- Part 11

Songwriting is easy. Yes, really, but only sometimes. It can be a rare thing, and you’ll never appreciate it as much as you should. It’s not one of those things that you “can’t appreciate and easy thing until you’ve hit hard times” type of situation, it’s just that those easy ones are the ones you overlook. So much effort goes into a song like Something Beautiful’s Dreams About Your Skin that a song like Nobody told Me, or Not So Blues just doesn’t seem to come to mind when I think about what I’m proud of when I’m asked about what I write.

I wrote that song in pink fuzzy boots and mario pajamas after getting coffee at my starbucks, which is across the street from where I live. I was in a good mood, and it made me sing. Easy job, no hangups. Said something about being single, having it easy and living simply. It took about ten minutes to write and record, and spend very little mental energy on reminiscing on the ease with which it flowed out of me. Some people really like it, but I consider it merely a joke. How rude is that of me? Kinda, I think.

Some other songs can take years to write, and that ever-present feeling of “I’m leaving something unfinished…” in the background is what will make those tunes stick out to me. But you know how we’re always being told to stop and smell the roses? I’m finna do that once in a while. Thanks for indulging me.

Some of them 20 minute songs became some of your faves, or at least big hits… I’m not saying that mine was a knockout, but it certainly was serviceable. It was pure expression of an emotional state, and depending on the listener, it may convey the ease of the moment. Or maybe it’s just a quick dumb song. It may not be a steak dinner, but once in a while I’ll take a jolly rancher.

Count your blessings instead of sheep tonight.

Rock Out for Purple: A Benefit Show for Prostate Cancer Awareness W/Something Beautiful

With Something Beautiful

Nite Cap

Ages: 21+
Price: $10.00 in advance, $15.00 at the door

This is a fundraising event in honor of Barri Gibbons, father to our friend Sheryl Grimes. The show will feature Something Beautiful, Hubbard Union, Jack Went Down, Tai from Wicked Selector, DJ Daily, and special guest DJ Sangre

There’s a SWEET raffle, where you can win a Something Beautiful Superfan pack, containing pretty much one of EVERYTHING we got, $100 cash, tickets to the Patio Theater, breakfast at the Flying Saucer with Hubbard Union, and MUCH MORE

There’s a pre-party at Jade Dragon Tattoos, where they’re giving discounts on cancer-related tattoos, and 50% off of ribbon tats.

It’s for a GREAT cause, so LIKE it on facebook and spread the word, you guys.

Rock Out for Purple’s Facebook Page

Directions

Crusader Cancer Benefit at Live Wire, this Tuesday!

Crusader

Live Wire in Chicago

Ages: 21+
Price: $ not sure but I’m payin it

Crusader is rocking out to raise money for a great cause, so come hang out with me and let’s support our friends in their crusade! YARRRGH!!!

Directions

Appearing w Something Beautiful for Portage Theater’s Indie Horror Fest!

Something Beautiful

Nite Cap

Ages: 21+
Price: $6.00 (or so – facts as I get em)

Come hang out after watching horror movies at the Portage theater! We’re playing with Skullfogger and 4 Without, so it’s gonna be a KILLER night!

Directions

The World Needs Mermaid-Man and Barnacle Boy… Apparently.

Yeah, that episode is on right now. I didn’t grow up in a period where Spongebob Squarepants was relevant to my personal development, but when I see the occasional episode nowadays, all I can do is wonder where the cranky morons who gave me and my peers a problem about Beavis and Butthead and Ren n Stimpy are.

What gets up my craw is really our continual quest to find the actual trigger to the end of western culture. Each generation has its liberals and conservatives, and I’m sorry, but the conservatives are almost ALWAYS wrong. Look at how jazz music, rock n roll, peace n love, punk rock, heavy metal, disco were received and then look at the actual implications of their existence. Then grow up and quit whining.

I’m more into finding proof that we’re evolving into a better world. Signs that we’re moving ever forward into a humanity that’s worth being part of. I’m not going to find the answer to that question in Spongebob, you’re not gonna find it in Gwar, and neither one of us (hopefully) will find it in a Ziggy comic. There’s a possibility that we might find it in some of Mel Blanc’s work on the Jack Benny show, though. Radio, not TV of course. Television is the work of the devil, after all.

Sometime, Imma haveta tell you about pop music, but I’ll wait until I’m back on my mac for that rant. Suffice it to say, “if you dislike something that much, (unless it’s actually depriving anyone of rights or property) you’re probably wrong.

Take a chill pill, you guys.

Sometimes the Bear Eats You

Saw a Billy Collins’ TED talk which was so good I had to watch it again. It includes this poem:

Some days I put the people in their places at the table,
bend their legs at the knees,
if they come with that feature,
and fix them into the tiny wooden chairs.

All afternoon they face one another,
the man in the brown suit,
the woman in the blue dress,
perfectly motionless, perfectly behaved.

But other days, I am the one
who is lifted up by the ribs,
then lowered into the dining room of a dollhouse
to sit with the others at the long table.

Very funny,
but how would you like it
if you never knew from one day to the next
if you were going to spend it

striding around like a vivid god,
your shoulders in the clouds,
or sitting down there amidst the wallpaper,
staring straight ahead with your little plastic face?

Man, this speaks to all of us somehow I think. To me, as a writer, performer, frontman, sideman or punching bag… To you at your job, whatever it is. We got good days and bad. Sometimes we feel like we’re in control, and sometimes we can’t seem to get a handle on a single goddamned thing. I think ultimately, what matters is how we handle the adverse that teaches us the most about our character. As I write, I’m more or less trapped in my bedroom working out how exactly I’m going to be productive from here. Not unhappy, not super glad, but I’m at peace with the moment. Some Days, I’d be freaking out about whatever it was I couldn’t do today, but I’d rather ponder the possibilities.

Struggle through another day, everybody.

Something Beautiful

SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL is an all-original progressive/gothic/metal band featuring myself on guitar and lead vocals, Justin Smith on bass and Eric Kummerer on drums. We have two full-length releases, available on iTunes or the store at the band’s official website, SomethingBeautifulBand.com We play regularly in Chicago and some suburbs, so there’s a chance to catch us once or twice in the span of a month.

Speakeasy

SPEAKEASY is a straight up, bar trio playing hits from the 60′s though today. Featuring Mary Mueller on vocals and Joe Lanzerotti on keyboards. We play periodically at Chicago and suburban Bars.

Swek

SWEK is Janaki Jitchovisut on lead vocal, Jon Sugerman on Bass, Eric Kummerer on drums and myself on guitar. We’re a japanese pop-rock tribute. No, really. SWEK plays music from anime, movies, and radio. You can learn nothing about us at swek.com

SWEK is an acronym for Sleeping with Eric Kummerer. No, really.