The Night in Question...

By all means, someone please regale me with the exploits of this warm Highland Falls night.

The true Football

I used to be a true Football fan.

I followed the Raiders from Oakland to LA and back to Oakland. I would show up at my local sports bar for the morning games and stay until 10pm (not really recommended). I followed the Gators while I attended Univ of Fla during the mid 80's up to around '95.

Then I woke up one day and couldn't stand the game.

The stops and starts, The super-dorky graphics with sound fx, the half-time personal interest stories, the interminable chatting of the commentators, the 3+ hours it would take to view a game and of course the commercials, which are responsible for most of the above.

What a crime if we all sat at home actually experiencing real-time game atmosphere instead of those really important stats.

I have witnessed some amazing football games, sublimely played and called.

I haven't been able to go back since I re-discovered, 'the true football'...

or soccer as it's called in America.

YES!

For me it's a pure sport. The clock runs without stopping. Two 45 minute, uninterupted halves. (Only commercials during the half) Both teams are allowed a grand total of 3 substitutions per game. If a player earns two yellow cards they're off, no sub, the team is now down a man.

Detractors often cite low scores and the "tie" as bad things. It's all about trying to unlock a defense. Sometimes it takes seconds, sometimes 90 minutes.

When it's played well it's jazz, just flowing, end to end excitement. English announcers rock.

There's nothing like the World Cup. Everyone goes home and plays for their country. Team-mates become bitter rivals.

It's simply baffling to me that the entire planet gets this but America remains ambivalent toward the sport.

For neubies, I recommend the English Premier League. Great stuff.

Studio Renovation

I am in the process of finishing off my 6th or 7th garage so that I may work into the wee hours of the morning without ever leaving my home. My goal is to create music without ever having to speak with another musician (I think).

I also do a lot of TV work from home. Sound FX, music, even mixing and some voice over.

MP3's and reality TV have ushered in the crappy audio era, but only long enough to democratize our media. It certainly was not what the giants had in mind but oh-well, now it's someone else's turn.

This is the Vocal/amplifier booth.


Below and to the right are vertical shelves for my computer towers which will be suitably disguised and sound-proofed when complete.

I hope to be finished by the end of August at which point this death star will be fully operational. Stay tuned.

This is Griffin

My second... (I think this one's the drummer)

This is Spencer

My first contribution to the future Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame

R2

In my world, there are a lot of things that need to be photographed.