Welcome To Crunch Time

With only three weeks left in the semester, it seems that everyone I know (including people that don't go to Berklee) is feeling stressed, overwhelmed, and unprepared. Emotionally, mentally, and physically. I know I definitely fall into a few of those categories. I usually have everything all together, and while nothing is out of control, I'm on the brink of losing all control.

All of my friends feel the same way, too. None of us wanted to go back to school. We wanted to skip over Thanksgiving and have it be Christmas (just like the department stores). Where did our drive go? More specifically, where did my drive go? I can't remember ever being this lackadaisical. My MO is to be on the ball, and my energy level is typically off the scale. At the moment I am no where near the ball and my energy level is low. My low is probably normal for some people, and if that is the case, then I don't know how they function. I'm struggling with this, and I still have a thousand words left to write for my article.

Speaking of my article...The amount of work I have to do within the next 18 days makes me exhausted just thinking about it. It came out of no where. Well, not really. It just seems like it did. I had this grandiose idea that I would get nearly all of it done either before or during my all but too brief Thanksgiving break. That didn't happen. So now I have no choice but to do it all now, and avoid death in the process.

So it's back to work for me and for everyone else for the next three weeks. Then we can go home and relax for a bit until the whole cycle starts all over again.

Wish us luck!

Canary (My New Band)

I'm very excited and pleased to announce that I have a new band (!):

Canary is a new Boston/Berklee based rock/pop and blues band that falls sonically somewhere between Coldplay and the Who with a touch of Eric Clapton.

Driven by Ellis and Amy's in-your-face guitars, Isaac's pounding drums, and Drew's production chops, Canary is looking forward to making a mark in the New England music scene and beyond.

For more information, please contact us at canarytheband[at]gmail[dot]com

The widgets on the right side of the page are an email list you can sign up for as well as a music player featuring two songs. Please check them out and sign up for the email list if you like what you hear! We'll be playing shows (potentially) near you in the new year. What with the end of the semester coming (studying for finals, practicing hard), no full-time bassist, and limited rehearsal time (due to finals), suffice to say that the odds of a show before the end of the year are not in our favor.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and I can't wait to really kick it into high gear with Canary.

Seventeen

365 days ago I wrote a post entitled "Seventeen" because I was going to be home in seventeen days. Well, I decided to do it again.

In seventeen days, I will once again be home for Thanksgiving break. With the exception of Ear Training (I have a test the Monday after break), I want to be work-free. I've been a bit of a slacker lately, and I have more work now than I did at this time last year I think. Well, it's a different kind of work. I like the work I have now much more than I did last year. A lot more. Even the stuff I really don't like to do isn't that bad. It's just boring.

I have the privilege of registering for class a week before everyone else because I'm a Peer Advisor. I have a great schedule, too. No classes on Monday and no classes before 11. My Thursday's intense: class 11-1 and then 2-8 with no break. My last class of the day is with Jay Fialkov, so it's all good. Most importantly, I have Paul Stiller for Ear Training 4. I based my schedule around his class. I'm potentially taking a harmony course on the Beatles. I have to test out of Harmony 4 to do so. Or I can try for a waiver. I'll have to investigate.

I need to get on a better schedule. These next 17 days can kick my ass into gear. The best thing is, at the end of the 17 days, I get to go home and see all my friends that I haven't seen in a while. Including the one and only Bob Thompson.

Berklee Music Business Club Fall 2009 New York Trip

This post is to provide a schedule and necessary information for all members of Berklee's Music Business Club (MEISA) who are going on the New York Trip. This post is also intended to inform other members of the Berklee Community about MEISA and the New York trips that happen every semester.

To club members going on the trip, if you find these links do not provide much information (head's up: a few don't), then try researching the company online. There are many interviews floating around the web.

For those of you that stumbled upon this, welcome! MEISA/Berklee's Music Business Club is a group of students that are interested in the current state of the music industry. We meet once a week to discuss hot topics going on, have the occasional guest speaker, and to plan trips such as this. Recently we helped organize Berklee's Music Business/Management Department's Autumn Affair. If you would like to keep up with us, check out our Netvibes page to see what we're discussing, and feel free to email us at berkleemuiscbusinessclub [at] gmail [dot] com.

Thursday, November 12th

ASCAP (10.00AM)
Try to become familiar with their "about us" page as well as the rest of the site. ASCAP is a performing rights organization, often referred to as a "PRO."

Sirius Radio (10.00AM)
Browse their "about us" page. Upper-semester members, if you are interested working or interning for them, there is a "working at Sirius" page you should take a look at.

Nettwerk (12.00PM)
Some of you might remember that Terry McBride came to Berklee last semester. Nettwerk is a management company, a label, and beyond. Essentially, it's an all-inclusive media group. Check out their "about us" page and just browse the site a bit.

Remember that if you go to Crush Management, then you are also going to Shapiro Publishing. If you are going to Sony, then you are also going to Orchard.

Crush Management (2.00PM)
A management company that is home to Fall Out Boy, Panic! At The Disco, and Cobra Starship to name a few.

Sony Music (3.00PM)
We will be meeting with the Vice President of of Media Development. Sony is the parent company to many labels including Columbia, J Records, and RCA. Look around the sites to learn more about Sony and their labels.

Shapiro, Bernstein and Co. Publishing (4.00PM)
Shapiro Bernstein is one of the oldest publishing companies in America. They publish some of the biggest names in music. You can read about the history of them here.

The Orchard (5.00PM)
The Orchard is the leading distributor of digital music. Check out their site. Orchard distributes over one million songs all over the globe.

Live Nation (7.00PM)
The world's leader in putting on shows. Their mission is "to maximize the live concert experience."


Friday, November 13th:

Warner Chappell (Time 10.00)
Check out their site. They're one of the largest publishing companies in the world.

Platinum Rye Entertainment (11.30AM)
The world's "largest broker of celebrity talent." There really isn't much else on the site except for that.

Remember, if you go to Paradigm, then you cannot go to SESAC.

Paradigm Talent Agency (12.00PM) A leading entertainment talent agency in nearly every arena.

SESAC (1.00PM) Known as "the other" performing rights organization. Their membership is by invitation only, and their roster is about five percent of ASCAP's.

Fahrenheit Media Group (3.00PM)
Look at their site. This visit is not yet confirmed.

Cornerstone Promotion (3.00PM)
There's a link to a recent article about them. If you are going to Cornerstone, be sure to check it out.

Sterling Sound (5.00PM)
Sterling is the world's largest mastering studio. Take a look at the CDs they've mastered. Very impressive!

When I Can't Sleep, I Blog

I'm breaking all the cardinal-rules of trying to go to sleep: eating, listening to rock music (U2, to be more specific), and looking at a bright screen.

This whole Amy-not-going-to-bed-until-at-least-two started last week. I came home from a jam, and I was so excited, I just couldn't sleep. I slept great the following night, but then my pattern was messed up after being out until two in the morning Friday and not going to bed until three in the morning Saturday. I'm not sure I like it. I like to sleep.

I recently realized several things causing my insomnia:

1. Running. I'm not running. Exercise definitely helps you sleep, at least running helps me. I haven't gone for a run in a while. A long, long while. Blame it on my schedule, but it's my own fault. I'm not exhausting myself the way I should be in order to sleep the way I want to.

2. Midterms. I've been thinking so much about midterms that they could easily be keeping me up at night. I have one tomorrow, I mean today. It's Ear Training Part One: Dictation. I am horrific at dictation. Give me a guitar, I'll play you back the melody after listening to it once, maybe twice. Make me write it down, it's torture. This time I was smart: I scheduled a tutoring session right before my exam. I'm gonna walk in, and have my tutor play me Lydian and Mixolydian melodies for an hour. I can't think of a better way to prepare for it. Why didn't I think of this before? Paul Stiller used to (he still might) have dictation classes for Ear Training 1 and 2 on Wednesdays at 4. I went to as many as I could, and on my final dictation I got a B+. Practice makes perfect, it's just hard to practice dictation.

My other midterm I'm concerned about is Sound Reinforcement. I'm not so worried now. We reviewed in class today. As long as I do some prep work, I'll be fine.

3. Other things. I have so many little things to do. My lists are everywhere and unaccomplished, which is so unlike me. I have to get back on track. Not that I'm derailed, but my wheels are coming a little loose. Not in every area. Usually my guitar chops get lost in the shuffle (oddly enough) when I'm at school, but I've been spending a lot of time playing. Which is great. I didn't play nearly enough my first two semesters.

I've been thinking too much lately about everything. I think I'm thinking about sleeping too much.

I'm listening to U2's Zooropa, and I feel like it's December of 2008 during finals week because this album was my soundtrack. My mom called me sometime that week, probably that Tuesday, to tell me that she never bought the plane tickets to fly to DC for my cousin's wedding, but it ended up being the best mistake she ever made. A massive blizzard was headed for Boston the day we were supposed to fly. We would have missed our flight. Having never bought the tickets, we got a last-minute deal to fly out on Thursday and we ended up staying at the Willard and eating at Old Ebbit's Grill that night. It's amazing how I associate all that with Zooropa. And the Devil Wears Prada. I watched that movie eight times that week I think. I would put it on whenever I could. Ask my old roommate. Throughout November and December it was on all the time.

I could go on for a while now, but I need to stop myself and try and sleep.

Thank you for reading my late-night ramblings. I hope there are fewer of them.

Six of Ten: Bob Thompson

My graduation party. June 2008

Anyone that knows me more than to just say hello to knows who Bob is. For those of you that read this and don't know who Bob is, you're about to find out. I was going to save him for the last influence post, but after having dinner with him yesterday, I can't wait that long.

Bob is my favorite person in the world. He's my second-dad, my guitar teacher, my go-to guy to talk about anything with. He's the greatest. I adore that man like you wouldn't believe. Let's put it this way: my mom once said, "If Bob told you to jump off a bridge, you would." I replied, "...Yeah, but Bob would never tell me to jump off a bridge so we don't have to worry about that." I told that to him yesterday over our every-six-weeks-or-so-catch-up-dinner-now-that-I'm-back-in-school dinner. He laughed, and he agreed because he knows it's true.

I met Bob through a mutual friend/guitar player when I was sixteen. I had just finished up lessons with my former teacher Tom. At my last lesson with Tom, he said, "I've taught you everything I can teach you. You gotta go to Bob." Mark (mutual friend/guitar player) was very adamant about me taking lessons with Bob. So I emailed him, told him my shpeel (Berklee, pop/rock/blues lover, Eric Clapton freak, etc...), and shortly after that I began taking lessons with Bob. I had no idea how much impact that one email would have on me.

My first lesson was sometime in May of 2007. I had never met Bob before, I'd only emailed him a few times. The second I walked into his house, it was an instantaneous friendship. A typical guitar lesson is an hour long. My first lesson with Bob was two. My second lesson was three. My third lesson was four. You get the idea. I think the longest lesson I've ever had was six hours. It was a lesson, a clinic, and just some hang time with Bob. It was almost like we'd known each other forever and we were (I should say are) making up for lost time. My friends kind of hated my lessons during the summer because I'd be gone from 4.15 to at least 9.00. Often times I wouldn't pull into my driveway until 10.

Now the entire time wasn't spent playing. Bob and I like to talk a lot. A lot. We talk about everything. It's one of the best and it's probably the most natural friendship I've ever had with anyone. I trust him one hundred percent, which is why I can tell him anything. Not only do we talk a lot, we laugh a lot. Just last night, I set him up perfectly for a joke. It was great. I make fun of him, he makes fun of me. It's all good. He tries to get my going, and sometimes I let him because it's all in good fun.

When I left for school last year, I didn't cry when I said goodbye (temporarily, of course) to anyone. Except for when I said goodbye to Bob. It was heart-wrenching. I get sad just thinking about it. I was sad again when I said goodbye to him in August. It was a different kind of sad, but nonetheless, I was not happy, and it was not easy. I kept prolonging leaving. He could tell, and he didn't try to stop me. I would often play that game with him even in lessons. I love spending time with him. There'd be a lull, I'd quickly glance at the clock, and it would be way too early to call it a night (often times this would be about two and a half hours into a lesson). So I'd ask a question, or say something and we'd start right up again. To this day I still do this with people.

Anyway, back to Bob. Before I met Bob, my friends would ask me what I did with my life before guitar came into the picture. I don't know, really. I did what everyone else did, and I still do, only now guitar takes up much more of my free time. Now my friends ask me who did I have before Bob. And honestly, I don't know. To think about not knowing Bob is very strange to me. He fit right into my life instantly. I can't imagine him not being there. I survived sixteen years without him. It's funny how that happens.

When I would go on vacation, no matter how much fun I was having, part of me couldn't wait to get back home and have a lesson/hang with Bob. We'd play, we'd eat, we'd talk, we'd play, and he became such a part of my routine. He still is. My lessons (up until this summer) were on Mondays. Most kids hate Monday because it's the start of the school week. I loved Mondays (I still do) because it meant that two hours after I got home from high school that I would get ready for my weekly God-knows-how-long lesson.

I've grown exponentially as a musician thanks to Bob. Everything about my skills as a musician are better thanks to him. I don't think I'd be at Berklee if it weren't for him. He (and others) say(s) otherwise, but I don't.

Yesterday my mom said (in reference to me enjoying coming home once in a while), "She gets to see all the people she loves, her mother, her father, her sister, her friends, Bob, and she gets to play her guitar...Let me put that in the correct order: she loves BOB, her guitar, her mother, her father, her sister, and her friends. She won't deny it, either. And we know it's true." It is. For example, I went home for a long weekend in February not to see my parents, but to go out to dinner with Bob.

I would not be the same person had I not met Bob. I can't think of anyone that has had so much of an impact on me so fast. He's one of the greatest people I have ever met, and the person (with the exception of a few high school friends that aren't in Boston) I by far miss the most when I'm not in Maine.

Clearly, I could go on for hours about Bob. I miss him big time when I'm here at Berklee. As much as I love it here, I often catch myself counting down the days (46 or 47) until I get to see Bob again.

What do I do now? I just get lost in my college life, which I love almost as much as Bob.

The Subject Box Looked Naked Empty

I've been working on Ear Training for probably three hours or so now. I think that qualifies for a break.

I hate it, but I'm determined to get an A. So therefore I will continue to solfege the life out of me. I got a B on the first recitation. I have three more, and I have to get A's on them all. I also had my first dictation exam yesterday. I'm not sure how I did on it. They're hard to study for. The one thing I must say I like better about my dictation exams this year is that the rhythm and the melodies are separate. Instead of having to hear dotted-eighth notes and sixteenth rests, I only have to watch for quarter notes and half notes. That's nice.

Enough about Ear Training, I'll be going back to it after this.

I can't believe it's Tuesday. I am so confused on my days. That's what epic weekends in New York and New Jersey do to you. Now I'm all lost, and it's only going to get worse because I'm going home this weekend. I have a wedding to go to. It should be a lot of fun. Monday's a holiday (Columbus Day. Yes, we here in New England celebrate it--be jealous), which means Tuesday becomes Monday here at Berklee. It's confusing for everyone, and my entire internal calendar will be thrown off for probably the rest of the semester. Between this past weekend, next weekend, Halloween, possibly a trip to New York the first weekend of November, the Business Club trip to New York November 11th-14th, and Thanksgiving, I think all hope is gone. It's not necessarily a bad thing, I just have to pay a lot more attention.

I had a great meeting with Peter Spellman today. He's the head of Berklee's Career Development Center (CDC). The CDC is probably the most underutilized (is that a word?) resource at Berklee. It's also one of the greatest. Located on the 6th floor of the Uchida Building, it's a bit off the beaten path, but makes for a great place to get away without really going away. Peter and I talked about everything from my future to baseball to how attractive Tom Brady is. I had been meaning to go for a while now, but I just didn't. Now I'm going to stop by every week for an hour or so because it's a resource I need to use more.

Great things are going to be happening in the next few months. I'll be sure to tell you all about it either here or on my tumblog. All the posts from here go there (as I mentioned in a previous post), so either one works. I'm not quite sure why I have both, but I like them. So I guess that's why I've got two.

Anyway, as much as I don't want to, I should get back to Ear Training. That test ain't gonna do itself! Sadly...

Berklee 2.0

This post is so overdue it's not even funny.

I'm a sophomore/third-semester student at Berklee College of Music. The Greek definition of a sophomore is a wise fool. I may be a sophomore, but I don't think I'm a wise fool. I know a lot more about everything this year than I did last year, but I still know I don't know that much.

Last year was an incredible year. I learned so much and met/befriended some of the most amazing people. I would have loved to have started last year the same way as this year. I know it would have been impossible/entirely different, but I feel much better about this year. I'm forever the optimist, and I was an optimist last year, too. There's something different this year...I have a whole new level of optimism and confidence I had no idea I could muster. Even now as I type this alone in the dark, I glance over at my guitars and I get a rush of gusto, if you will. It's an incredible feeling. I wish I could share it with everyone.

Back to Berklee. I have a great schedule this semester. I'm done at one on Thursdays and I have no classes on Friday! Next semester I think I'm gonna flip it and have no classes on Monday. I think I'd like that more. Not that I'm complaining, but if I can do it, I will. Plus, Paul Stiller, aka P-Stills, normally has his Ear Training 4 class on Wednesdays and Fridays. He offered it to me this semester at the last minute (some foolish person dropped it), but I opted to stay in mine because it would give me Fridays off. I probably should have taken him up on the offer but RIck DiMuzio's a nice guy and a good teacher.

I think part of my new-found outlook on life has to do with being a Peer Advisor. It's kind of empowering, not that I'm power-hungry, but it's cool to say, 'Yeah, I'm a Peer Advisor.' I usually get a very enthusiastic response and it's probably the best job on campus. I can't get enough of it.

Scotty Johnson is just about the coolest guitar teacher in the department. I'm really enjoying my lessons with him. He has such a high level of energy and enthusiasm. He's so encouraging. If I don't take him next semester, I'll definitely take his Musical Theater lab. Not only do I love him, I have a burning desire to write a musical. I love musical theater. I've seen just about every show on Broadway that's out right now. There are sixteen musicals out not counting shows in previews. I've seen twelve. I've seen six in the past six months--including Hair twice.

Here's a little twist for you. Last year I was kind of missing having books to study from. I find that having a book makes it easier because you know exactly what to do. This year I have five books (not the workbooks you get for Ear Training and Harmony), and I miss not having them. It's more fun to explore on your own. As much as I enjoy economics, it can get a little dry and that book isn't exactly appealing all of the time.

On that note, I really love my business classes. Especially Taxation in the Music Industry. Everything is deductible! Well, not everything, but I never realized how much you can write off. When worded properly, I think your whole life could be deductible. My teacher is hysterical. I learned that Mick Jagger's lips are insured. Who would have thought...

What else, what else...There's so much to say. As you may or may not have noticed, I don't have any labs or ensembles this semester. I like it because it let's me focus on my private lessons more. I don't like it because I miss learning not only from different instructors but other students as well. Next semester I'll take at least one lab.

My History class is pretty sweet. Not as good as Shirley Tardif's class (BHS kids will understand), but hey, no class ever will be so I'm okay with that. My Sound Reinforcement class is interesting, but the book is so dry. It's a class that is much better in practice than in theory.

So that's about it for Berklee stuff. I've been playing a lot lately with some friends, and it's been good. It's only gonna get better. Be on the lookout for shows in, around, and out of the Boston area in the near future (November-ish).

I also have a great social life this year. Not that I didn't last year, but this year has been much more exciting. So far I've been to two winning Red Sox games (at this point last year I think I was at five, but I had a losing record and in my defense the Sox have been away a lot since I've been at school), and saw U2. I've gone out a lot more. I won't be in town the next two weekends because I have to go to New York (yes, I have to go haha) this weekend. The following weekend I have to go home for a wedding and to have my six-week catch-up dinner with Bob. It'll be good to get away. I haven't been away-away yet. I've been at BU (Boston University) a lot, but no where beyond the state line. It'll be good. No, it'll be great. Don't get me started on New York. There are a few posts about my love for it already.

On that note, I think I'm gonna try and go to bed. I wanted to two hours ago. Clearly that didn't happen. I'm not so sure my morning run will, either...Ah, well. Always tomorrow.

Anyway, I will be posting more regularly either here or my tumblog. All the posts that go here also go there so yeah. It's all good.

It's Been A Looong Time

I think this may be the longest I've gone without blogging. I've had what I call IBS--Irregular Blogging Syndrome--and I apologize for it. To be honest the only reason I'm writing right now is because I don't have the will power to do anything else. That's not say I don't enjoy blogging, I do. But I've either caught a horrendous cold or contracted a sinus infection. Either way, it's not fun.

I'll tell you what is fun, though. School. I have a great schedule this semester (no classes on Friday!), and I'm a Peer Advisor. What is a Peer Advisor? Well, a Peer Advisor is a third-semester or higher student that acts as a mentor/friend to a group of incoming freshmen. I was fortunate enough to be selected to do this. Am I qualified? I'm not entirely sure. Has it been fun? Fun doesn't even begin to describe it. I've met some of the most amazing people through the program, had an absolute blast on the retreat-like thing earlier in the month, and I have a great group of kids. Oh, and I get paid for all of it.

I really like my new guitar teacher, Scotty Johnson. Today we jammed and basically traded licks and riffs for half an hour. He's really encouraging and energetic and we get along really well. My other teachers are all great, too.

I think the best part about being back is seeing all my friends. I haven't jammed with any of them yet. That's gonna change. I don't have a band yet. That's also gonna change. I'm working on changing a lot of things in my life. All good things. It's going to be a great semester/year. I can feel it.

I thought I had more in me, but I'm giving up and going to bed. I refuse to be sick; I'm going to the Red Sox for Christ's sake (reference to a movie. Name it).

I'll write/share more later.

City Obsession

I'm currently sitting in Connecticut traffic en route to my favorite city on this side of the pond, New York.

The other day I realized that I have an obsession with New York. All my favorite TV shows are New York-based (30 Rock, Seinfeld, Sex and the City, Ugly Betty). Billy Joel is from New York (so is Alicia Keys). A large part of the music industry is in New York, as well as all my favorite places to eat.

You can't be bored in New York. If you are, then you're a boring person. I'm paraphrasing that a bit, but I believe it. The things to do in New York are endless. As are the opportunities, which is one of the main reasons I'm so in love with it. I feel like anything is possible in New York. I do believe that anything really is possible, but when I'm in Manhattan that feeling is multiplied by a million. Just the thought of it makes me smile.

In a few hours time, I will be walking through Grand Central to hop on a 4 train to my hotel. It's almost as if all my time spent in the city is practice for when I live there, and I will no longer need to obsess over a dream because it won't be a dream anymore.

It will be reality.

Another Post

I used to be a regular blogger, what happened to me? The summer weather has me spending less time online and more time outdoors. I've also been heavy into karate again (I have about half an hour until my next lesson), and I've just been neglecting my blog. I'm torn between keeping this or only using my tumblog. These posts feed right into there, but those don't feed into here.

I'll keep this for now, but I'm not sure how much longer.

Anyway, I've been writing a lot of songs lately, which is great! I'm excited to get to work on them. I've also been transcribing a boatload of Beatles songs for my lessons, and because they're amazing. The songs are beyond perfect. My next influential post may have to be about them.

I'm going to New York on Thursday. I'm very excited to return to my semi-adopted home. I haven't been since May. I'm overdue for a visit. I swear I could write albums worth of music about New York. I may do that. Write ex-number of songs about the City. I already have one. It's over there on the right. I have a better version that I should post soon.

This has been kind of scattered. I think I'm gonna go now.

Five of Ten: Mick Jagger/Keith Richards/The Rolling Stones

The second you see this, you know what comes next. It's arguably the most recognizable band logo of all time.













Keith Richards is the most unlikely guitar hero. Maybe that's why I love him so much. He doesn't play flashy solos, he probably couldn't tell you the modes in a major key, nor does he do anything really esoteric.

That's what makes him so awesome, and that's why I was drawn to him and the Rolling Stones. The music the Rolling Stones created (the songs he and Mick pegged) is pure rock 'n' roll (with the exception of their brief/somewhat disastrous disco phase) with a heavy undertone of blues. The Stones started off as a blues band. They also had a few hits before Satisfaction took over the world.

Enough about their history. There are countless books that have it.

I owe this one to my mom. She was a child of the British Invasion, and loved the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. She got 40 Licks for Christmas one year, and that was my first adventure into possibly the biggest musical influence in my life. I played (and still do play) those CDs for hours. I remember sitting in my bedroom trying to master the solo in Sympathy For The Devil. My friend taught me Brown Sugar when I was 15 and to this day it's my favorite song to play--in or out of Open G tuning.

Let's go back to Keith. I have a 1952 Butterscotch Blonde Fender Telecaster Reissue mainly because of Keith. He played them. I wanted one. Bad. I was in Sam Ash in New York City in April of 2006, tentatively on a mission for a new guitar. And it was definitely going to be a Telecaster. I walked into the main room, and I didn't see anything I liked. So I walked through the door on the right, and right in front of me was a beautiful Telecaster. There was no name on it. I picked it up, and plugged into a Fender amp, strummed an E chord, and knew instantly I had to have it.

My dad came in shortly after, and I said to him, 'I'm not leaving the store without this guitar.'

He laughed, and said, 'Well, happy birthday.' I think I was shocked that he bought me that guitar. He knew I was serious, though--about that guitar and playing guitar in general. I had been playing a Silvertone strat for over two years. I felt like I really earned that guitar. I remember the feeling of pure elation as I walked down the streets of Manhattan carrying my Telecaster in its beautiful tweed case. I felt like a real guitar player that day.

To this day, I often find myself coming up with riffs that Keith himself could have concocted up. Some people say he's lazy. I don't care. He's written some of the greatest guitar hooks ever. Jumpin' Jack Flash, Satisfaction, Honkey Tonk Women, and Gimme Shelter to name a few. Wild Horses is one of my favorite ballad-y songs ever.

I recently purchased a Fulltone OCD, and I discovered that I can pretty much match the sound of any Stones song (with distortion, that is). I had a big grin on my face for the rest of the night after I discovered that.

When people used to ask me who I wanted to sound like, I always responded with, 'Keith Richards and Eric Clapton combined.' I wanted the solos of Eric and the feel and rhythm of Keith. I'm still working on combining the two.

I saw the Stones in January of 2006. I probably had the worst seats in the house, but I didn't really care. I heard all my favorite songs live, and witnessed Mick Jagger in his full-on lunatic stage mode. It was fantastic.

Speaking of Mick Jagger. I really haven't talked much about him.

In another life, Micky Mick and I were married. I'm convinced haha! He is the world's greatest entertainer. The man does not stop for a second on stage. On the Steel Wheels tour, he would run up to four miles a night! His stage presence and sense of performance are second to none. He just keeps going and going and going. I used to blast the Stones and run around my house in a Mick-like fashion. I would also strap on a guitar and play along with what I could. Back then I preferred being Mick to Keith when it came to pretend-performance. I could have more fun with it because I wasn't plugged in.



I can't write this post and not mention what Keith calls "The Ancient Form of Weaving." The Stones have had a few lead players. Brian Jones, who was killed in his pool. Mick Taylor, who was with them when they recorded arguably their best albums (Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers, and Exile On Main Street). And my personal favorite, Ronnie Wood. Keith and Ronnie are the "Weavers." Listen to Beast Of Burden, and you'll know what I mean. The two of 'em flow so effortlessly in and out of each other's playing. If they weren't both married, I'd say they might be a couple themselves. Anytime you see a picture of them, they look like a happy couple.



Charlie Watts, the backbone and the provider of the backbeat, is a human metronome. Like Keith, he's not flashy, but he never misses a beat. I wish I had more to say on Charlie. He's a fighter. I'll leave it at that.



As for Bill Wyman, I really have nothing to say. I don't think leaving the band was a good move on his part, but hey, to each his own. I've also heard from many Rolling Stones fans that it's just not the same without him--live, that is.

Here's something I find a little funny. My senior year, I had a class on Bob Dylan (yes, it was wicked cool). During the first class, my teacher played us two covers of Dylan songs. He doubted that anyone would know who was singing. Well, I knew. I guessed correctly, I should say. The first song didn't take me too long to get--it was Sheryl Crow. Other kids guessed right, too. The second one, however, was not so easy to the rest of the class. They were all like, 'Who IS this?' I sat there, focusing very hard on the CD player, and said, 'Keith. Richards.' My teacher laughed and said "very good!" He was somewhat shocked that I had gotten it right. I was quite impressed with myself, as was the rest of the class.

Anyway. Lately I've been working on some "blues-fusion," mainly Robben Ford songs. While I do enjoy playing that style, I'm not aspiring to have a career in that realm. I'll take what I can from those songs and incorporate it back into straight rock, giving my music (mainly the guitar solos) a bit of a different touch.

Robben Ford, you may be wicked good, but you ain't got nothin' on the Rolling Stones in my book.

He's Done It Again

Roger Federer won his 15th Grand Slam tournament by beating Andy Roddick in another epic match at Wimbledon. The final set lasted thirty games, which is a record. The whole match broke a record (more games than any other match). Andy put up a phenomenal fight, but Roger slowly broke him down physically, mentally, and probably emotionally. If you watched the match, you probably noticed that Roger was not anywhere nearly as sweaty or tired-looking as Andy was.

I became infatuated with Roger some time ago. Having always been a mild tennis fan, I became a much bigger fan in the past few years mainly due to Roger (and the Williams sisters, especially Serena). I used to play, and I might have to start playing again soon.

The best part of this? I finally get my hat!

Unintentional Hiatus

Wow, I have been neglecting my blog lately. I have no reason, either. I've been busy doing other things, most of which could have easily been replaced with blogging. Ah well, I'm here now.

I didn't get the memo that June is now the rainy season in the Northeast. It's only been sunny for approximately two days all month. It's been pretty depressing.

Other than the rain, everything's pretty rockin'. I've recorded a few songs, take a listen if you want to:

Keep On With The Climb

White Boy Blues

(Sidenote: I'm going to record a new solo on White Boy Blues. I don't care for it, and I can do better. I might even get some full band recordings on here. It's in the works.)

I've been working on a lot of other songs, too. They should be up in the near future so be on the look out! I'm always open to feedback/advice.

Everything else in my life right now is swell. I just need to practice a bit more, sleep a bit more (I should be in bed now...Oops), and run some more (if the sun ever comes out! I hate treadmills). Oh yeah, and go to the beach. I've been once, and it was in May. I didn't think I'd get much time to go, but this is a bit much. I couldn't wait to get back to my coast after being landlocked in the Midwest for a few days, and I don't even think I've been to the beach once since coming back. Sad. Oh well, I have hope that July will bring sunnier days!

I'll write more when I have more to say. I thought I had more to say, but I guess I don't!

That being said, I'm gonna go.

Until next time (which will be soon!), watch this. It's become one of my favorite live songs ever:

Summer So Far

Sorry it's been a while. I've been meaning to write. I sit at my laptop every now and then with my blog open, and try to write something, but it all felt too forced. So now that I've taken care of business (done my errands), I'm just gonna click away on my keys to my heart's content.

My summer so far has been fantastic. I play music probably five nights a week on average with my band, see my friends on a daily basis, do karate, work/get paid, take guitar lessons, write songs as much as possible (more on that later), and it's only June 16th! If have another two and a half months of this, I will be a very happy camper. I haven't been to any concerts yet, but I've got a few good ones coming up.

While I haven't been to any shows, I did have one of the best times ever last week. I flew to Nebraska to see my friend Natalia. I hadn't seen her since January when she flew to Boston to surprise Julia for her birthday. To recap the whole trip would take too much effort. I'll just say that I had an absolute blast and can't wait to go back. Can't. Wait. I returned home on Friday. I was so sad when I had to leave. I'm not sad to be back home, I'm just sad that Natalia, Annie, Kelley Bruce Robinson, Andy, Teddy, LaDuke, and everyone else I know/met are not here with me.

Anyway. My next trip will be Boston for the 4th of July, followed by New York City at some point during the summer. Both will be wicked fun. My cousin Dale will be here in 16 days, and that's always a good time.

Overall, I was right--my summer rocks. It's been a steady stream of awesome. What more could you ask for? The best part is that it's not even done yet. :)

Branch Out

Not too long ago, I discovered an independent record label called Branch Records via Twitter. Here's what they do that's different from other labels:
Plant tree's.

For every single cd, digital download, or subscription sold, they plant a tree.

I'm all about saving the environment. At the rate we're going, we gotta do something about it. Every little bit counts. Could you imagine how many more trees we would have if every label did this? Things would be green again.

Artists stay out of debt.
Under their model, their artists stay out of debt.

No one likes to be in debt, and a lot of musicians tend to be in the red. We've heard so many stories about artists getting screwed over financially; it's about time somebody did something about the stuff that the musicians "don't want to hear about." Wrong. We kind of need to know if we'll be able to pay the bills. Kudos to the guys at Branch Records.

They do wicked cool things.
From Scratch and Sniff cd's to sustainable download cards that grow flowers, they are always looking for the next cool thing to bring to the world.

I like it. I like it a lot. I've thought about hand-painting my own CDs to make them a bit cooler than the same laser-printed font and colors. Scratch and Sniff is a whole other level.

I could write more about them, but I need to go to bed before 2 for once. They're a really great label. They have nine or so artists, and if they want a tenth one, they don't have to look any further haha!

Four of Ten: Alicia Keys

My sister asked me last summer if I could have any job in the world right now, what would it be. I said, 'I'd want to be like Alicia Keys.' She said, 'So basically you want to be a rockstar.' I said, 'I just want to go out and do my thing really really good, like Alicia.' She just kind of smirked at me and walked away.

If that question was asked to me again right now, I would probably answer something along those lines.

Alicia Keys inspires me beyond belief. She makes me want to be a better person. Kind of like Oprah, only musical. She's incredibly passionate about her music, and she's smart. She almost went to Columbia, but then opted to pursue a career in music. Maybe that's why I'm so fascinated with Columbia...

Last June, I saw Alicia in concert here in Boston. When I found out she was going to be here, I knew I had to go. Well, there was a slight conflict: my senior class trip. My first thought was to not go to the show, but I couldn't pass up an opportunity to see the one and only Alicia Keys. So then I thought I would just skip my class trip because come on--it's Alicia Keys! I told my friends that, and this conversation went on for a while:

"But, Amy! It's your senior class trip!"
"Yeah, but..It's Alicia Keys! ALICIA KEYS!"

Then I had a brainstorm, and figured out a way to do both. I was able to go on two thirds of my class trip AND (more importantly) go see Alicia Keys.

Why, why was I so determined to see Alicia Keys? I think it's because she's just that damn good. It's not like her last tour was her farewell tour. To my friends, sacrificing a few days with them for a concert was outrageous, and probably would have been held over my head for the rest of my life. For me, had it been necessary, I would have done it. That says something about how much Alicia has influenced me. She's beautiful, smart, talented, and nice. Why wouldn't I want to see her live? Especially with As I Am being such a killer album, I had to hear it live!

Alicia pushes me to my limit. She's definitely not the only person that makes me push myself, but she's one of the bigger influences, especially musically. Although, as soon as you hear my stuff, you'll be like, 'What is she talking about? I don't hear any Alicia Keys in this!' That's because if I were to try and incorporate some of her stuff into my music, it wouldn't make sense.

And if there's one thing I've learned from Alicia Keys, it's to be true to yourself 100% of the time.

1.33 AM

If it weren't 1.33 AM, I would write a more extensive post, but I have to wake up in four and a half hours to go to New York.

I will finish up the seven remaining influences.
I will update you on the status of my band.
I will post songs.
I will show you my pedal board once it's complete.

I will go to bed now.

And We're Back

I'll do the big End-Of-Year-One-At-Berklee post later. After I finish unpacking my life, go to New York City, and get back on a schedule, I'll recap the year and what I've learned.

I just thought I'd let you know that I survived.

I'm going to finishing watching Iron Man, and then unpack some more.

Cutoff

I'm doing it. For roughly the next three weeks, I am cutting myself off from basically all things related to the internet (Facebook) with the exception of email, the Red Sox, and iChat from time to time. I've become too distracted by it all, and I need to focus my energy on school, guitar, and working out (and the Red Sox) until either:

A. All my work is completed
or
B. May 7th

That being said, I'm gonna go--not a moment to spare!

It's That Time Again!

Red Sox season has returned! Actually, it returned eleven days ago, but up until yesterday, I hadn't been a part of it.

Last night, Katie Lannan and I went to one of the most exciting games either one of us has been to. If you combine the amount of games we've gone to, it's well over 40. Brad Penny gave up seven runs in the second inning, and to many people, all hope seemed lost. Not to us. The Sox came back and won 10-8. J.D Drew (one of my favorite players) and Jason Bay both had homeruns, and I think every player made it across the plate at least once. I reccommend you read the box score.

I've been to four Red Sox-Yankees games, three playoff games, and I've been to at least two other come-back victory games, but last night's was something entirely different. I know it's only April, and I know it's still early in the season, but last night's game shows how good the Red Sox are and how good they are going to be throughout the season. They just have to get their footing, and then we will no longer be at the bottom of the score board.

24 Days (Until Possibly The Best Summer Ever)! And Other Things

I only have 24 days left in my first year of college. I don't think there is an adjective that can describe how I feel when I think about it. I'm incredibly excited for summer, but I'm also sad because I've had such a great time this year.

If things go according to plan, then I will have the greatest summer ever--even better than last year, and I saw five incredible shows and went to Europe for a week and a half. There's so much I want to do, all I have to do is do it (like Nike). Take a look at my plans:

--(It looks like) A few friends and I are getting a band together. We kind of had one last year, but it was more like we had jam sessions. I have to play shows this summer, otherwise I will explode. I gotta give my singer/pianist/guitarist a call this week.

--I want to take a few liberal arts courses to save time/money. There are two four-week sessions at USM, and if I can get Art History, Western Civ, and a physical science out of the way, that would be fantastic.

--I have to work. I need money! I need money mainly to buy Red Sox tickets when I'm back at school haha! I also need money to get new gear.

--I want to go back to karate. It's probably my favorite way to work out (with the exception of running). Not only am I burning calories, I'm having a great time doing it, and I'm also learning. I also love my Sensei and my fellow martial artists.

--There are a zillion books I want to read. There are also a zillion songs in me that need to be written/recorded. if I could get some studio time, that would be the cherry on top of everything.

--I absolutely positively have to take lessons (aka hang out) with Bob. I couldn't survive all summer knowing that he's 20 minutes away from me and I don't see him on a weekly basis. That is unacceptable. I want to come back here in the fall and be so much better than I am now that my friends will ask me what I did to get to that level.

--I want some time to chill and go to the beach (even in April, it's calling my name). It doesn't look like I'll have much with that schedule, but believe me, I will. I now know why college ends in May and not June like high school. If it were to go until June, we would all die. At least I would.

I think that's it. I hope that's it! Haha! I don't know how much more I could handle, and still get some sleep.

In other news, I am shooting for all A's (and a B in Ear Training because there is no way I can get an A at this point) this semester and I have been very busy doing work for the past week. My life consists of homework, music, and the Red Sox. I had a ton of English homework to do, and I'm redoing all the stuff I received a B on. Luckily there aren't that many. I did one last night, and it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.

I have a ton of other homework, too. I have an Ear Training quiz tomorrow, a Harmony quiz Thursday, and my Arraning project is due in two weeks. I also asked for extra credit in that class because I have no idea how I only got a B on my midterm. The class is so easy that I slack off sometimes when I know I shouldn't.

I've also been trying to put in two hours of practice a night. I've been reasonably successful. I won't be putting in two hours of guitar tonight, though. Gotta get an A on my quiz tomorrow! It's so nice out, and I've been inside all day Ear-Training my face off. If I don't get an A, I will be very disappointed in myself. I'm working my butt off!

I'll give the Red Sox their own post later this week, but there are four games this weekend--one of them is at 11 o'clock in the morning! I want to go to that game just to say I went to a game at 11 o'clock in the morning. I'll be at Friday's, Saturday's, maybe Sunday's, and definitely Monday's game. I should just say I'll probably be at all of them. Save myself some time.

Okay, back to work I go!

Homework Overload Results In A Hiatus

I'm drowning in my homework. So as much as I want to post, write/record songs, go to Red Sox games (OPENING DAY IS TODAY!), read, and do ten thousand other things, I have to get my work done. All of the above are incentives for me to get my work done. So with that being said, back to work!

Oh, and if you're in the Boston/Cambridge area, there's a great show at TT the Bear's tonight at 9.00! 18+, $7 to get in, but it's worth it! See you there?

Okay, back to work!

Three of Ten: U2

Never in my life have I been so influenced by a band so fast.

I went to Dublin last August, and I had been a mild fan of U2 for a long time. I knew of the brilliance of The Joshua Tree album and that they were from Ireland, but that was about it. The second I stepped foot in Dublin, I became consumed by U2. I thought, "Oh, I'm in Ireland. U2's from Ireland. Let's check 'em out."

I was hooked.

I didn't have any of their songs on my iPod at the point. So I YouTubed them like mad whenever I had the chance to. I was so obsessed with them that learned how to play With Or Without You and I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For via YouTube while in Europe. I must have heard half of their catalogue through YouTube on my trip. We left Dublin before we could go see the U2 Wall, but that's okay. I'll go back.

The day after I got home, I went out and bought six of their CDs and played them all the time (The Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby, Zooropa, War, All That You Can't Leave Behind, and How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb). Their music covers every single emotion. Their approach is so different than anyone else I listen to.

The Edge is the epitome of less-is-more when it comes to guitar. There are some very guitar-driven songs/albums, but on songs like With Or Without You, he only plays like..three different licks throughout the song. Pride has one of my favorite guitar riffs in it. There's a lot, and then there's a little. I love it. I want to be able to do more with less like Edge can. He's the only guitarist in the band, and while they can overdub in the studio, there's not a whole lot of looping going on live because Edge (and Larry and Adam) can fill a stadium no problem. I could talk about his effects and his tone for hours, but the Edge is a better guitarist than anyone gives him credit for.

Bad is one of my favorite songs by them. It's prosody at it's finest: it sounds like it feels, and it feels like it sounds. It's empty and almost hollow at parts (to me anyway), but it fills you up. When Bono wails "I'm wide awake I'm wide awake wide awake. I'm not sleeping," I get more than shivers down my spine.

A lot of people don't like Bono because they think he's just doing charity work for the attention. Bono doesn't need to do anything for attention. He's done so much to try and help the world, and sometimes a cause need a famous face to get noticed. As for Bono, he doesn't care if the public thinks he's doing it for the attention. He's doing what he wants to do, and trying to make a difference. I have tons of respect for the man. His voice is phenomenal, and he writes lyrics that move me. He uses a lot of cliché rhymes, but he can get away with it. He's also probably the only person that can get away with saying "sexy boots" more than once in a song.

You can't talk about U2 without Larry Mullen. If it weren't for Larry, U2 might not even exist. He posted a sign on a bulletin board at school, and that's how it all began. Larry is definitely the looker of the band. His drumming is so cool. Bullet the Blue Sky, Bad, and Sunday Bloody Sunday all have incredible drumming. He's not crazy like Keith Moon was, nor is he as straight as Charlie Watts. He falls somewhere in between. The sound he gets out of his drums is incredible. The tone is so great.

People sometimes forget about bassists, but Adam Clayton makes sure he's not forgotten. While his bass does lie in the background, on songs like With Or Without You, New Years Day, A Man and A Woman, and Magnificent, the bass is right up in your face. He's so smooth. I hardly get the chance to play bass, but Adam makes me want to get one. I love how Adam is able to make himself heard and at the same time fall back and jam with Larry.

U2 is truly a band. They have never broken up, the line-up hasn't changed, and they don't seem to hate each other. All of the songs are written by U2. It's a democracy, and I like that a lot. Bono may write the lyrics (he puts that in the liner notes), but there would be no lyrics if there was no music. They all need each other.

I haven't written any songs that are really U2esque, but they're in me somewhere. There's no possible way I could ever say that U2 has had no affect on my music because they have. I can feel it. You might not hear it yet, but it's there. The songs are on their way, and they will be coming at you soon. Very, very soon.

A Little More Truth

You know, I was going to write some big post about what I want to do with my life, but I decided I could sum it up better in a short one:

I may be a Music Business/Management major at Berklee, but that doesn't mean anything.
I want to write songs*, play shows, build a fanbase as well as an online presence, and release records. In that order. Well, not necessarily, but I need the first two to do the last three.
I want to develop myself as an artist (with help/advice from others of course).
I want to meet and connect with as many people/music lovers as possible.
I want to get in a van and go.
I want to play festivals.
I want to jam. A lot.

So yeah. That just about sums it up.

And at some point in my life, I am going to write a Broadway musical. I just need a story.

*I already write songs, and have been doing so for over five years. You can hear a couple on the right. One of them will be coming to you on an EP and at shows soon.

Two of Ten: Eric Clapton

I was just talking to someone about Eric Clapton, so I thought now would be a good time to talk about his impact on my life.



There is no possible way I can recount Eric Clapton's life. Read his book. It's a great book.

For a guitarist, I don't have that many guitar-influences (as stated in a previous post). The only one that really comes to mind when I'm asked who I listen to is Eric Clapton. That says something. Most people I know list off players like it's nothing. The only name that drops from my mouth instantly is Eric Clapton.

I didn't start off as a blues player. I started off playing a lot of stuff by the Ramones and AC/DC (Angus Young was probably the first guitarist I ever really paid attention to). I become a Led Head for a while between 8th grade and freshman year. I also was heavy into Nirvana. Then towards the end of my freshman year, I discovered Eric Clapton (and every other band I listen to today really). He was one of my portals. Eric Clapton (and the Rolling Stones, more on them later) showed me the blues. And for the first time, I really listened and felt something.

My whole world changed. I no longer cared for much else but playing guitar and I became infatuated with Eric Clapton. My mom had one of his many best-of CDs. I learned Cocaine, After Midnight, Knockin' On Heaven's Door, Sunshine Of Your Love, and Layla shortly after (not necessarily in that order). The first solo I ever remember transcribing by ear was the one in After Midnight.

I was bitten by the Clapton bug. There was no escape. I bought tons of his stuff. I still don't have all of it today--that will change, I promise. Derek and the Dominos, Cream, his solo work, etc...I couldn't, and still can't, get enough of it.

Probably more so than anybody else (again), I want Eric Clapton's career. He's been in so many incredible bands, and up until his solo career, he only sang when he wanted to. He just wanted to play guitar, and look at where that got him. He's the only person in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame three times (Derek and the Dominos, Cream, and solo), and he can go on tour on a moment's notice--with Steve Winwood.

My favorite era of Clapton is with Cream. This past summer I went from being a big Eric Clapton fan to an obsessed Cream/Eric Clapton fan. I learned like..Fifteen Cream songs in a month. I'm So Glad, Badge, Sunshine of Your Love (again), White Room, Crossroads, Born Under A Bad Sign, Politician, Sleepy Time Time, We're Going Wrong, I Feel Free, Spoonful, Sweet Wine, Strange Brew, Tales of Brave Ulysses, Outside Woman Blues. I was consumed by Cream. I still am. I'm listening to the now.

There's something about Eric Clapton's playing that I can't quite articulate, but if you're a fan, you know what I'm talking about. It speaks to me. There's so much passion in it. It can be a driving force or it can be a gentle lullaby. He can do it all like no one else.

I don't think--I know I play the guitar the way I do today because of him. I use so many of his licks every day, you can't even count them. I had a jam tonight, and we played six or seven songs, including two Cream songs. I play at least one Clapton song every day. Be it Bell Bottom Blues, Crossroads, Layla, Forever Man, Cocaine, Badge...You get the idea.

Not a single day goes by that I pick up my guitar and I don't play a Clapton song. He has become such a big part of my life that if I were to not play a song of his, it would be like not drinking water that day.

One of Ten: Tina Fey

(Note: These are in no specific order of influence. Tina Fey is the one that inspired me to do these posts.)


I love my life. I do. I'm incredibly comfortable in my own skin and abilities, but there are some days where I just want to be Tina Fey. She's probably my biggest role model, and easily one of my favorite celebrities. I can't think of anyone I have more respect and admiration for than Tina Fey. She's worked incredibly hard to get to where she is today.

For those of you that don't know Fey so well, here's a recap on her life:

-She graduated from the University of Virginia in 1992 with a BA in Drama
-After graduation, she moved to Chicago to attend classes at Second City. Two years later, she was part of the cast.
-In 1997 she became a writer for Saturday Night Live (SNL), and in 1999 she was the show's first female headwriter
-In 2000 she became a co-anchor on SNL's Weekend Update sketch with Jimmy Fallon. She hosted the segment until 2004
-Not only did she write (one of my favorite movies) "Mean Girls" in 2004, she also starred in it.
-She left SNL in 2006 to write, produce, and star in her own show 30 Rock
-She has seven Emmys, two Golden Globes, 3 SAG Awards. She was one of Barbara Walters' 2008 "10 Most Fascinating People" along with a whole slew of other accolades (including being one of People's 50 Most Beautiful in the World)

Look at that. All of this before she's 40 (she's 38).

Tina Fey is brilliant. She got in from the inside of the business. She went from writing the scripts behind the scenes to being the star of the screen--while still writing the scripts. She's also the producer of 30 Rock.

Two years ago when the Writer's Guild of America went on strike, Tina was out in front of Rockefeller Center picketing with her fellow writers and actors (on a side note, I tried to get my mom to go to New York during the strike so I could go hang out with Tina and the countless other actors and writers. It didn't work).

On top of all of this, Tina is still normal. She handled coming out of the writer's room very gracefully. She went from being moderately famous to one of Barbara Walters' most fascinating people (thanks to the GOP's VP candidate) in what seemed like a matter of minutes.

From SNL to Mean Girls to 30 Rock to being Sarah Palin, Tina Fey's got it all.

Here's a quote from her interview with Vanity Fair:

Everybody wants to be Tina Fey, I tell her. Who do you want to be?

“I don’t want to be somebody else,” she says.

And why would she?

Delay

My apologies. I was without the Internet for a few fantastic days in New York City.

I am going to do a series of posts on people that have influenced me. I used to not want to talk about my influences because the second I talk about how much I love Billy Joel you will immediately hear the influence in my music. I can't hold back any longer. I'm bursting.

So here's a list to satisfy my own needs:

(They're in alphabetical order)

The Beatles
Eric Clapton
Tina Fey
Mick Jagger/Keith Richards/The Rolling Stones
Billy Joel
Alicia Keys
Seinfeld (as in the TV show)
Bob Thompson
U2
The Who

I'll start with those ten. They may change, but that's not likely. If anything, I'll add more.

Anyway, I'm back at Berklee, and there is work to be done and some cleaning to do. In ten short, beautiful days, I will be back in New York City with the Business Club, and I can't wait.

Ten days to accomplish easily twenty days of work. I feel a song coming.

My mind is all over the place these days. More on that later.

Warning:

Dear Valued Reader,

In the next few days, you will be experiencing many posts on many topics because I do not think there is one possible way to squeeze it all into one post.

However, there will be a string of posts all relating to one topic: Influences. The rest is up for grabs.

Be ready.

Yours truly,

Amy

A Doozie Of An Update

I suggest getting something to eat or drink as you read this. You may be here for a while.

I don't even know where to begin... Actually, I should begin by doing my Arranging homework or my College Writing homework, but if I don't do this now, I never will. Or I'll screw up the facts because after a while things get jumbled in my brain.

I'll start with Monday.

I don't know what it is about dictation in Ear Training that I can't grasp. If you ask me to play a rhythm or a melody back on guitar, I'll get it after one try. When it comes to writing things down, I get lost. I'm find with intervals and chords, and even rhythm, but melody...Melody kills me every time. I know I didn't get an A on my dictation midterm. I did pretty good on the singing part. Just a few slip ups. I'm determined to get an A on the next quiz/test/final. My teacher, Paul Stiller (easily one of the best teachers at Berklee), said I've made a lot of progress from my last quiz. I'm getting there, in more than one area.

My Guitar Lab midterm went well. I played "Forever Man" by my man Eric Clapton. I made a few mistakes, but it was fine. Got an A on that one.

Let's move on to Tuesday.

Tuesday's my easiest day. I have Harmony 3 with Eric Byers in the morning, and my lesson at 6. I played a song I wrote called Doubt (there's a very rough recording somewhere on the blog) in my lesson this week. So that was cool. I'm often asked who influences me as a player, and the truth is, oddly enough, I wouldn't say I have any really strong guitar influences. Or they're not who you think they would be--other than Eric Clapton. I love Hendrix, I went through a pretty big Hendrix phase last year. Stevie's great, too. But the people that have influenced me the most are Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, and Pete Townshend. One of the reasons I have a Telecaster is because of Keith. I used to (and still do to a degree) want to be Keith, minus the drugs. When I saw the Stones a few years back, I went nuts when he came out playing "Jumpin' Jack Flash." I'm more influenced by songs and songwriters than I am by guitarists. I tried to get heavy into playing, but then I said to myself, 'You're always going to love Billy Joel more than Buddy Guy so just get over it.' I do love Buddy, but not the way I love Billy.

So after my lesson I went to see Ann Coulter and Bill Maher give speeches and debate each other. They decided to participate in Boston's 2009 Speaker Series. After a while, I had to stop listening to Ann Coulter. I just couldn't take it. Bill Maher was hilarious, as usual. I must have been in the Ann Coulter fan section because no one around me was even laughing at Bill. Some hecklers got thrown out, and some guy in the balcony started yelling at Bill Maher and Bill let him have it. It was great. It was a cool thing to see.

Moving on: Wednesday.

Wednesday was a very special day in Boston. U2 came to town to play a "secret show" at the Somerville Theater. The tickets were given away through radio contests, and U2 had their own guest list for the show. I did get into the theater, but not the show. I bought a ticket to the movies. You all know how much I was dying to see "He's Just Not Into You" right? I mean, I could not stop talking about it haha!

I missed the band at the Ritz that afternoon. There was no way I could have made it there in time, so I went straight to Davis Square to try and catch them before they went inside. I missed that, too, but I heard soundcheck! So that was cool. My movie was at 7, so I went in around 6.45. I have never seen so much security for such a tiny place! There were about 10 security guys in the lobby (which is about the size of my room)! There were about 12 of us at the movie, all with the same idea: sneak into U2's show. Well, none of us got in, but I did get to hear the first song ("Get On Your Boots") and the last song ("Vertigo"). I caught a few glimpses of the band at the Q&A thanks to a security guard that Tom (known as @BostonTweet for Twitter users) knows.

I decided to head back into Boston, and hang out at the Ritz Carlton, hoping that U2 would come back before I had to go back. Their entire crew did, but they were in Davis Square for a good portion of the night. The T sadly stops at 12.30ish so I had to get back to the Berk before then. On the bright side, I found a new cool hang place: the Ritz lobby. It's intimately spacious. The staff is great. There's a fire place, and it's quiet. I also finished up some work before heading back to my neck of the woods around 11.45 or so.

So today was also an eventful day. After my Harmony midterm, I went back to the Ritz to see if U2 was still around. If they were, I didn't see them. I was only there for 45 minutes because I had to go get in line for the Paul Simon clinic! I ran into my friend Tom (his blog is here) outside of Berklee, and we waited in line, chit-chatted, and ate scones outside the Berklee Performance Center for 45 minutes or so in the cold waiting to go inside for the clinic. Paul Simon's a character. It was a really relaxed atmosphere. We were able to ask questions, and he played us a few songs. It was a lot of fun.

After the clinic, I had my Legal Aspects class. We got our midterms back. I got a 97! I was pretty excited. That was only the first half. He said the second half is much harder than the first. I'm determined to keep that 97, though. I will be one of the few that manages to do so by the way he made it sound.

My class ended at 6. I bolted back to my dorm, grabbed my digital recorder and my iPod and headed over to Tom's (blog, website)show at the All Asia bar in Cambridge. The show was great, and I met some cool new people, too. I didn't get to stay for the next act. My friend Jordan and I had to finish a case study for MEISA, and I had an essay to finish. I actually just finished it up, yay!

So now I'm watching Seinfeld and relaxing. I did a lot of running around these past few days. I'm looking forward to a lot more relaxing in the next few days coming up.

Ear Training

Something about Ear Training midterms scare the shit out of me. I never feel like I'm prepared enough. I could practice 18 hours a day every day and still feel unprepared.

I've spent a good three or four hours working on it today. I'm giving myself a chance to watch some TV and finish my other homework before I drag myself back down into a piano room for two hours working out the melodies again.

I want all A's this semester. Badly. As of right now, I would guess that I do have all A's, and I want to keep it that way.

That being said, time to do some homework, and watch a little TV. Then I'm off to a room with 88 teeth chomping at the bit for me

March Madness

For most college students, March is a very hectic month. Between midterms, spring break, and possible apartment hunting, it can get pretty crazy. I have a very busy month. At first I wasn't super excited about having a week off. I was, but I wasn't super stoked. My feelings have since changed. I cannot wait for break. I'm thinking about my March schedule, and it is not pretty. I didn't utilize my snow day to its full potential, but I did get a free pedal board! Thanks again, Alvaro!

I've got a very busy week and a half ahead of me. I have two sizable homework assignments in Harmony and Arranging due Thursday, part one of my Legal Aspects midterm also on Thursday, and a paper due Friday. I have my Guitar Lab midterm to prepare for, I don't know if I have a midterm in Essentials of Songwriting (I should probably find out), the dictation portion of my Ear Training midterm on Monday and the singing portion of it on Wednesday, my Harmony midterm is on Thursday, as well as my Arranging midterm and probably the second half of Legal Aspects, and then I'm done. I think that's it. I really hope that's all of it.

I should get to work now. I've got stuff to do. There's always stuff to do.

Snow Day Number Two!

Since I'm from Maine, I understand the New England weather. It's okay for it to be 60 degrees one day, and then two days later it's a blizzard. I just shrug it off. No biggie, except for the fact that it might be global warming.

I am going to be extremely productive today. There is so much to be done. I may only leave my room for a few hours today, but that's okay because there's a Red Sox game at 1. What's better than listening to a baseball game in a blizzard?

Now I'm off to conquer the day. Wish me luck!

The Beginning

It's all gonna start soon.

I promise. I'm far too motivated, and (dare I say it) ready.

G Stands for Goals

That's right. G does not stand for Gatorade, it stands for Goals. I went to Career Development Center's (CDC) "Ready, Aim, Hire!" workshop tonight. It was part two, Aim. Peter Spellman, head of Berklee's CDC, ran the workshop. If you haven't heard of him, check him out. He's brilliant.

To sum up the workshop:

-Be proactive. The jobs are not going to find you, you have to go find them. This could be anything from a gig to a cubicle. Go after what you want.
-There is going to be a period of dues-paying. He couldn't emphasize that enough. In any field, there will be a point where you're on the bottom of the totem pole. Embrace it.
-Treat every class as a professional gig. Bob says that good grades are money in the bank. He's right. So is Peter. Take the time to develop a good track record with your teachers. You never know when you might need a recommendation letter.
-Network. Network. Network. Peter said, "When it comes to networking, one plus one equals ten." He also said that before you take any job, try and find REAL people connected to the company. It could really help you.
-Understand what makes YOU tick. What are your assets? What do you bring to the table? Be able to articulate it.
-Be good at self-promotion. Many people don't like self-promoting. The thought of "selling" themselves is unappealing. It's confidence, not arrogance, when it comes to being a good self-promoter. Good self-promoters are "politely persistent", professional, and good storytellers. But the best way to promote yourself is to just be yourself and help others. BE GENEROUS. It comes back around.
-Create success on your own level. Don't go straight for the major label when you can do it all yourself for free! The more you have going for you, the less they (whoever they may be) can take away.
-Always always ALWAYS be in the pursuit of WOW. Go the extra mile. Impress your peers, your boss, your mom, etc... Stand out. Be creative. Be bold. Be YOU.

In case you're wondering, I found that picture of Mia Hamm in this month's Women's Health, and it really hit me. I'm not entirely sure why, but it did. It's taped on my wall right next to my bed. There's just something about it that I find extremely motivating and comforting in some way. The raw passion that Mia has for soccer comes through in it. Maybe that's it.

Anyway, I'm off to bed. One cannot run on no sleep, no matter how hard we try!

Enjoy!

Today, Part Two

Mission Accomplished:

4. Spend 45 minutes on Ear Training. Check.
6. Catch up in Legal Aspects. Check.
7. Work on a song. Check.

Seven is a good number. I made a list of seven goals for tomorrow. I'll spare you the list (it's not that exciting). Anyway.

If you live in the Boston area and are free this Friday night, don't miss Tom Howie at King's!

Today, Part One

Told you I'd get back to you! Today was much better than yesterday, and it's not done yet. I made a new list. I'd take a picture, but it would be backwards. So here it is:

1. Declare major. Check.
2. Finish 'Forever Man'. Check
3. Go to the gym. Check.
4. Spend 45 minutes on Ear Training. 1/3 check, I did 15 minutes earlier today.
5. Finish College Writing before dinner. Check.
6. Catch up on Legal Aspects.
7. Work on a song.

I'll post Part Two as soon as I finish the list, which will be sooner rather than later.

Back to the grind!

Lists

I like to make lists. I like to accomplish things. I made a small list of things to do today. So far I'm batting .000 (spring training starts soon, what do you expect?). I tried to buy the books I needed for class, but the bookstore was sold out AGAIN. Then I was gonna go declare my major, but it's like a tornado outside and I didn't feel like walking down to the Fenway building. I haven't practiced yet. I've been working on getting an apartment for next year, so I'm working on getting that sorted out. Then I just have to organize my room a bit, which I will probably do while watching the Jack Bauer Power Hour also know as 24.

By the end of the day I will be 2 for 5, batting at .200--maybe 3 for 5. If that was a Red Sox player's stat for a game, it would probably be J.D. Drew having a good day while going through a slump sometime in July. Katie Lannan, please weigh in on this.

So I'm going to make up for today's bad day at the plate with tomorrow. I know the day isn't done yet, but I am not going back outside if I don't have to. The biggest bonus about staying in the dorms is the convenience factor.

I will blog again tomorrow, and by that time I will be a declared business major that has mastered Forever Man and has an organized room. I'll have even worked on some Ear Training, finished my Harmony homework (if I have any), gone to the gym, done some reading, finished my Arranging homework, and might even have a song written.

Today was good, tomorrow will be great. Why be good if you can be great? To quote Paul Anka, good is the enemy of great.

Behind The Sun

Why did it take me so long to find Clapton's 'Behind The Sun' album? I have no answer for that. It's been around since 1985, and while it definitely is an 80s classic in the sense that you listen to it and you immediately think of the 80s, I still love it. How can you not love 'Forever Man'? Such a great song.

Phil Collins may have gone a little too far with some tracks, but overall, I think it's great. I've been listening to it pretty much nonstop for the past few days. It just makes me wanna dance and play guitar. I'm listening to 'Tangled In Love' right now, and I'm just groovin' to it with a huge grin on my face. Much like the one in my two previous posts.

For my guitar lab midterm, we have to pick a song and learn it. I am definitely going to do a Clapton song. My teacher expects it anyway haha! I'm probably going to do 'Forever Man' because it's one of the few Clapton songs I don't already know. Well, there are a lot of Clapton songs I have yet to learn, but you know what I mean.

Anyway, just thought I'd confess my love for Clapton some more. I'm gonna go play now.

Ten Minute Post

I'm giving myself ten minutes to blog.

Spring break is three weeks away, which means midterms are even closer! I think I will always be in awe of how time flies. It's amazing to me. I can't wait. I love the Berk. I really do, but a break would be good. My short one rocked, I know that this one will be better. I've got so much to do between now and then. I'm going to get it all done and spend my 10 days or so doing what I want. It will be nice.

I'm still in a fantastic mood. Even with my current workload.

It's only been six minutes, but I'm gonna go. That workload needs to be unloaded.

I, once again, am feeling like this:

Procrastination

I'm not one to procrastinate, but I really don't feel like doing my homework or studying for my harmony quiz tomorrow. I could play my guitar, but it's all ready to go. Snug in its case. Big Red does not want to be disturbed right now.

So here I am blogging while my book is open on the story I should be reading. I have so much to do, and yet I clack away on the keyboard. I'm hanging in the blogosphere--aka procrastinating--when I should be doing many other things. Like what? Well, here's a list (more procrastination):

1. My homework. For some reason my college writing homework never ends. Ellen (my teacher) is awesome, but cut us some slack! As much as I like literature, I'd like to have a life, too. Lately it has been tough.

2. Play guitar. I do go to music school. Sooo, yeah. I'll leave it at that.

3. Apartment/Roommate hunting. Here at the Berk, off-campus housing is not only cheaper but recommended. I need to get on the stick. I found a bunch of places, I just need to go check them out. And find a roomie.

4. Finish a song. I started a song back home and I really need to finish it.

5. Declare my major. I've known I wanted to be a Music Business/Management major since I was 15. Three years later and one and a half semesters in at Berklee and I have yet to declare. What the hell, Amy. What. The. Hell.

6. Swing by Student Employment. A little on-campus part-time job with very flexible hours would be a good way to get some extra cash. I gotta pay for Red Sox tickets some how!

7. Go the the gym/Go for a run. I ate ice cream today. Not good. I even feel a little nauseous. No more ice cream from the cafeteria. NO MORE.

8. Do my other homework. Ellen, please remember that we have more than just your class to worry about. I have Arranging and Legal Aspects homework to take care of. And Songwriting. Gaaaah!

9. Organize my room. Not so much my room. It is pretty clean. My clothes are just shoved into the dresser.

10. Hit up CVS. I need a few odds and ends.

11. Go to the library. There are a few Eric Clapton transcription books that have my name all over them.

Wow, I had even more to do than I thought I did. I'm going to go and try and take care of them now.

Wish me luck!