absolutely horrific photograph of me with fellow Phaze authors greeting fans at the book fair in St. Louis. Hopefully some better ones will turn up. Seated on the far left, Bridget Midway, next to her, Madeline Oh, Karen Troxel, and yours truly, the smirking one in black. Hopefully some better pics will turn up but if not, oh well, you get the idea. But you can clearly see the print version of my book -- doesn't it look so pretty? I'm going to be arranging readings in small book shops around the city and if you'd like to invite me to your home for dinner and a "salon"....hahahahaha....just kidding.

So, in other news...

You can pre-order the kids' CD, Rock School, right here at CD Universe. I checked and it's also available at Amazon, Tower, etc. but of course pre-orders as well. Just go to the damn store on May 31 and buy it, okay? Preferably a mom and pop place and not a big corporate owned hellhole. In fact, while I'm at it, please boycott all big corporations and try to give your money to the little guy, even if it costs a few dollars more. Though to be honest, I'm finding the indie stores are cheaper. How dare a place with a high volume like Tower charge what they do for CDs? Man I hope the word on the street is true and they are in financial trouble. Anyway, as far as the CD goes, they don't have the individual credits listed yet, but Eric saw all of the artwork for the CD and yep, the cover lists the name of every Rock School kid performing on each song. It's going to be surreal for me to take a look at the back of the CD and see Julie and Eric's names listed. Between the two of them, they play on 8 of the 12 songs.

God, this time three weeks from now I'll be basking in the afterglow of seeing the private premiere of the movie in Hollywood and watching Julie and Eric perform Heart of the Sunrise with Jon Anderson. They will also be performing with three other major classic rock stars but I have to keep that quiet for now and don't want to jinx anything. I do have a complete set list of all the songs the kids will be performing in LA and Seattle but since things change all the time and this might be confidential information, I'll keep that a secret for now as well. Besides, it'll be more fun to come home after the trip and broadcast it then.

For anyone in the Philadelphia area, the Rock School kids will be performing the music of Queen at Indre studios this Friday and Saturday night, and my son Eric will be sitting in on three songs. The following weekend is a Salute to the Eighties, and Eric is assistant music director for that show. He told me it's going to be incredible - the rehearsals have been going great. The weekend of May 20-21 is the biggie for me - it's Eric's last regular Spring show performance - the music of Led Zep - and it's going to be a real tear jerker. His last Rock School show exclusive of the All-Star summer tour up and down the east coast and Germany. It's not just Eric's last regular show - it's going to be the grand finale for Rock School greats Jeremy Blessing, Lauren Pollock, Max DiMezza, Matt Rothstein, and others I can't think of right now but of course I will have a lot more to say about all of these fantastic kids during the next several weeks between the shows, the soundtrack and the movie. This is a really exciting time for all of us. But of course bittersweet as well, you know?

I also can't believe Eric turns 18 on May 15. Christ, both of my kids are now "legal adults". Arghhh....

Other than the music stuff, I have a new story up at Somewhat Magazine today, a creative non fiction piece. I've been going a little nuts lately, simultaneously working on two books, so this blog posting may be a little off kilter and irregular, but hey, what the hell, you know whenever I have breaking news, I'll be here to report!

Oh, one final thing. There's a silent auction being held on behalf of Philadelphia Stories, the magazine where I moonlight as fiction editor (though I am on sabbatical this quarter while I work on my books) at Maggianos, 12th and Filbert Streets, Philadelphia, PA from 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. A $25.00 admission gets you a pasta buffet, passed hors d’oeuvres, dessert buffet, beer and wine. Read more about it here! If anyone reading this wants to go and meet up with me, drop me an email or leave a comment here and we'll hook up. It should be a fantastic evening.

Okay, I'm outta here...

So as I've been advertising, moaning, shrieking, I'm going to St. Louis in a couple hours and won't be back until Sunday. I've posted a few pics of where I'll be...I'm sparing you the pics from the RT Convention last year.

Oy.

But yeah! Today I get to actually hold the print version of Three Days in New York City! And then I even get to sell it and autograph it!

I was talking to my son yesterday and I'm like, Eric, how the hell should I autograph my book? Can you think of anything cool to say?

It took him all of one second.

"There is no such thing as a dirty word".

(Frank Zappa testifying before the Reagan commission)

How fucking perfect is that! Especially for this particular book, but really, for any book. And it's a metaphor for the U.S. today, huh. Where all of our freedoms are slowly dwindling.

Anyway...

Hopefully I'll make it to an internet cafe and post some updates/gossip/suicide notes but if not, behave yourselves and see you next week!

Project Object with Eric Slick/Part II

Some more photos of my son sitting in with Project Object.

So I feel like I didn't give the band enough justtice in my rushed post yesterday.

One thing I want to mention, and damn it, I don't have any photos, but another Rock School student, a 15 year old violinist from Downingtown Rock School named Katie, was so fucking fantastic I couldn't believe it. She sat in with the band on King Kong.

Anyway, regarding Project Object, I've already talked about Ike and Napoleon ad nauseum in this blog, so here's a little bit about some of the other members who blew me away. This journal is kept by André Cholmondeley, who plays guitar, vocals, samples with the band:



Hello - I write all this pablum. (Right now - stupidly at 3:32am on a tues morning!). I arrived in this body in February 1965. It's been a struggle, but I try to somehow get it "everything" done in less time than possible.. i'm also in two other projects - spacey experimental percussive/electronic stuff with Jfk's Lsd Ufo we've got a new CD out - ALIEN CONCEPTS - check out our show schedule. In the fall of 2000 - I released a new CD " Spirit, Magnetics and Entropy..." - it's a set of weird-ish, ambient guitar centered music.More 'trapped in the basement' insanity. And blatantly ripped off from Fripp, Eno and Summers.. I'm about to do the second run of CDs ! Check out my site. I also manage and run a natural, mostly organic vegetarian foodstore Second Nature.

And Andre's blurb about their totallly awesome guitarist:

Robbie "seahag" Mangano- guitar, vocals, impossible guitar

I met the hagster thru the wonders of the internet - and soon enough he was sitting in, he has even done Project Object gigs on BASS ! In Ancient Tibet, land of legend - there is a saying --"Keep your eye on the Hag". You can surely email him - treb_c_moon@yahoo.com. Seahag is a constant source of amazement and inspiration to the whole band and all of the lucky fans who see him tear up the most bizarre of musical passages , often the ones never intended for the guitar!! He is also in The Great Atomic power - check them a review of their debut CD on our nifty press page. He is also playing gigs in NYC area with singer/songwriter Esme Montgomery, as well as various transcription and studio work.....

And a note about their killer bass player:

Dave Johnsen - bass, vocals, effects

In the words of Robbie "Seahag" Mangano: "When Rick Bartow decided to leave P/O, I was on a mission to find a bassist who could fill into Bartow's monster shoes. I saw Dave play with his band Wavetaster and noticed he had all the chops he needed to play the fast riffs and runs for P/O. When i asked him to play in the band, he thought i was nuts, actually cause he didn't know any of Frank's tunes. The next month we spent hours and hours rehearsing parts in my living room from hours like 12am to 7am about twice a week. Now he is a superchampion of the bass. Killing Everybody. Hear him shred with his awesome band from Bethlehem, PA The Insidious Rays"

And of course, keyboardist extraordinaire Eric Svalgard :

Born in the Bronx, NY in 1955. Berklee College of Music Alumnus. Eric first saw The Mothers of Invention at the Felt Forum in NYC during the Overnight Sensation tour and then followed Frank and Napoleon and the troupe around the greater metropolitan area for two weeks during the Roxy tour. He was out on the west coast playing with a new wave band in the early eighties called Hoopla, and was the keyboard player for Mudboy, a harmonica heavy blues band in Chester County PA for 3 years. In 2002 he began teaching at the Paul Green School of Rock Music in Philadelphia, working with Paul on the Zappa show. It was through his work there, teaching high school age kids to play Frank’s music, that he met Ike, Napoleon and André. He is currently the Music Director/Manager at the Downingtown branch of The Paul Green School of Rock Music."
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So yeah, when Project Object goes out on tour again this fall, you really need to check them out.
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Got one of the all time great rejections from a magazine I adore yesterday:

"Hope to hear from you again, however, as you are smart and maybe a little nutty, which is just what we like."

As I remarked to my writers' group after receiving it: "At least they got it half right".

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So tomorrow I leave for St. Louis for the RT Book Fair. Oh my god, take a look at this thing. Click on some of the links - Jesus Christ, there are even themed costume balls. Kill me now, please. I'm not even packed; and realize that I'm supposed to spend the next five days in "business casual" (snort) or "fancy dress" (double snort). Fancy dress to me means wearing a black blouse tucked into my jeans instead of a black t-shirt. If my daughter wasn't a size six, I'd ransack her closet because she has all kinds of cool dresses from performing on stage, but at the moment, all I have is one sad looking denim skirt.

And no fucking way is anyone getting me into a costume. Though the kids have some monster masks around the house...but yeah, yeah, I know, why bother with the mask when I have my face?

Arghh....

But hey, I have a new roof. So no terror about getting on a plane tomorrow in the pouring rain. Err...except for the plane trip, that is.
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So as I remarked yesterday, I am now somewhat even more legitimate, with my book being sold on Amazon.com but maybe wait until next week when the print version is available and I can autograph your copy with something dumb and/or obscene, whatever you'd prefer.
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I'll probably swing by for one last post and to say goodbye before I leave at dawn tomorrow...hopefully I will in fact find an internet cafe in St. Louis, but if not you can always amuse yourself by reading the archives.

Oy.

Project Object featuring Eric Slick!

Okay, major proud mother moment here. Last night, my son sat in on drums with Project Object on stage at World Cafe for the final show of their twenty one day tour. For those who don't know, Project Object is a band dedicated to the music of Frank Zappa, and its members include my pals Ike Willis and Napoleon Murphy Brock, both of whom played with Frank and both of with whom I've spent considerable time on the various Rock School tours. Eric has played with Ike and Napoleon separately many times, and did sit in once before with P.O. but I couldn't make it that evening. Anyway, Ike played with Frank in the days of his friendship with John Lennon, and I don't know if I ever talked about it here, but he told me an incredible story about being on stage with Zappa that horrific Monday night in December, 1980 when they got the news that Lennon had been assassinated. (Better than how I heard it - via Howard Cosell while watching Monday Night Football). Poor Napoleon got to spend 17 days in captivity with me during the infamous Rock School tour this summer - he had the seat behind me on the tour bus and we talked some serious music when I wasn't driving him nuts whining. Ha! God, I wish I had last summer back. I would have gone with such a different mindset.

Anyway...

So above is a pic of my son from last night, and as you can see, both Ike and Napi are pretty much loving him.

Eric played Uncle Remus and Peaches and Regalia and he rocked. If you guys ever get the chance to see Project Object in your city, grab tickets! They are such incredible musicians, mixing jazz and rock and funk and they are so radical politically - they did some anti-Bush stuff that I adored and a whole Michael Jackson rant -- it was awesome. They have a young guitarist who blew me away named Seahag. Man, I could listen to him all night. Ike and Napi were in top form, and so was Andre, who handles a lot of the vocals as well.

Eric Svalgard who runs the Downingtown Branch of rock school and is a Berklee grad is their keyboard player at the moment and his daughter, Maddie, a Rock School graduate prominently featured in the movie Rock School and a sophomore at Berklee herself, came down for the show and did back up vocals with Eric on Uncle Remus and sang Zomby Woof. Both Eric Svalgard and his daughter are awesome!

Here's a few more pics:




I'll post some more tomorrow morning -- I'm on the tail end of my lunch hour at work now.

Fair warning: Tomorrow will be the last post here for a few days unless I find an internet cafe in St. Louis. I leave Wednesday morning for a book fair and won't be home until Sunday night. Though knowing me, I will find said cafe (or public library) and will of course log on to rant and rave and maybe even post a pic of me schmoozing with Fabio.

Don't ask.

Couple other things: My book is now available at amazon.com; it's now in print but the print version won't be on Amazon until next week but I'll have my author copies in my hot little hand at the book fair on Wednesday as well as copies for sale there...and my publisher just told me there will be a way to arrange autographed copies. Oh, I'm so special. Ha! (Seriously, people have asked me for autographed copies. It's probably cos' my kids are going to be famous)

And I officially have a new roof. My son just called - the roofers have finished, no more leaks, and a new gorgeous skylight.

Ah...life is good. At least today, anyway.

Happy Friday....

So the above best seller notation now appears on my author page at Phaze Books, which completely freaks me out. Also posted is the cover to the new (unfinished...arghhh) sequel:

So weird - my female character's potential love interest in the sequel is named "Rob". This is only because I based him on a neat character I know in the real world named "Ron". But as I write the scenes now...holy shit...I feel like I'm...err...carrying on with myself. "Oh Rob, oh Rob".

Ha ha. Why does that sound so familiar?

(Kidding, kidding. I can just see my son gagging as he reads this. I can even hear his comment: "Mom, I am never reading your blog again. Ever.")

Eric, I am just joking.

So I got a mention this week in Welcome to the Asylum which is brought to you by Henry Dribble, a very cool guy I met on my internet travels via Somewhat Magazine, who have been kind enough to publish a few of my short stories and will be publishing my latest effort on May 4. They have a most excellent links page, and I clicked on Henry's and you know me, I started up an email dialogue with him a few weeks ago and yesterday he wrote to me to let me know I got a mention. I'm stoked, Henry. Thanks!

For any of you Rock School kids, Henry will post your MP3s on his site. Next up: Eric's band, Flamingo.

By the way, Flamingo does have a gig tonight, but I believe it's a small, private affair so no sense me posting any details.

But I will remind you to go see him and the other Rock School kids perform in Jesus Christ Superstar at BB Kings in NYC tomorrow. You will not be disappointed.

Oh my god, one quick note about Zappanale #16

How in the hell did I miss this?

As I've been spouting off, the Rock School All-Stars will make a return visit to Zappanale, a Woodstock like music festival dedicated to the music of Frank Zappa in Bad Doberan, East Germany this summer. I went with them to Zappanale #14 in the summer of 2003; now Julie has graduated and it's Eric's final All-Star road trip. This summer, for Zappanale #16, their dad is going to go instead and guess what, Rock School is the headliner! So I find an article about that which is written in German and translated, so it's all screwy, but they mention the performance I saw in 2003, which, by the way, is the ending scene in Rock School, the movie...and I'll put in bold what they have to say about my daughter, which just fucking blew me away.

I guess "skirt" is the German translation of "rock"? The Paul Green School of Skirt? Oh my god, that's hilarious. Hey, if anyone reading this knows German, would you please copy and paste this into the comments section and translate it the right way? I'm pretty sure I can figure out most of this...but you know...I'm supposed to be working. I am DYING to know what "ausgeflippt" means since they use it to describe Ms. Julie. Hahaha - they do call her a bass monster. I love that. It's going to be my new nickname for her. That, or "ausgeflippt" if I can figure out how to pronounce it.

"Paul Green School OF skirt
The Kids of acres bake!
2003 were Paul Green School OF skirt the hammer on the Zappanale. 2005 comes the young people with esoterischem Zappa and Pink Floyd.

Zappanale 2003. On the stage Zappas title "A Pound For A Brown" runs. Julie Slick, a pretty girl with magnificent curls maltraetiert their bass in such a manner skillfully that even John "Thunderfingers" Entwistle before pleasures would be ausgeflippt. Lauren pole LOCK at the key boards, cathedral Malandro at the Saxofon and larva line Diaz Svalgard, which screws its voice into unbelievable Sopran heights, are inferior to the bass monster hardly. None of them is older than 17.

But that is everything only plays. Because Mr. C.J. Tywoniak appears now: a 13jaehriges (!!!) spackes baby face, hardly more largely than its flamed guitar. Its long slim finger however whirls so artistically over the griffbrett that the public hearing and seeing pass. Minutes long breathless silence over the Zappanalodrom rests. When Tywoniaks finally set flying fingers for landing, the tension unloads itself of the astonished and completely hingerissenen public in frenetischen Ovationen; Old star such as Mike Keneally and Napoleon Murphy break into lean spontaneously and deeply moved before the young artist.

It is one that magic concert moments, on which franc Zappa of the sky smiles and a charm blows by the spectator rows. Moments, which are not predictable, which one can plan nor reproduce neither. Moments in addition, which burn themselves indelibly into the memory and are nostalgically clarified called up whenever alleged superlative as laue Lueftchen verpuffen or the Protagonisten fails because of high repetition expectations.

For the unbekuemmerten and passionate Kids of Paul Green School OF skirt from Philadelphia stands to however hardly fear that they must defend them now because of the measuring pole put extremely highly by them to fail, because nevertheless their call. For their appearance at the Zappanale Friday (05,08.) they selected themselves in addition the "esoterischen Zappa"; on Saturday (06,08.) go they strangely with selected pieces from Pink Floyd.

1998. That 24jaehrige ex Grunge Rocker and classical period fan Paul Green finances itself at that time its philosophy study at the University OF Pennsilvania with guitar instruction and loads regularly pupils in to jammen on evenings and weekends with it. When it notices, how quickly they learn and to improve, he arranges himself first appearances in local coffee Bars and with exhibition openings. And: It scratches 7000 dollar together, around a correct skirt school to opening with sample areas, with genuine equipment, with good instruments.

Two goals are the center of attention for Green thereby: The Kids on the one hand to be helpful to develop and them secondly the chance give its enormous musical potential as far as possible, so often goes on a stage before public playing. The best way there is called for Green: Practice, practice and again practice: From the first day on correctly to the thing, plays each pupil live is, loud and always together with others.

Stubborn direction thinking is verpoent. Who wants to go through in Green, must be open for all currents of the skirt music. And in such a way zeppelin, Black Sabbath, The Who, Pink Floyd or Journey stands likewise trips in the musical universe of franc Zappa (Greens favorite), for the kind skirt cosmos of Yes or into the world of the Punk on the curriculum beside skirt classical authors such as LED.

Who the long, intensive and hard learning phase projects, in the water is finally thrown and in correct skirt concerts on a correct skirt public released. With Lichtshow, nebula machines and all different one that belongs to. In the meantime Greens gave, partly pupils over 350 of such concerts before more than 100,000 spectators in famous skirt arenas and on various music festival. Highly gifted Teens such as Julie Slick or C.J. Tywoniak is in the meantime star.

The response of the 14. Zappanale 2003 was enormous by the way for the School OF skirt in the USA like a clap of thunder. Considerably released by their sensational success in bath Doberan boomt Greens enterprise in the meantime country-wide. From once 18 pupils today 160 became, from the School OF skirt Urzelle in Philadelphia sieves folders issued, among other things in New York town center, San Francisco and Salt Lake town center.

Parallel to the Paramount film "School OF skirt" with Komiker Jack Black in the main role are not by the way by any means coincidental, although expressed involuntary. 2002 turned the transmitter Vh-1 a report in the school. This however was never sent. But later the film came into the cinemas; like Paramount Pictures belongs to front spar 1 to the Viacom Imperium. "Does Black plays Green?", even if the local press inquired interested - the answer is "", one believes Greens pupils from at that time. A Schelm, which thinks bad thereby. Paul Green anyhow feels today - probably not too wrongly - bounced around some Credits until.

Oh yeah....Jon Anderson!

Okay, since it's on his website and I cleared it with Paul, I'm allowed to blab the following:

When I go to Hollywood next month for what will be a private screening of Rock School and a private party afterwards, my kids will be performing Heart of the Sunrise with Jon Anderson doing the vocals.

As Paul remarked to me, "Good thing you are close with the band, eh?"

I'll say.

You have no idea how excited I am. Ever since I first found out, I've been flying.
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In other news, and I know no one gives a shit but I'm gonna say it anyway, I heard from the roofer yesterday and my "disaster" is only going to cost $1,600 which includes a brand new skylight. So all I have to do is get through one more weekend of 10 buckets in my bedroom (sigh...horrible rain predicted...anyone want to invite me to spend Saturday and Sunday at their place?) but on Monday, a new roof at last.
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I have other stuff to say but I'm at work and feeling guilty for slacking so I should really sign off and at least pretend to be a valuable member of society. My home computer caught a terrible virus late last night which would only let me sign on to AOL when I woke up today; I couldn't open Netscape or Internet Explorer nor could I do anything on AOL like retrieve my email...grrrr...and while my son is fixing it now, I couldn't do the usual early morning post. Crap. I have all kinds of stuff to talk about - everything from my new book, Another Bite of the Apple, which is the sequel to Three Days in New York City, and the cover for which is already on my publisher's website even though I haven't finished writing it -- to a movie I watched last night.

More later...