Lakers Victory

This was taken during the final minutes of the Lakers victory over
Utah. LA now moves on to the next round of the playoffs.

Goodbye Alberta

Jacki's mom, Alberta Weaver, passed away yesterday. Thankfully we had spent our spring break based with her a few weeks back and it was with a heavy heart that we return so soon.

Jacki and Darian left for Port Lavaca yesterday and I'll be flying out Tuesday morning.

Here are a couple of pictures of Jacki and her Mom taken on April 11.

17 Again

Last night we went to see 17 Again the movie where Darian was an extra. She filmed her parts during the winter break nearly a year and half ago, and the move opened this weekend.

Shortly into the movie after Zac Efron's character turned 17 Again, we were able to see Darian, blue hair and all, run into Zac and she made a great disgusted face as he nearly ran into her. Total screen time was only about 2 seconds but it was great to see her up on the big screen.

A significant portion of the movie was filmed at Darian's highschool, however all of the Santa Monica highschool references were removed and replaced with Hayden High.

If you are looking for a light comedy geared around a 37 year old turning 17 again then go and see 17 Again, starring Darian :-)

KISS is coming to the US

But the trick is you have to vote on your city for them to come to it. The cities with the greatest amount of votes will get the show. So if you are in LA vote so I can see them!

View all Los Angeles events on Eventful

Spider Gig

Spidersuit will be playing at Juanita's in LA next Monday. Check out the killer flyer made by our bass player Tom Underhill. We've been working on our new CD and will be debuting some of the new material.

Spidersuit
Monday March 3, 2009
Juanita's
5930 York Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90042

See you at the gig.

Cotton Candy

Jacki and I had just a "little" cotton candy today at the saddle ranch
after our lunch.

RIP BMG Music Service

You know those 12 CDs for a penny ads in magazines and newspapers? I just received notice that effective June 30th the service will be no more. Signs of death of the traditional music industry continue.

I've been an active member for over 20 years. I joined their CD program in January of 1989 when I was in high school and was so proud that I was able to build my original CD library on a budget.

This service also has the unique distinction of being a club that I've been a member of longer than any other. I originally joined in the mid 80s as part of their tape/album service and switched over to CDs in 1989.

If you are a member look for continued sales emails as they look to deplete their inventory.

Seven Seraphim

Wednesday night was a great success. We had a great turnout and filled the Key Club. After our show the attendance thinned through the night. Not great for the bands after us, but a sense of accomplishment that we brought our own crowd to the show.

For those that don't know the Key Club was called Gazarri's back in the 70s and 80s. Many of the hard rock acts from that period got their start at this club including Van Halen, Motley Crue and the club was prominently featured in a movie that documented the 80s metal scence called The Decline Of Western Civilization Part II. So with all of that said this was a big deal for me to play at this particular venue. Lots of history for my favorite type of music and some of the best shows I've seen since moving out to LA have been at this club including Great White, W.A.S.P., The Wildhearts and Bob Schneider.

I got to the club shortly before 5pm and had plenty of time to do load in. Around 5:30 they had mic'd up most of my drums and we were able to do a full band sound check running through the first half of Anastasia.

We had an hour and a half until show time so I met up with Jacki and Darian and we went over the Rainbow and met up with friends from my work. To an outsider it was an odd collection of people from rockers, to IT people, to some of the old guard from IBM and polished consultants from Deloitte. I know the Key Club was wondering who invaded their club once we went on, considering the atypical audience crowd.

Going into the show I was worried about the lack of rehearsal with our new bassist, but it all worked out. Only a couple of minor flubs here and there which no one seemed to notice. After the show I heard nothing but good things about the performance, and I even got props from some of the Key Club staff as I was loading out my gear.

After making the rounds and saying hi to friends from work and friends from the past it was time to move on. I wasn't able to check out the headliners Powerman 5000 since they were going on so late, so instead a group of us made it to a Karaoke bar down the street that had a live backing band dubbed "Corey"-oke, since the band members are all named Corey. We closed at the night there.

I work with quite a few musicians and they were teasing me about my after show glow which lasted well into Thursday. This was a great night and a show I'll never forget.

Seven Seraphim
February 18, 2009
Key Club
Los Angeles, CA

Anastasia
Lady Jade
Song Blaque
Dance In The Red
The Discordant
The Hand That Feeds

Debut performance of Seven Seraphim.
Guitar - Andrew Szucs
Vocals - Sam Terceman
Drums - David Howard
Bass - Rufus Philpot (Guest Bassist)

Seven Seraphim Tonight!

Tonight my band, Seven Seraphim, plays our debut concert at the Key Club on Sunset in Hollywood at 7:30pm. We are the first band of the night and will be opening for Powerman 5000.

Hope to see everyone at the show!

Styx at HOB

After getting back to LA late on Tuesday night, canceled flights, rerouting, bad weather, etc... it was back to the normal routine.

I got through the first day back in the office and I took an immediate diversion to see Styx at the House Of Blues with Brian, a friend from work. We spent a little too much time at his place before hand and missed the first few songs of Styx's set but were able to see nearly an hour and a half of their 2 hour set.

Styx has the distinction of being my first concert when I was 10 years old. Through the years I haven't followed Styx closely but I have managed to see them a few times, the last time being in Atlanta with Jacki and my other band mates from The Superlatives.

All I can really say about last night's show is Tommy Shaw is the man. I could not believe how strong his voice sounded after all of these years. He was signing songs that were recorded some 30+ years ago and he sounds better on them now than on the original recordings.

Fooling Yourself, Renegade and Come Sail Away were the definite highlights, with a cover of The Beatles I Am The Walrus being a pleasant surprise.

And after the show I was even able to get a Styx guitar pick.

Tributes to Shawn

Written by one of my good friends back in Austin. Kai and I worked together, played in bands together, and spent a lot of time working along side Shawn and enjoying life together.
http://mytimeasahuman.com/shawn-c-dodd

Paul and I have worked together for the last couple of years and I've enjoyed getting to know him out in Los Angeles. We worked on projects with Shawn in and outside of work and enjoyed many a poker night resurrected from the old poker nights in Austin.
http://www.hainsworth.com/2009/02/in-memoriam-shawn-c-dodd/

Thanks to everyone who has been writing and sharing both publicly and privately.

Shawn C. Dodd

Tonight I received news you are never prepared for. One of my long time best friends from Austin committed suicide Wednesday night. This is my third time to be exposed to suicide, a concept I'll never understand, and the first time from a friend this close to me. It saddens me to think how dark a place he must have been in.

Shawn was my first office mate in my first job out of college at pcOrder and we became very close when I lived in Austin. He even took over the room I was renting when Jacki and I got married. After pcOrder I had Shawn come and work with me at two other jobs and had the great pleasure of relocating him to Los Angeles for a few years to work for me at Helio. He was one of the smartest people I've ever known and I enjoyed each and every day I worked with him. I used to tell him he is my resident smart guy, and just having him around made me feel smarter.

Unfortunately we had a bit of a falling out towards the end of his time in LA, but in the last few weeks we had begun to exchange emails again and it seemed like I was talking to my friend again of many years.

Shawn was also a dear friend of Jacki's, taking her out in Austin when I would travel for business and looking out for her when I wasn't around. He came to our wedding and shared many memories with Jacki and I including dinners, concerts, and even vacations.

Last night Jacki invited me out to a dinner with her and one of her friends at one of our favorite spots, El Cholo. It was nice because one of my last great memories of Shawn in Los Angeles was he and I celebrating at El Cholo after giving a successful business pitch. This past December he sent me a congratulations note because the business pitch we gave became a reality nearly 18 months later.

We loved Shawn and will miss him dearly. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

KEEL Reunion

Last night I saw KEEL's first reunion concert at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood. This past summer I was able to see Ron Keel's K2 band perform at Rocklahoma and they played a Keel heavy set so I knew a bit of what to expect.

Tonight at the Knitting Factory was a Club Vodka event. Three stages, bands going round the clock and scantily clad dancing girls in the main room for the headlining acts. For KEEL's set they were wearing KEEL shirts. The club was packed and from where I was sitting in the balcony it was solid people from the stage to the back of the floor. A great turnout for this show.

I wasn't in the mood for hearing new music tonight but I was able to catch 4 local bands, some good, some not so good. One band that did catch my attention was Ritual Habits. Good classic metal with a chick bass player that held her own, although she looked like she might still be in high school.

The DJ began to announce some of the VIP's in the audience including members of Black N' Blue, KISS, Cinderella, Quiet Riot and others. Right before KEEL went on Tommy Thayer stood right behind me and watched the entire KEEL set about 10 feet from where I was in the balcony.

Jamie St. James from Black N' Blue introduced KEEL and the debut concert of the reunion started.

KEEL
January 31, 2009
Knitting Factory
Hollywood, CA

Intro Music From - The Final Frontier
Reason To Rock
Rock And Roll Outlaw
Evil, Wicked, Mean And Nasty
United Nations Intro ->
Somebodys waiting
Speed Demon
Because The Night
Here Today, Gone Tomorrow
Medley: Electric Love -> Cherry Lane -> Let's Spend The Night Together
Raised On Rock
I Said The Wrong Thing To The Right Girl
Tears Of Fire
The Right To Rock

Encore
Joined by Jamie St. James (Vocals), Fred Coury (Drums), and Chuck Wright (Bass)
The Boys Are Back In Town (Thin Lizzy)

Guests leave and KEEL band members rejoin with Ron's K2 guitarist and a KEEL crew guy
We're An American Band (Grand Funk Railroad)

Ron sounded great on vocals but the set was troubled with some sound problems and you could barely hear Bryan Jay's lead guitar. KEEL is heavy on the double solos so missing half of the harmonies was a minor disappointment. Near the end of the set Bryan's guitar was finally loud enough to be heard.

I must admit the set list was a bit of a surprise. I was expecting a heavier set focused on material from Lay Down The Law and The Right To Rock. Instead the set covered their entire career with tracks from every album including the surprising set opener Reason To Rock off of their 6th album Back In Action released in the mid 90's.

Highlights of course included the hits The Right To Rock, they even brought out the kid from the video although he is no longer a kid, and Tears Of Fire. Other highlights included Raised On Rock featuring Dwain Miller on the Michael Des Barres vocals, and of course my all time favorite KEEL song Rock And Roll Outlaw.

They just announced a set on the mainstage at Rocklahoma this year so I'm hoping for a slightly heavier set with some more songs off of Lay Down The Law and The Final Frontier. The band looked and sounded great but you can tell it may take just a few shows before they are comfortable in front of an audience again. The band gave us our money's worth playing a setlist you couldn't predict and closing out the show with special guests at around 2:15am.

Darian was accepted

I just found out that Darian received an acceptance letter from Brooks yesterday. Assuming the tour we take of the campus in February works out it looks like Darian has decided on a college. Hard to believe she is about to leave us to go to school. She will start in July.

Pic from Virgin Mobile Party

Here is a picture of Jacki and I from the Virgin Mobile Holiday/New Year Party (yes, way late) last night. The party was at Kress a happening Hollywood hot spot. We had a great time and were able to mix and mingle with the Virgin crowd and make some new friends and hang out with some old ones.

The Art Of The Callous

Last night was my first serious band practice in nearly a month. I had only played drums once in the last two weeks and now it's time to prepare for our big show at the Key Club.

Well, about an hour entire rehearsal last night I noticed my right hand was beginning to hurt. Blisters were forming, pain was entering into my playing and then I realized, my drum callouses were gone.

I'll have to get into a callous building regimen this week and begin practicing on the electronic kit this week after work. Time to build up the callouses. This is the first time in over a year where my hands went and got soft on me.

I'm so proud of D

Tonight Darian, Jacki and I had a phone screen with Brooks Institute. She is looking at Photography as her major and a career and The Brooks Institute made her short list.

The interview lasted about 90 minutes and we covered everything from an overview of the school, to questions about how we think Darian will do in a college environment, to financial aid and the application process.

Darian did great. She answered every question with passion and enthusiasm. At the end of the call the interviewer congratulated Darian and wants to invite her to proceed with the application process. She filled out the start of the application and we paid the application fee. The next step is a one on one follow up interview for Darian.

On Feb 21 we will go to Santa Barbara to go to an open house of the school and check out the different campuses.

You can check out Darian's amazing photos at
http://darehow.carbonmade.com/

It's only 3 degrees outside

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Snow

Here is a picture of snow outside my hotel window in NJ this morning.
Not a sight I'm used to seeing.

Vegas Day 2

Today has been good so far. We ordered room service this morning and
had one of our best breakfasts ever.

D and Jack napped this morning and they joined me at a Sopranos slot
machine. I put in 20 bucks and went away with 144 bucks. That win
covered my losses for last night and then some.

We then went to the Bodies The Exhibition exhibit which is something
Jacki really wanted to do. I don't do well with body parts but held
up until the circulatory/digestive system part of the exhibit. At that
point I felt sick and had both sweats and felt cold. A few minutes of
sitting down allowed me to get well again. We finished off the
exhibit with fetuses and embryos.

At the end we got a cool hologram image with skeletons. I will post
it once we get back.

Once back to the hotel we got a lite meal and then Jacki played some
slots. I finished off at roulette and after 2 days we are ahead.

Tonight we have dinner on top of the hotel in the foundation room.

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