| Hiya! I’m taking a break from the early morning surfing sessions to zip you some text.
Today I’ve been following one of my heroes of music, Joni Mitchell, after a friend hipped me to this interview. Everything that Joni talks about— her art, her music, writing lyrics, etc., I’m convinced that she’s a supreme bright woman and when she talks it all comes out as if it was yet another brilliant song. The only mini drag on this moment is that the interview fellow Jian Ghomeshi, who has a great voice and asks good questions, keeps on filling the bandwidth with his own voice and doesn’t let Joni finish her ideas. Rule one I think if you’re an interviewer is to prompt the stage and then get out of the way. It’s also a good rule for basic living too, listen more. Jian’s super cool and smart but dude, let Joni finish her thoughts.The fellow that publishes my Chick Corea Solos book sent me this link and it’s a really quick funny take on how men and women differ when dealing with a problem. I’m laughing and my wife Stef dug it too! It’s Not About the Nail!The banjo is finally on my knee! It took a while to pull all of the deets together but I’ve finally finished recording my tweaked romp through Louisiana and I’m calling it “The Susan Variations.” It’s 101 ways to play “Oh, Susanna” and survive to tell the tale. Go here to watch and listen. If you have an interest in bringing some of this insanity into your own home via your own guitar you might first acquire the sheet music by clicking here. Then go to these videos where I demonstrate how I came up with the arrangement along with other fine details. It was a hoot to pull together and I’m stoked to share it.
For this week I’m heading over to the Roxy on Thursday night for my ongoing good time of solo guitar music, friends, big helpings of healthy food, and the enlightened bohemia of downtown Encinitas. See ya there at 7pm. That’s the word for now and many thanks for reading, Peter |
“The Power to Rock”
Even though I grew up playing rock music I’ve spent most of my life riding down the never-ending road to play the perfect jazz solo. I love rock and one day after I read a funny interview with Jack Black I got a song idea for a rock anthem of sorts. He was talking about the tripy contrast of growing up in a high-powered intellectual household with his mom, a Harvard professor and his dad, a scientist —and then there was himself, an actor, a rebel and a rock musician. He said it best, “my dad is a rocket scientist and I’m a scientist of rock.” I took this premise to Randy Phillips, the lyricist that I frequently collaborate with, and together we came up with the laughable “The Power to Rock.” A little later we recorded it with Leonard and Lisa belting it out with me supplying the necessary distorted rock guitar fills in the background. Good fun! Check it out!