How Julie and Eric Slick pied a legendary guitarist in public

Okay, after many email requests from friends and strangers and much nagging of Julie and Eric by me, I have obtained permission to tell you the "Pie in the Face" story.



On Monday night, after wrapping up three days of intense rehearsals (and oh my god, I heard the results on Julie's computer and cannot wait for the upcoming tour!), the Adrian Belew Power Trio went out for a celebratory dinner at the famous Mexican restaurant where Adrian takes his regular houseguests, most notably Robert Fripp.

While they were eating and imbibing monster Margaritas, all of a sudden they heard a strange, loud whistling sound.

"LEE LEE LEE LEE LEE LEE LEE LEE LEE LEE LEE LEE LEE LEE LEE"

They looked up just in time to see employees of the restaurant surround an overweight diner wearing a Hawaiian shirt, place a huge sombrero on his head, and, while bursting into a hokey rendition of Happy Birthday, hit him in the face with a whipped cream pie.

The way Julie tells the story, she had an "aha!" moment and looked over at Eric, who apparently had the same light bulb go on over his head. Adrian innocently continued eating.

When they were finishing up their meal, a waiter walked over and asked them how everything was.

Julie replied, "Oh, it was wonderful. The food here is great. Happy Birthday, Adrian!"

Eric added "Yeah, Happy Birthday, Ade!"

Ade looked horrified. "But...but...it's not my birthday...it's not..."

Julie said he backed up against the booth, eyes wide with terror (ha), and asked for the check.

Not so fast, Senor Belew.

Within a few seconds...

"LEE LEE LEE LEE LEE LEE LEE LEE LEE LEE LEE LEE LEE LEE LEE"

The sombrero was placed on Adrian's head, and all the while he protested "But it's not my birthday; it's not my birthday..."

This did not deter the staff so Ade finally said "Okay, okay, it's my birthday..."

He got pied bigtime.

But the staff, now obviously realizing what Julie and Eric had done, then turned to Julie and hit her in the face with a pie of her own. Julie, outraged that Eric remained unscathed, wiped a huge blob of cream off of her face and threw it at Eric.

The three of them collapsed into hysterics. I love, love, love this story as it really once again shows this bands camaraderie and joy.

My only regret is that there are no photos of this event, but oh how I picture the entire scene unfolding.

Erm...a warning to the beast of King Crimson currently practicing at Casa Belew. There has been some conjecture that when Ade takes you to dinner during this week's rehearsals, one of you might find out you are celebrating a birthday you didn't know you had.

Just saying...

Later,
xo

On Newsstands Today: Julie Slick in Bass Player Magazine

So Julie's interview with Bass Player Magazine is out on newsstands today, and here's the photo which accompanies it, taken by her significant other and fellow bassist, Matt Rothstein. Too funny that he gets a photo credit for his woman. It's only a matter of time until he's featured in Bass Player, too, as I am in love with his band, Cheers Elephant. Click on that link and have a listen to "Here We Are" - it's my current favorite non-Adrian Belew song and as I know I've mentioned a gazillion times, Julie produced that song and the entire CD, actually. (And I just also realized that Julie has "Here We Are" as the current song playing on her MySpace site)



And if that's not enough, there's an interview with Adrian in the June issue of Guitar Player Magazine also out on newsstands today so you know that, despite the fact it is monsooning in Philadelphia today, I will be headed out to Barnes and Noble shortly to pick up a thousand copies or so of each. Ha.

So as I previously posted, Julie and Eric have been down in Nashville for the past few days rehearsing and working on new material. I think there are five new songs in the set for this tour, three of which are brand new (though E was played on the last leg; now there is E Plus or E+ -- not sure how Ade is going to spell it -- and Planet E) and two songs from his solo career are being added. One I was not familiar with but I listened to a clip last night and got goosebumps (a) because it's so fucking good and (b) thinking of the trio performing it. And that's all I'm saying. The other song added I am in fact familiar with and adore so to say the new set is fantastic is putting it mildly. It's hard to believe the first part of the tour kicks off one week from today.

Full information for the Quebec Summer Music Festival should be posted on their website May 21 - that is the official word from the promoters. Right now the schedule grid listed is like 90% incomplete but if you check that link tomorrow, it will have all the specifics. At least in theory.

And all kinds of crazy things are being discussed right now regarding late summer/fall overseas touring for the Adrian Belew Power Trio but I've been told I am not allowed to say anything yet. Just like I am sure I am not allowed to say what occurred at dinner last night in Nashville...only that it involved pie and someone's face. Oh god, I hate missing out on all the fun here in rainy Philadelphia.

Speaking of fun, while surfing the web, I stumbled on this on the Talk Bass forum board. I laughed out loud. In case more people add to the thread today and that link takes you to a previous page and is no longer accurate, just look for a photo of Julie and the following:

"Shakira plays bass?"

So the book festival was cool this week but I have to admit, since my current books run from R to X-rated, I feel a little out of place at what was obviously a family event but it's still a learning experience and I really like the east coast authors with whom I shared a table. Even better we all went out to dinner together Saturday night at the Rose Tattoo Cafe where I had tilapia stuffed with lump crap over polenta fries and two Ketel One martinis, up, with three olives. Mmm. But yeah, once my PG-13 novel which is half romantic comedy, half rock and roll memoir is published later this year, I will feel a lot more comfortable hawking my wares at all ages events. I've also started working on a new coming of age comedy starring a twenty-one year old protagonist and her eighteen year old sister so I'm basically leaving the world of erotic comedy for now...though of course I did complete the third book in the Three Days in New York City series, Bitten to the Core, which will also be out in the near future in a perfect world...and yeah, yeah, because that book still has another sequel possibility, why the hell not. But after that, I think I'm going to stick with what I love best - writing romantic baby boomer comedies which feature highly dysfunctional characters. I mean, really. Baby boomers = highly dysfunctional. Is there anyone who can argue that fact?

Oh I'm kidding.

Maybe.

In other news, we did manage to have a very nice celebration for Eric's 21st birthday. Gary, Julie, Eric, his significant other Katy, and I went out to dinner at Los Caballitos Cantina and it occurs to me that I should start a restaurant review blog...I think other than writing about music and books, food is like an obsession with me...anyway, in case you are interested, I had the Quesadilla Vegetariana which contained wild mushrooms, huitlacoche, roasted garlic, chihuahua cheese, and smoked corn crema. As a side dish I had a blackboard special of herb roasted corn on the cob that was so insanely delicious I could have just ordered six of those for dinner. And since Eric is in fact now legal, Julie, Eric and I split a huge pitcher of Pineapple Margaritas. No kidding, this pitcher cost $24.00 and the three of us each had 3-4 really strong drinks out of it...totally fantastic and quite the bargain. We were, alas, too full for dessert, so Gary and I drove home and everyone else walked -- it's about a ten mile walk but they are young and in good shape but the real reason was they wanted to sober up so they could continue partying throughout the night...I think they ended up at a few neighborhood establishments before calling it a night.

Finally, for those of you who are looking for something really cool to read on the web...back in 2002, I participated in National Novel Writing Month (a/k/a NANOWRIMO) for the very first time -- I am proud to say that I've participated every year since then and now can boast that every book I've written via NANOWRIMO has been or will be published. Anyway, in 2002, there was a core group of us from Philadelphia who got together and just clicked. I stayed in touch with a few and while I now only correspond regularly with one participant in particular, she turned me on to the fact that two of our pals, Tim and Jessica, who met via NANO that year, had fallen in love and had the most amazing experience. They quit their jobs, sold all of their possessions, and traveled around the world. The trip was supposed to be just for a year but it ended up being eighteen months, and to say it was life-changing is putting it mildly. Anyway, they blogged the entire experience and I have been just mesmerized reading it -- it's part love story, part extensively good travel guide, and well...it's hard to describe, you'll have to read it for yourself. It will take you hours but trust me, it's really worth it, and Susan Henderson, if you happen to stop by, Tim and Jessica would make incredibly excellent guests for Lit Park.

Okay, that's a wrap for now. Julie and Eric will be back in Philadelphia around dinnertime and I'm making them a vegetarian lasagne which will probably take me all day.

Later,
xo

Come Hang Out With Me Today at the Philadelphia Book Festival

Just a reminder that I will be signing/selling books today and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. along with my east coast author pals Christine Norris, Philippa Grey-Gerou, Alessia Brio, Leigh Ellwood, Karyna DaRosa, Rayna Vause, Donna Michaels, Bridget Midway, Cat Johnson, Stella Price, and Tilly Greene at the Philadelphia Book Festival. Our tent/table is located at 19th and Wood Streets, on 19th just north of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, and we are tents #29 and #30. Come say Hi! And yes, I will give you copious amounts of chocolate.



Later,
xo

May 15, 2008: Happy 21st Birthday Eric Slick

Hey, hey, hey, Eric Slick is legal today - twenty-one years old. He can now sign autographs at the bar after playing with the trio in 21+ shows and even better, he can now go see any show he wants...ugh...can you imagine being a professional musician and being banned from attending your colleagues' concerts because you aren't old enough to get into the club even if you have absolutely no intention of drinking? Yet...yet, yet, yet...at 18 you are old enough to die in Iraq. Oh well. Since I have mixed feelings about this subject, I'd better stay away from it. That is to say, no, I am not in favor of underage drinking and we already know my position on war so it's kind of a no win situation for me to even take this argument on.



Anyway...2008 has so far been both an exhilarating and extremely sad time for the Slick family, an incredible roller coaster. But let me start this post off on a positive note. One thing I didn't get to advertise here was that on Saturday night, May 10, Eric played a gig at John and Peters in New Hope, Pennsylvania, with Chris Harford.

Here's the band, which consisted of Chris on vocals and guitar, Eric Slick on drums, Matt Kohut on bass and Scott Metzger on lead guitar.




And then, as is usual and customary at a Chris Harford concert, the band played musical chairs:




But wait...who is this waiting in the wings? Could it be proud Papa Gary Slick? Why is he sitting there, staring so intently?



Could it be...



Yes! Gary finally realizes a life long dream to play on stage with his son! And yeah, that's the way cool Telecaster Julie, Eric and I bought him for Christmas last year. That had to be the best way to break it in ever!


(All photos in this post were taken by "Fredington" of the Ween Forum Board)

Thanks so much to Chris for making it happen. Gary had a blast and Eric teased him "Hey, you did great and you didn't embarrass me!" (That's Eric humor...he is so cool, just like his dad...and his Dad, by the way, gave Ms. Julie Slick her very first bass lessons so yeah, the apple did not fall far from the tree) Like I said, it's been really rough for our family lately, especially Gary. As I've been sort of skirting around, Gary's mom began having some medical problems this spring and though we were really hoping she'd turned a corner last week, she passed away just after midnight on May 12...but Gary and Eric both spent Mother's Day with her at the hospital holding her hand. May 10 was the Harford show and Gary and Eric were able to briefly step away from the harsh reality of Mom's illness and played until 2:00 a.m., after which they were both up early on Mother's Day and headed to the hospital, not knowing it would be her last day.

Yesterday we had a really moving private ceremony for just the immediate family and a few friends...a simple graveside service which Gary began with the Serenity Prayer and asked that anyone who wanted to share a story about his Mom do so.

Eric stepped forward first, and I have to post what he wrote here because it's just so touching and sensitive and well, it's just so, so Eric:

"I have nothing but great things to say about my grandma. I have included a short list of all of my favorite memories.

1) My first Easter: She told me that a giant bunny was going to come through the front door to deliver Reese's cups. I was excited at first, until I realized I was terrified of giant rabbits.

2) When she bought us detective supplies: Julie and I became obsessed with kid detective shows, so she went out and purchased crime scene tape, sketchbooks, fake guns, and Rite Aid notepads. One time, she walked in and we had created an entire crime scene ourselves. I'll never forget the look on her face.

3) One time I convinced my grandma that my parents didn't feed me. I told her that my parents wouldn't make pork chops for me, so they just fed me bread shaped like pork chops.

4) My most cherished memory is from last week. I went to visit her at Jefferson Hospital to bring her cheesecake. I walked in and showed her what I had brought. Her face lit up. Unfortunately , the nurse said I wasn't allowed to give her any yet. I just looked over at her and we smiled at each other. We proceeded to have one of the best conversations we've ever had. She told me that all she wanted to hear was "Give Peace A Chance". I kissed her on the forehead and told her how much I loved her. She looked at me and said, "Now when can I have that cheesecake? I'll beat you with a wet noodle!" I said that I had to go to work and then she said her famous goodbye.

"See you later alligator! After a while crocodile!"

After Eric finished, Julie read her tribute, which she prefaced with a smile, saying "I should have conferenced with Eric before reading this because we touched on the same subjects." I was actually glad she didn't have the chance for that conference, because her speech confirmed for Gary and me what we already knew - that they had a charmed childhood, a good part of which was courtesy of their Grandmom and she played an integral part in the fantastic adults they became.

Here's what Julie had to say:

"Ellen Slick was an amazing woman. Some of my fondest childhood memories came from time spent at her house. When we were little, Eric and I would come up every other weekend to give our parents a break so we could run amok at Grandmom's house. I would storm into the kitchen, demand her to fill my bottle "to the tippy top" and then gang up with Eric to tear apart her couch so that we could build forts. Sheets were stretched around and propped up and we'd imagine that we were detectives stationing at our headquarters. She would just shake her head, laugh and threaten to beat us with a wet noodle or send us on a raft to Timbuktu. She was in on the fun too, though, happily playing along as our police chief, our tour manager, or the bad-guy ninja. At the end of the night, we'd clean up together. We'd set up the pull out bed where'd she lay with us until we fell asleep – which wasn't easy – she'd always just fed us caramel-y nutty chocolately Snickers ice cream bars. The next day we'd wake her up with our giggling and the clacking of dolls, GI-joes or matchbox cars. When we got hungry, we'd yell for our breakfast – and she never prevented us from going cuckoo for cocoa puffs like mom and dad did. When we wore her out, she'd sit in the kitchen, listen to her radio and sing along to the classics. When I got older, I'd sit there with her and help her do the crosswords. I returned to that kitchen less frequently as I got busy with work and school. But I made a constant attempt over the last couple of years to visit with Dad, especially when there was a coffee cake or coconut pie involved. We still always went up at Christmas to collect our annual ornaments, calendars, rock and roll t-shirts, and other things you never knew existed. It was her favorite time of year, the time all of us got together and watched as Monty dog sniffed out his gifts and tore them up all over her living room floor. The celebrations never lasted very long – not usually more than a few hours, but we'd always manage to ravage her living room and leave with bountiful bags of gifts. She'd never sweat about it though, and she'd just beam as we hugged her and note that Eric and I just kept getting taller as she kept shrinking. "You're gonna be eatin' soup off my head one of these days!" she'd shout as she wagged her finger at us. Then she'd open the door for us and observe as we'd load up the car with all of the presents she spent most of the year picking out. We'd each give her one last hug and finish every one of our meetings in the same manner. Rolling down the car window, Eric and I would simultaneously shout, "See ya later alligator!" She always smiled, her big cheeks glowing, retorting "After a while crocodile! See ya later alligator!" "After a while crocodile!" we'd counter as we pulled away, waving our hands and beeping our horn as the crazy-haired Slick family said goodbye to our grandmom on Roselyn Street."

I think we all pretty much tearfully said "See you later, alligator" as we stepped up one by one and laid a rose on her coffin at the end of the service. I'm so happy those were her final wishes...wakes and long funerals attended by strangers are so barbaric and she simply wanted those who love her to honor her the way we did.

Afterwards, the four of us and Julie's significant other, Matt, had lunch at a beautiful garden cafe called Under the Oak in the neighborhood where Gary and I grew up near the cemetery. Only I could put in a plug for a restaurant after such a sobering post but I feel I must mention how wonderful it was...sitting outside on an absolutely glorious day surrounded by trees and blooming azalea bushes, eating lentil cakes with Moroccan carrots, cucumber, and avocado; wheatberry salad, chilled pea soup with mint, and for the carnivores, Matt and Gary, homemade meatloaf on brioche. Dessert, baked on the premises, consisted of Philadelphia Butter Cake, Peanut Butter Chocolate Truffle pie, Key Lime Pie, Chocolate Layer Cake, and Sweet Potato Pie with Pecans. If you click the link I gave you, there are even some recipes. The soup especially was amazing.

It was a very peaceful way to end what has been a very traumatic time for our family, and even the timing of Mom's death right after Mother's Day and the fact we were able to arrange the service so as not to coincide with the happy occasion of Eric's 21st birthday were almost like her final (and usual) acts of selflessness.

And after the partying is over tonight - and we still don't know how we are celebrating or where since obviously our minds have been in other places, Eric and Julie hop on a plane for Nashville for three days of intensive rehearsals at Studio Belew in preparation of their upcoming tour which yes, will include some new and incredible material. And right after Julie and Eric return to Philadelphia on May 20, Robert Fripp and those King Crimson guys descend on Casa Belew for a week of rehearsals...and as soon as they wrap that up on May 27, Julie and Eric fly back down to Nashville that evening for the trio's first leg of the summer tour, which kicks off in Nashville at the Mercy Lounge on May 28. So basically, how would you like to be Adrian Belew right now? For the next three months, his house and life are going to be a non-stop revolving door of extraordinary musicians and music.

Hey, Eric will finally be able to have what I believe Robert Fripp calls "Monster Margaritas" at the infamous Mexican restaurant where Adrian takes all of his house guests. And I just saw on Robert's website that Eric shares a birthday with his pal Brian Eno. If I remember correctly, the month of May also gave us drummers extraordinaire Bill Bruford, John Bonham, Gavin Harrison, Alan White, Alex Van Halen, Chris Frantz, Bill Ward, Billy Cobham...I am probably leaving out a bunch but as I remember (or Eric tells me) I will come in and edit. Hey, it's also Robert's birthday tomorrow, too! Wow...

Since I have been really lax in posting on my blog this month, let me update you on some of the tour dates planned for the summer:

05/28/08 Mercy Lounge, Nashville, TN
05/29/08 Smith's Olde Bar, Atlanta, GA
05/30/08 Skippers Smokehouse Tampa, FL
05/31/08 Bamboo Room, Lake Worth, FL
06/04/08 Stella Blue, Asheville, NC
06/05/08 Cat's Cradle, Carrboro, NC
06/06/08 Rams Head Tavern, Annapolis, MD
06/07/08 Mexicali Blues, Teaneck, NJ
06/08/08 Revolution Hall, Troy, NY
07/05/08 Ottawa Bluesfest
07/06/08 Quebec City Int'l Summer Fest
07/08/08 Quebec City Int'l Summer Fest
07/09/08 Nectar's, Burlington, VT
07/10/08 Harper's Ferry, Boston, MA
07/11/08 River Cruise, New York, NY
07/12/08 Diesel, Pittsburgh, PA
07/13/08 The Southgate House, Newport KY

You can find the direct links to purchase tickets over at www.adrianbelew.net.

Now in between all of this, Eric has gigs with Delicious and Crescent Moon. Here's what I know so far:

May 24 2008 10:00P
Stella Blue Asheville, North Carolina
May 25 2008 8:00P
AmJam2008 Asheville, North Carolina
Jun 24 2008 8:00P
Asbury Lanes w/Butthole Surfers Asbury Park, New Jersey
Jun 25 2008 9:00P
The Funhouse w/Crescent Moon (Dave D. of Ween) Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Jun 26 2008 9:00P
John&Peters w/Crescent Moon (Dave D. of Ween) New Hope, Pennsylvania
Jun 27 2008 8:00P
Toy Eaters Jersey City, New Jersey
Jun 29 2008 7:00P
School of Rock Festival (Dropkick Murphys, Less Than Jake + many more!!!) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Hey, please click on the link for Delicious - there's two new songs up featuring Eric on drums called Waiting for a Stranger and Test for Sergei and they are both totally awesome.

There's a great review of the Adrian Belew Power Trio in this month's issue of Tone Magazine. I tried taking a screen shot of the article, but if it doesn't work for you and if you can't read it, click on the link for Tone I just gave you and download the current issue...you'll be able to read it easily that way.





Also, I need to tell you that after I posted that whole story about Reeves Gabrels, he had to back out of the May 23 performance due to other commitments but the show will still go on...I will have the new line-up for you ASAP.

Just a reminder that I will be at the Philadelphia Book Festival this weekend - I will put up another link tomorrow -- but how cool, my name is prominently listed in the Philadelphia Inquirer today in the special insert for said festival - it really made my day to see that.

Okay, that's enough out of me. This blog will resume its usual, daily service now...at least in theory, anyway. Hey, did I mention I have a new publisher in addition to Phaze? More on that in a future post.

Later,
xo

Oy Vey Baby

So the title of my blog post today pretty much sums it up, and having spent the last eight days camped out in the Critical Care Unit at ye olde hospital, there's a lot I could say but I will spare you the gory details and tell you instead that Oy Vey Baby is actually a live album from 1992 by Tin Machine featuring David Bowie and guitarist extraordinaire Reeves Gabrels.



You might be wondering why I am telling you this.

I'm so glad you asked.

Eric Slick is about to complete a trifecta, meaning that on May 23, 2008, at The Brighton Bar in Long Branch, New Jersey, he will have officially played with three of David Bowie's lead guitarists.

Back in June of 2005, Eric was at the late, great CBGBs in New York City for the premiere of the documentary Rock School (in which a very young Eric and Julie appear throughout - if you are new to this blog, click on the link and watch the trailer, it's hilarious - that's Eric with a brush haircut banging his head with his sticks - you'll see him a bunch, and there's a brief interview where he sits side by side with Julie and trashes the band 311...and they are at the end, performing a bit o'Zappa music). Anyway, lo and behold, at said party, the then Rock School All-Stars performed - these were the original 22 kids before Rock School went global - and they were joined on stage by the brilliant Carlos Alomar. Carlos was David Bowie's guitarist from 1974 to...hmmm...I see he recorded with him on and off up until 2003...but I am going by his wikipedia entry so this statement comes with the usual cautionary "well, it is wikipedia..."

Here's Eric with Carlos at CBGB - Eric still has his long hair and he's wearing shades:



And of course last but hardly least, Eric has now teamed up with another former Bowie guitarist where he's been happily part of the Adrian Belew Power Trio for the past two years.



I adore that pic of Eric and Ade - it's from one of their rehearsals at Casa Belew down in Nashville, where Eric and Julie are headed again on May 17 in preparation of their upcoming tour at the end of May...and let's just say that I've heard some of the new material and it's mind blowing...be prepared for a revised set list and some incredible, incredible music. More on that in a minute.

So...to sum up my little trifecta/Eric story, on May 23, 2008 at the Brighton Bar as mentioned above, Eric will be behind the skins with Reeves Gabrels on guitar and the absolutely awesome Jair-Rohm Parker Wells on bass.



The band that Eric, Jair-Rohm, and Reeves will be is called "Doom Dogs" and it's a double bill with Lunar Ensemble which features the spoken word artist John "Lunar" Richey. Bob Musso, Lunar and Jair-Rohm were in a band called Machine Gun a long time ago.

Erm, how many twenty-one year olds can say they've played drums with three of David Bowie's former guitarists? Ha ha - how many forty year olds can say that? And you will notice I said "twenty-one". Yep, because by May 23, Eric will finally be legal. The big day is May 15 and a huge celebration is in order. While I've been busy with medical matters of anguish, exasperation, and terror, I even neglected to blog that yep, it's true, Eric now resides in a way cool townhouse several blocks away with his significant other, the gorgeous Katy, and I can't ever say Katy's name without using the adjective gorgeous...it's impossible...last week I went for a walk into town with Julie and Katy and I had to laugh as I couldn't help but notice the two of them bringing grown men to their knees on the street - all I can say is there were probably an awful lot of sore necks that night.

From swiveling to look at them, that is. Wash out your brains with soap if you thought anything else. Ha!

Here's Katy:



And the equally stunning Julie Slick, who gets an incredible mention in the current issue of Bass Player Magazine as concerns a review of Side Four Live. She's got an interview complete with photos in next month's issue as well.



By now you also might have heard some exciting news about the upcoming Belew Trio tour. Such as the Ottawa Blues Fest on July 5, which not only features the Adrian Belew Power Trio but...oh my god...take a look at the other performers!

What is so totally cool about this date is that the trio goes on at 7:15 p.m. followed by...gasp...Zappa Plays Zappa at 8:30 p.m. I am so psyched it's ridiculous.

And now for some other really big news I've been sitting on - the Adrian Belew Power Trio will also be playing at the Quebec City Summer Music Festival on Sunday, July 6 and Tuesday, July 8, 2008. On July 6, they'll be headlining one of the smaller stages but on July 8, they will be joined by friends California Guitar Trio, Tony Levin, and Pat Mastelotto on the main stage, opening for Primus. Do you think I'm a little excited about that?

Oh...they are not on the website yet but I also have to add that on July 6, Zappa Plays Zappa will also be at the Quebec Music Fest but I don't have the schedule yet as to who plays when and where. All I know is, I am so, so there.

And for for my writing pals...

As I mentioned what seems like a decade ago, on April 14 I did a reading on behalf of Tuesday Shorts at the Boxcar Lounge in New York City. I had an absolute blast, and there was a very nice write up of the event by an author I just adore, Richard Grayson. I was really happy to spend some time with Richard after the reading as well as another pal of mine, Dennis DiClaudio and oh.my.God - take a look at the titles of his books - everyone should order all of them. Thank you so much to Shelly Rae Rich for setting this up - she's hilarious and a fine writer in her own right.

Here are some photos from the event, the first of which is me made into a Warhol by using Photobucket's new photoshop for dummies feature. The actual "real" pic of me from that evening is obviously someone else because, seriously, I just know I am not that hideously deformed so I warhol-ed myself to disguise whoever the creature in the original photograph is.



Next up to read was a very cool writer named Nick Antosca who read an excerpt from his latest novel:



And the evening ended with one of my favorites, Todd Zuniga, and he killed it, reading snippets of stories which span his lifetime as a writer, starting at like age eight, and I am so, so stealing that idea next time I read. I have this one story I wrote when I was six which is a fictional tale of how I ran away from home with my sister and we hid in a cave until she sliced her finger on a rusty nail (yeah, a rusty nail in a cave, which was inexplicably in downtown Philly) and because she was bleeding, I had no choice but to run home and get her a band-aid. The upshoot of the story is that when I returned home to get the band-aid, our mom hadn't even realized we'd run away so it was all for nothing. Ha ha - pretty deep for a six year old, huh. The story is written on pink stationary in big, block lettering - I will take a pic one of these days for the blog but like Todd, will bring it and read from it "in person" at my next event. Here's Todd at the Boxcar - and yes, everyone loves Todd and I especially love him because he loves his mother. And I am probably older than his mother which is starting to get to me - I go to these readings, thinking I'm such a hipster, and it turns out I'm the senior citizen in the room. Oh the horror.



By the way, speaking of Todd, click on this link which I also gave you above. Opium Magazine needs our help to survive, and you can get a two year subscription for a mere $34.00. Do it! I did, and now I feel all warm and crunchy.

Seated in the audience are...well, I have no idea who the two guys are, but the beautiful redhead is Kimberly Wetherell and the equally stunning brunette is Susan Henderson and yeah, yeah, that's the back of my blond curly head you see next to them and as daily readers know, both Kimberly and Susan regularly appear in this blog as they are both amazing women with amazing careers ahead of them and after I'm done stealing Todd's idea for a reading I'm stealing Kimberly and Susan's youth and beauty. Oh, and their talent, too.



Let's see, what else. Look what happens when I don't blog for ten days...I can't stop. But this is kind of important - on May 17 and May 18, 2008 I will have a table and be selling/signing my books at the Philadelphia Book Festival! Here's the official poster:



Holy cow - have a look at the authors/celebrities I'll be rubbing elbows with!

One of the books I will be selling is my latest, a short story anthology called 39 and Holding...Him.

There is an incredible article about this book in a recent edition of Baktopia Magazine and their editor, Matt Munoz, was kind enough to forward me the print copies as well. So a huge thank you to Matt and I hope you all enjoy the article as it includes sexy photos, a very cool You Tube about the cover girl, Matilda Kay, and it's written by one of my favorite authors, N.L. Belardes. So yeah, click on the Baktopia link and enjoy!

Wow...I think I've finally run out of things to say. Well, I do naturally have other news brewing but I have to tease you with something now, don't I? I just hope it's not another ten days before I blog again, but things being what they are in the Slick family right now, I am just taking it a day at a time with my fingers crossed big time.

Later,
xo

Every once in a while you get a gift...

Man, after another impossibly frustrating day dealing with our lovely United States health care system which I hope none of you ever have to experience, I sat at the computer tonight emotionally exhausted and idly surfed the web and yes! I just found something I'd never seen before which made my spirits soar - a You Tube of Eric Slick, Mike Keneally, and Dave Dreiwitz doing Dave's brilliant song, "Hammer to the Skull" at last summer's School of Rock Festival.



I hope you enjoy this as much as I just did.

Later,
xo

Odds and Sods for Friday, April 18, 2008

Ack, life continues to be extremely tough right now - without going into it, let's just say for the past three weeks, Gary and I have personally been experiencing on a daily basis various events that could be right out of Michael Moore's (hey, click on that link - it is awesome) Sicko (another great link - I gave you the blog which is current and important, damn it and gives you some insight on what a debacle a McCain presidency would be, as if you don't all know that already). It's hard not to be completely beaten down and demoralized...and we're dealing with what is allegedly one of the best hospitals in the country.

Anyway...this is the happy, Republican hating, I love music and writing blog so let's go in that direction instead.



Eric has been on tour this week with Delicious and Crescent Moon, doing double drum duty, and above and below are some photos of Tuesday night's show at John and Peter's in New Hope, Pennsylvania courtesy of "Fredington" from the Ween forum board, which also contains some pretty cool commentary:



"Great time! Delicious plays heavy, spacey instrumental rock. Their web site is called "satansjamband.com" and that explains their sound perfectly. The first CM set was their standard approach. Aside from the covers already mentioned, they also did some Instant Death classics, including Doesn't Really Matter, Pharmaceuticals (with a DD trumpet solo in the middle) and Hammer to the Skull. The second CM set was crazy. It was entirely improv (aside from a couple of covers), and entirely badass. Most of the time it was DD and Andrew Weiss on bass and Eric on drums. Andre from Delicious joined in on guitar for a few jams. On one jam, Eric played bass and Andrew played drums -- and it still sounded badass. Toward the end, Ed Wilson came onstage and played DD's bass, with DD taking over trumpet and vocals -- I forget what he sang. DD took the bass back for the encore and Ed sang Missisippi Queen."
*****


"yeah nice to see the folk. I couldn't stay late because of the sucky job I got these days but got to spend some time shooting the shit with Kirk, Dave, Andrew, Eric etc.

damn that kid can play the drums."
*****


"Thanks guys~ what a blast....
Delicious was a tasty treat....image that left us wanting more~
hope they play J&P's again sometime soon. I esp. loved
it when both the bass player & the guitar player were right
up into their amps grinding the feedback....just amazing.

Dave & Erik put on a great show, per usual, which included
a few special guests; both the guitar player from Delicious
(Andre'?) & the bass player too...as well as Andrew Weiss
taking the stage for a few songs....very cool.
At one point, one of Erik's drumstick's went flying out of
his hand, & in an instant it looked like he pulled another out
of his shoe...without missing a beat! That kid rocks!
I don't have a setlist, but hopefully someone else might....I know
Dave played "Fearless", which always is a fav.....

Great to hang out with those of you that made it~ I'm still smilin'....
definitely worth being tired for."

*****
Hey, I cannot help but notice bass player Andrew Weiss plays in his bare feet. Remind you of anyone?



Here's a You Tube of the Andrew Weiss, Eric Slick, and Dave Dreiwitz jam mentioned above. Interesting stuff!



By the way, if anyone reading this is in the Vermont area, Eric will be playing with Delicious tonight at Nectar's in Burlington.

And then tomorrow he comes home...and...gasp...is moving out! Yep, it's true - he is renting a very cool house; his girlfriend, the gorgeous Katy, is moving to Philadelphia this weekend as well...and no worries, I'm not losing a son because he's still close by and oh God, guess who is moving back home coincidentally? Julie has decided to return, figuring that by this time next year, she'll be able to buy herself a mansion somewhere between the money she saves by living here and the money she earns working at least three jobs simultaneously. Not only does she tour and record with Adrian, she works as a server at an awesome restaurant in her down time and also has her own studio where she records local bands. In between that she has also become a huge hot yoga devotee and I'm pretty much expecting her to end up teaching that as well. I need to take a photo of her diploma just received from Drexel University - yep, there's a gold Magna Cum Laude seal on it...way to go, Julie, graduating in the top 1% of her class.

While I am on the subject of the trio, I think I missed linking an awesome review by the fellows at 1600 TV. So just in case I did, here it is now:

Three of A Perfect Pair

INCOMPARABLE: Julie Slick, Adrian Belew, Eric Slick- Still Making Beautiful Music Together

The Adrian Belew Power Trio returned to Jammin' Java in Vienna for their second show in just under a year, this time at the very end of the tour and holding absolutely nothing back for their final SOLD OUT performance. From the opening notes of their first song, Writing on the Wall, to the last echoing feedback of Crimson-era compositions Neurotica and the autobiographical Thela Hun Ginjeet (wherein Belew, on tape loop, describes an ugly confrontation with would-be muggers in London), the band was even tighter and more practiced than their last trip. At the same time, this visit found them more relaxed and confident than ever, stretching their wings and experimenting, improvising, and building to wild crescendoes, only to stop on a dime and come back together in unison.

The capacity crowd was then treated to another intimate, intense performance, showcasing the material that is featured in the band's new release, the live "Side Four." The disc captures the sheer joy of this band as they give it their all, playing with reckless abandon and staggering musicianship, especially impressive for a bassist and drummer barely old enough to vote! As a good musician and close friend once observed, it's enough to make longtime players lock themselves in their rooms for months on end trying to learn the chops that Julie and Eric Slick demonstrated so effortlessly, or else make you throw your instrument down (perhaps in many pieces) because you know that you'll never be as good as they are if you spend every moment you have left trying...

Nonetheless, as a non-musician, I dwelled on the positive and inspiring side of that equation, wondering what new tricks (and perhaps which old favorites) Mr. Belew and Co. would have up their sleeves. And as always, I was not disappointed. Saul Zonana, co-producer of forementioned "Side Four", warmed up with his uniquely expressive blend of vocals and guitar, with songs that ran the gamut from Beatles-influenced pop (Mr. Blue, Midnight Rain, If I Don't) to more provacative and daring, edgier songs, using guitar loops and occasional drum programs for good effect. He too has used the last year to hone his skills, especially as a guitarist. I look forward to his next release to mark his progress as a songwriter.

The Power Trio played much of the new album, but also many favorites from Adrian's solo career (Matchless Man and Drive were standouts once again), as well as several of the songs he co-wrote as a member of King Crimson (Dinosaur remains among my favorite songs of all time, and their rendition of Three of A Perfect Pair was spot on). Naturally, the arrangements were different with a trio format, but none of them suffered for it. In fact, it breathed new life into some of the songs, propelled by Eric's furious barrage on drums (I have to wonder how many heads he must go through in a year!), with Julie more than capably playing Tony Levin's best licks, while adding some twists and more than a few original touches of her own. Afterward, she told me that she follows her brother's drumming and really plays off of him- and credits their amazing empathy and affinity that allows them to anticipate each other and flow in flawless precision. I don't think I heard a sour note all night- and I was listening pretty closely!

Other highlights were Adrian's transcendent solo on Within You Without You that has apparently become a staple, as Eric and Julie take a well-earned breather; Ampersand, which found the band tearing up the stage in glorious cacophony; and Big Electric Cat, a favorite from Adrian's first solo record, the ambitious "Lone Rhino," still luxuriant with the same innovation and whimsical charm that makes it's way into all the music that bears his imprint, 25+ years later...

So, the good news is: they're coming back AGAIN, to the Ram's Head in Annapolis on June 6th! Well? What are you waiting for?? 'Cause you KNOW that show will be sold out too-

And while you're at it, sign the petition to put this most deserving guitar hero in the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame! The link is below- and it also contains a nice outline of Adrian's career, recordings, and contributions to the world. If they can induct Madonna (who has yet to do anything remotely approaching rock n' roll music) the least we can do is put this guy in there for all the great work he's done! (At least, as long as he promises not to play a guitar rendition of Like A Virgin when they honor him!)

Sign the Petition!

*******

Meanwhile, I have a bunch of writing news and I also want to tell you all about my reading in New York City this past Monday but I am waiting on some photos from the event so I guess I will make that a separate post next.

Right now, though, it's back to stressful matters at hand..

Later,
xo

Time out for some political commentary...

Look, all of you know I despise Republicans and think Bush and Cheney should be arrested for war crimes. But I just received this email from Peter Coyote about last night's Democratic debate in Philadelphia and I feel compelled to post it here because it's so, so true and infuriating:

Peter Coyote

An open letter to Charlie Gibson and George Stephanapoulos

Will Bunch: Thursday, April 17, 2008

Dear Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulos,

It's hard to know where to begin with this, less than an hour after you signed off from your Democratic presidential debate here in my hometown of Philadelphia, a televised train wreck that my friend and colleague Greg Mitchell has already called, quite accurately, "a shameful night for the U.S. media." It's hard because -- like many other Americans -- I am still angry at what I just witnesses, so angry that it's hard to even type accurately because my hands are shaking. Look, I know that "media criticism" -- especially when it's one journalist speaking to another -- tends to be a genteel, colleagial thing, but there's no genteel way to say this.

With your performance tonight -- your focus on issues that were at best trivial wastes of valuable airtime and at worst restatements of right-wing falsehoods, punctuated by inane "issue" questions that in no way resembled the real world concerns of American voters -- you disgraced my profession of journalism, and, by association, me and a lot of hard-working colleagues who do still try to ferret out the truth, rather than worry about who can give us the best deal on our capital gains taxes. But it's even worse than that. By so badly botching arguably the most critical debate of such an important election, in a time of both war and economic misery, you disgraced the American voters, and in fact even disgraced democracy itself. Indeed, if I were a citizen of one of those nations where America is seeking to "export democracy," and I had watched the debate, I probably would have said, "no thank you." Because that was no way to promote democracy.

You implied throughout the broadcast that you wanted to reflect the concerns of voters in Pennsylvania. Well, I'm a Pennsylvanian voter, and so are my neighbors and most of my friends and co-workers. You asked virtually nothing that reflected our everyday issues -- trying to fill our gas tanks and save for college at the same time, our crumbling bridges and inadequate mass transit, or the root causes of crime here in Philadelphia. In fact, there almost isn't enough space -- and this is cyberspace, where room is unlimited -- to list all the things you could have asked about but did not, from health care to climate change to alternative energy to our policy toward China to the deterioration of Afghanistan to veterans' benefits to improving education. You ignored virtually everything that just happened in what most historians agree is one of the worst presidencies in American history, including the condoning of torture and the trashing of the Constitution, although to be fair you also ignored the policy concerns of people on the right, like immigration issues.

You asked about gun control -- phrased to try for a "gotcha" in a state where that's such a divisive issue -- but not about what we really care about, which is how to reduce crime. You pressed and pressed on those capital gains taxes, but Senators Clinton and Obama were forced to bring up the housing crisis on their own initiative.

Instead, you wasted more than half of the debate -- a full hour -- on tabloid trivia that for the most part wasn't even that interesting, because most of it was infertile ground that has already been covered again and again and again. I'm not saying that Rev. Wright and Bosnia sniper fire and "bitter" were never newsworthy -- I myself wrote about all of these for the Philadelphia Daily News or my Attytood blog, back when they were more relevant -- but the questions were stale yet clearly intended to gin up controversy (they didn't, by the way, other than the controversy over you.) The final questions of that section, asking Obama whether he thought Rev. Wright "loved America" and then suggesting that Obama himself is somehow a hater of the American flag, or worse, were flat-out repulsive.

Are you even thinking when simply echo some of the vilest talking points from far-right talk radio? What are actually getting at -- do you honestly believe that someone with a solid track record as a lawmaker in a Heartland state which elected him to the U.S. Senate, who is now seeking to make some positive American history as our first black president, is somehow un-American, or unpatriotic? Does that even make any sense? Question his policies, or question his leadership. because that is your job as a journalist. But don't insult our intelligence by questioning his patriotism.

Here's a question for you, George. Is it true that yesterday you appeared on the radio with conservative talk radio host Sean Hannity, and that you said you were "taking notes" when he urged you to ask a question about Obama's supposed ties to a former member of the Weather Underground -- which in fact you did. With all the fabulous resources of ABC News at your disposal, is that an appropriate way for a supposed journalist to come up with debate questions, by pandering to divisive radio shows?

And Charlie...could you be any more out of touch with your viewers? Most people aren't millionaires like you, and if Pennsylvanians are losing sleep over economic matters, it is not over whether the capital gains tax will go back up again. I was a little shocked when you pressed and pressed on that back-burner issue and left almost no time for high gas prices, but then I learned tonight that you did the same thing in the last debate, that you fretted over that middle-class family that made $200,000 a year. Charlie, the nicest way that I can put this is that you need to get out more.

But I'm not ready to make nice. What I just watched was an outrage. As a journalist, you appeared to confirm all of the worst qualities that cause people to hold our profession in such low esteem, especially your obsession with cornering the candidates with lame "trick" questions and your complete lack of interest or concern about substance -- or about the American people, or the state of our nation. You embarassed some good people who work at ABC News -- for example, the journalists who worked hard to break this story just last week -- and you embarassed yourselves. The millions of people who watched the debate were embarassed, too -- at the state of our political discourse, and what it has finally become, at long last.

Quickly, a word to any and all of my fellow journalists who happen to read this open letter. This. Must . Stop. Tonight, if possible. I thought that we had hit rock bottom in March 2003, when we failed to ask the tough questions in the run-up to the Iraq war. But this feels even lower. We need to pick ourselves up, right now, and start doing our job -- to take a deep breath and remind ourselves of what voters really need to know, and how we get there, that's it's not all horserace and "gotcha." Although, to be blunt, I would also urge the major candidates in 2012 to agree only to debates that are organized by the League of Women Voters, with citizen moderators and questioners. Because we have proven without a doubt in 2008 that working journalists don't deserve to be the debate "deciders."

Charlie, I'm going to sign off this letter the way that you always sign off the news, that "I hope you had a great day."

Because America just had a horrible night.

Odds and Sods for Wednesday, April 9, 2008

If you only knew all the reasons I have not been blogging...

But I think I will spare the details - just know that since the first of this year, Gary and I have gone through a series of mind-boggling events, any one of which would bring most people to their knees -- and they just keep coming and somehow we are still standing but let's put it like this - we're only managing by holding each other up.



All I can do at this point is shake my head and be thankful the two of us live a day at a time and also have a dark sense of humor.

Anyway...

Let's talk about some good stuff.

Over the past several months, I've mentioned (more than once har har) a little documentary I'm in, written and produced by my pal Kimberly Wetherell, which is making the rounds of several film festivals. Well, guess what. "WHY WE WAX" won BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY at the Phoenix Film Festival this past weekend!!!

The next festival screenings are in Indianapolis, at the Indianapolis International Film Festival, screening on April 25 & 26 and it's also just been accepted by the Portland Women's Film Festival, screening on May 16th.

Here's an interview with Kimberly's co-producer, Amy Axelson. I feel that I should, um, clarify that my contribution to the film is talking about growing up at the beginnings of the Womens' Liberation Movement and how we didn't even wear a bra let alone shave our legs -- I know I was young at the time but I am pretty sure no hippie worth her salt would have ever considered a bikini wax and I would normally have added "and I doubt they were even invented yet" but after seeing Why We Wax, I learned otherwise as you will as well after watching this clip:



In other news, I will be in New York City this coming Monday, April 14, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. for a reading at the Boxcar Lounge.



I'm going with a brand new essay called "My Brilliant Writing Career" which sounds sarcastic and okay, okay, it is, but actually I have had some good news in that regard lately so it isn't as bad as it seems and I should probably change the title to "My Brilliant Film Career" though with my recent "successes" in both co-starring in a short film and writing a story upon which another film making the festivals is based, I can't really say that, either...but oh boy do I have a story about something else.

Here's the first paragraph of the essay I intend to read:

"So right before Labor Day weekend, 2007, I got this email:

Dear Robin,

I am a Movie and Television Producer/Director based in Los Angeles. I recently read your book Three Days In New York City - and wanted to discuss with you the possibilities of adapting it for Film and or Television.

Please contact me."

And from there, my friends, it all goes rapidly insane.

Anyway, here's a couple more pics of the Boxcar Lounge - very nice garden, huh - and an article about just how cool it really is:





Yeah, so when I said I did have some good news in writing world, I just wanted to announce I have a new agent, Claire Gerus, and so far it has been a real pleasure to work with her.

"Claire Gerus has been Editor-in-Chief of two publishing houses, worked for eight major publishers, including Harlequin, Rodale, Random House and Doubleday, John Wiley, Kensington, and Adams Media, written articles for national media, and taught corporate communications to such clients as IBM, Kelloggs, Mutual of Omaha, and Procter & Gamble.

In 1996, she established a thriving business as a New York literary agent, selling publishers books on a wide variety of subjects: business, history, memoirs, religion, health, spirituality, psychology, politics, pop culture, and women’s studies.

She has sold a 3-million copy health bestseller, and brought film star Esther Williams’ story to Simon & Schuster. It went on to become a New York Times bestseller and is now being made into a feature film.

In 1999, she joined Kensington Publishing in New York and founded Twin Streams Books, an alternative healing imprint. Later, as Executive Editor at Citadel Press, she acquired and edited a variety of titles: celebrity biographies, self-help, relationship, spirituality, new age, diet books, and health books.

From 2001-August, 2002, she was Executive Editor at Adams Media, where she published the first biography of Laura Bush. She also published a wide range of new age, business, self-help, and inspirational books.

She is presently working as a literary agent and book development consultant. Among her clients are an ex-CIA agent, a psychologist, ten CEOs, a private eye, a scientist on the verge of a major health breakthrough, a specialist in Soviet history, and others too fascinating to describe in just a few words."

So I am pretty psyched about that, yes.

I also mentioned that on April 20, 2008, I am a guest on a radio program known as The Writing Show and my spot is aptly named "Is There Such a Thing as an Erotic Comedy?"

Trust me, there is.

On to music news, and I hope you've read this far, oh music lovers who stop by, because today at 2:00 p.m. eastern, Trent Reznor will be interviewed via telephone over at XPN radio, and you can catch the live internet stream right here. According to XPN, Trent is going to discuss his upcoming tour, the new CD, and hmm, do you think he'll be mentioning the musicians who participated? Like, um, Adrian Belew? Oh, and by the way, if you click on the link, you will see new shows have been added to the upcoming Adrian Belew Power Trio tour and there will be even more additions within the next few weeks.

I was teasing Eric yesterday that while he may not be rich and famous yet, he's at least getting there. Semi-famous, that is, anyway. (Insert smiley face here) (Oh, and you need to scroll down when you click on that link)

Speaking of Eric, and when don't I, tomorrow he begins an eight day tour with Delicious at Toy Eaters Studio in Jersey City, New Jersey. You gotta love that name...

And yay, someone posted a You Tube of the Adrian Belew Power Trio which Eric gives a thumbs up - he says this one finally captures the energy/quality of their performance...you can hear the audience singing along but damn it, it's only an excerpt! I need more!



Okay, I must go back to polishing my essay and practice reading it out loud for New York on Monday night, but as usual, if there is any breaking news, I will be back.

Don't forget to tune in to XPN Radio this afternoon and hear what Trent Reznor has to say. It could be very interesting...

Later,
xo

The Adrian Belew Power Trio - Another Side Four Live Review

Music Street Journal has an amazing review of Side Four Live today, plus interviews of the trio. Oh, heart be still! While the review is posted for free, to obtain access to the interviews and lots of other cool stuff, please consider subscribing to Music Street Journal right here. You won't be sorry, and you'll not only be supporting writers you'll be supporting great music as well.



"Adrian Belew

Side Four

Review by Sonya Kukcinovich and Grant Hill

Side Four is the Adrian Belew Power Trio live follow up to his already well received Sides One, Two and Three. With everything from the cover art work to the unique song titles being steeped in the Belew tradition of coming at you from left field, his musical approach actually makes total sense, with a unique respect for harmony, melody, sound, texture, color, and feel. Our first impression was that we were totally blown away with the fresh, unique sound of this amazing power trio. With the young virtuoso siblings, Julie slick on Bass and Eric Slick on drums, the trio delivers an amazing tour de force well worth a serious listen. Frankly, we haven't given this CD much rest over the past month. The writing is incredibly compelling, extremely well balanced and diversified, and chock full of both Belew's unique and interesting approach to the guitar, plus a cadre of interesting musical effects that layer depth, complexity, and insight into a very unique composer/performer. If you haven't heard this CD, please go ahead and buy it! Progressive rock fans shouldn't be caught unaware of the importance of this fine music, especially in a time where great music can be difficult to find consistently. Get your copy today, and please visit Adrian Belew at http://adrianbelew.net.

Track by Track Review
Writing On The Wall

This piece immediately grabs one's attention with its forceful intensity. Eric Slick's driving percussion is underscored by Julie Slick's aggressive playing and Adrian Belew's heavy, distortion oriented treatment of both harmonic and melodic guitar elements. "I see the writing on the wall!" croons the legend, and even if he didn't you would believe he did! What an amazing piece to open a live album, a song that makes one want to rock with the force and intensity of the composition itself.

Dinosaur
We absolutely love this song. The tongue in cheek double entendre is well felt, musically speaking. "I am a dinosaur. Somebody's diggin' my bones!," sings Belew. One can't help but smile at Belew's poetic insight to lyric writing. This is a rhythmically interesting piece full of unique chordal treatments throughout. Plus it's just a really cool song! We think you'll love it!

Ampersand
Leave it to Adrian Belew to come up with a song title based on a punctuation abbreviation! But etymology seems to be an interest of Belew's, and he's just as creative with his treatment of words as he is in his musical offerings. This is another powerful song, with strong emotive images that develop as a result of both the lyrical lines and the unique harmonic/melodic combination. We really dug it during the live show, and it continues to grow on us - kudos!

Young Lions
The percussive opening almost has a 42nd Street feel to it with Eric Slick's heavy tom playing, but we quickly recognized that these were rock elements at play, not swing. The sound is booming and strong, and, of course, the melody line works its way into an incredible Belew solo. We really enjoyed the repetitive rhythmic section, mostly because it is performed with perfect execution and not a hint of anything overplaying the length of the pulsating rhythm. This one could easily be the album favorite of many, however we reserved that honor for the song which followed.

Beat Box Guitar
"Beat Box Guitar" is an amazing song, and Grant constantly plays this one at least twice when he drives with it in the car. Many kudos here, well evidenced by the 2006 Grammy nomination for best rock instrumental. Not only is the guitar work superlative, the free section has all three members of the trio existing in their own worlds, but the resolution entrance is so perfect that it fits like a glove. The solo sections are simply amazing, and all three players drive aggressively through the number. Julie uses the entire instrument here, so incredibly deftly that one gets drawn into the intuitive intensity the three members of the trio exhibit with such skill and ease. This is a five star song, for sure!

Matchless Man
Soulfully, Belew sings, "Here I am, a matchless man, trying to set your world on fire!" How cool is that? Or should we say hot? In any event, this slow, almost bluesy arrangement evokes many feelings and emotions. Musically, it's rather funky and R&B oriented in a certain sense, yet it retains those same amazing proggy characteristics that define Belew's musical status. It's another excellent number for you all to enjoy!

A Little Madness
One might actually feel a little crazy after listening to the harmonic dissonance over the top of this number. This is truly a performance art piece. I'm not sure I would enjoy performing it myself, but one gets the feeling that if the song reflected the state of someone's mind, you can actually feel the confusion or pain of emotional dissonance. Psychological insights aside, this piece sounds almost experimental, but it adds a unique compositional style that exists nowhere else on the album. Belew deserves high praise for daring to include such a unique song on this CD.

Drive
"Drive" is the kind of song where Belew takes a little solo break and allows the Slicks to rest. The song opens with a sample of a car starting, then fading as it drives into the distance. Belew layers in a repetitive eighth note pattern that evokes feelings of driving through the countryside and looking out the window at the scenery along the way. It is a thought provoking and almost internalized kind of song. What kinds of images do you see and feel when you listen to it?

Of Bow And Drum
This is one of the more musically complex songs on the CD. It is a bit pop-like in a certain respect, because it certainly is catchy. But like everything Adrtian Belew does, the song seems simpler than it is. There is a rich depth and breadth to this song, and it just feels really good and positive. This is a great song to groove to!

Big Electric Cat
Have you ever felt like a big electric cat? Yes, it's another winner and one of the best songs on the CD. This one is rhythmically powerful while allowing the listener to groove into a compelling melody line and with plenty of room to solo and be creative by the trio members. We love this song because there seems to be lots of things going on, but Belew especially requests of his musicians that they do not overplay. Here is a song where the three find a perfect balance.

Three Of A Perfect Pair
While we haven't had the opportunity yet to dig more deeply into the lyrical content, it's clear that Belew is up to his semantics again with this King Crimson cover! But isn't that a sign of a good songwriter, when the lyrics themselves just grab your interest? And isn't it even better when the title makes you want to hear the entire song? Well, in fact this song is better than than the cool title. This is another upbeat, powerful and enjoyable number. As we compare the current trio version to the original King Crimson one, the most striking difference is how Belew compensated for performing as a trio versus a quartet. The original version is a bit slower, tempo-wise, and opens a little more space for Robert Fripp's playing. It's also more tightly structured, which underscores the free-jazz comparison for the current power trio. It seems that the Slicks add an extra level of aggressiveness while the original sits there in the pocket and grooves.

Thela Hun Ginjeet
Like the prior track, we were delighted to compare the current version to the King Crimson original. As much as we love vintage King Crimson, the lower octave vocal doubling by Tony Levin in the original makes that version feel slower, although the trio version does seem a bit more uptempo, generally. Bruford's playing is somewhat more articulated and theory driven compared to Eric Slick, who just powers through improvisationally, again making the newer version more aggressive. Julie, too, takes creative liberties here without overplaying, adding some bass harmonic depth that we hadn't heard before. We think you'll love the new version! We're not certain at all what the title means, but we do know that this song is an excellent encore as well as closer for the album. The syncopated opening melody line has just enough edge to really make the listener feel like grooving on this one. The entire album is a musical experience that we feel will one day be viewed as a vintage classic. This great song closes a great CD, and has made us serious fans of The Adrian Belew Power Trio. If you haven't yet availed yourself of this fine music, go out and buy this CD!"

Awesome!

Again, I cannot post the actual interviews here as it would not be fair to the magazine - like I said, I just subscribed and paid a small amount for access, but it is well worth it.

Later,
xo