Today...Was Full Of Win

It really was.

It started off alright. I woke up later than planned. Actually I woke up on time, I just opted to hit snooze several times and finally drag myself out of bed at 10.00 instead of 9.00. My first class wasn't until 11.00 anyway, so I gave myself a little more leisure time this morning. Part of it's the mono for sure. I wake up, and either instantly or shortly after I wake up I'm so tired I could roll right back to sleep.

So I went to my 11 o'clock class, Principles of Financial Accounting with the always hilarious Marty Dennehy. A bunch of my friends are in that class, and Marty's fantastic so despite it being accounting and incredibly boring, it won't be that bad.

After class, I scooted over to the bookstore, hastily purchased my books because I was expecting a very important phone call from Mike Davidson of Mike Davidson Recording. I submitted my band's song (they're on the right of this page if you care to listen) to a contest he was having and we won! We won eight free hours of recording time. So those two songs on the right will sound infinitely better in the coming month. We'll also be recording a third song called Doubt which is here somewhere...That really made my day.

Not too long after that phone call I received an email from Kim DeVito (Music Business/Management Department Coordinator at Berklee) saying that I passed the test to get into Advanced Computer Applications. Excellent! The Basic Computer Applications ('Basic' from here on out) class didn't fit in my schedule anyway.

However, I do have a problem with how the system works with this class. Had I not taken the test out and just taken the Basic class, I wouldn't have to take the Advanced class. So even though I technically passed the Basic class, I don't get credit for it. That really bugs me. Whatever. At least I'll learn something new, and I don't have to have a class on Mondays. My Mondays are free of classes and I love it. Not that I've experienced it yet because we started classes on Tuesday, but it will be awesome.

My classes are awesome thus far. It's going to be a killer semester, even with the mono. Things are happening, and I love it.

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.

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!

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.

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.

Priorities

Everyone has priorities, and we're always sorting them out. At least I am. I am constantly organizing my life. Here is my current list of priorities (excluding my social life. That's probably number one):

1. My College Writing homework. I have a buttload of homework for that class right now. I have an essay and two observations due Monday, and I'm going to be an over-achiever and get my stuff that's due Wednesday and Friday done before the weekend is over. It is possible. I am sacrificing my social life, but one weekend isn't gonna kill me.

2. Ear Training. I have a quiz this week. I've been good with getting my work done, so that won't be a problem. I have tonight and tomorrow to prepare for the dictation part of the quiz on Monday, and I have until Wednesday to prepare for the singing part of the quiz. That shouldn't be a problem.

3. Playing guitar and writing songs. I have to write a song with my B string tuned down to A for my lab. That's easier said than done. I was like, 'Oh, no problem...Oh wait, that sounds AWFUL.' So yeah, there's that. I also have to work on stuff for my private lesson. Not to mention, I try to write as many songs as I can. I'm always thinking of lyrics, and when I have my guitar, I'm constantly looking for riffs and hooks and chord progressions that resonate with me.

4. Jamming. I love to jam, everyone here does. I would love to live in an ensemble room and just jam for like..a week straight. No class, no worries, just music.

5. Staying healthy. It's hard to do in college. The food selections here aren't exactly the most nutritious. Knock on wood, I haven't been sick once all year. Basically everyone of my friends has been sick at least once. I try to get at least six hours of sleep a night (easier said than done), and workout fairly regularly. I renewed my gym membership, and I have winter running gear. So I've been trying to keep up with that.


I'm sure there are many more things I could list, but those are my five for now. What are yours?

Back to the Grind

It's funny how I'm about to write about getting back to work, and that's exactly what I'm not doing by writing this. Anyway.

Back to the grind.

Yesterday's feelings of uneasiness have gone away. Not only am I ready to work, but I'm excited to work. I have a lot to do. A lot. I think once I get back into the swing of things it won't be so overwhelming, but I'm ready for it. I'm ready for all of it.

I don't just mean school stuff, either. I'm talking about songwriting and practicing and performing. As odd as it sounds, I get a little intimidated by my own ambitions from time to time. The ambitious, determined, happy, and confident Amy is seen much more often than the one that's not. That's the one you'll see probably 330 out of 365 days a year, maybe more. The other one is a little bit more...I don't want to say apprehensive...The other one, the rare side of me, generally says, 'What are you doing?!?! I'm tired! Stop!' I can't stop now. I've worked too hard to pack it up and quit before I really even get going. I'm still planning a few things, but I'll be ready sooner rather than later. Ready for what? Many, many, many things.

This is gonna be a good year. I can feel it.

Now, back to the grind.

Snowboarding and Music

In a little while (nine hours or so), I will be snowboarding for the first time in probably three years. Part of me is scared, most of me is beyond excited. Snowboarding was my thing for a good three years of my life. In my 8th grade yearbook, next to my picture is a list of goals and one of them was to become a professional snowboarder.

I was all about board sports from the time I was seven and discovered skimboarding. Board sports have a literal and metaphorical edge to them. I was attracted to them (skimboarding, snowboarding, skateboarding, and surfing) because they were different and exciting. I got good at two (snowboarding and skimboarding. I used to be able to stand up on a surfboard, too) really fast. I broke my teeth on a skateboard, but I still own one.

Snowboarding took the cake, though. It was fast. I was good at it. I could showoff a little bit. And my sister skied so snowboarding was all mine in my family. No one else does it. They all hate it. They're all skiers and can't stand (no pun intended) not being able to move their legs. I hated skiing, with a passion. I begged to snowboard. Begged. For years. Then, when I was ten, I learned how to do it. It took four or five lessons for me to be able to keep up with my skiing family and friends, but after that, no one questioned my decision.

Now, what does this have to do with music?

I asked for two or three years for a guitar before I got one. I wasn't encouraged to get one, but I wasn't told no, either. Like anything else, I was horrific at first, and my parents hated it. So did my sister. Unlike a sport, music takes a lot more time to get better at it. Either that, or I really do have a natural aptitude for board sports. Anyway. I practiced for hours and hours and hours. It consumed me. It still does.

If I were to have to create a list of goals to put in my 8th grade yearbook now, I don't think being a professional athlete would be on there. It would be replaced by being a professional musician.

Both of those goals are scoffed at by people. If I wanted to, why couldn't I be a pro. snowboarder? I would go to a school in Vermont, major in something not too stressful, and snowboard all the time. Same thing with music. Why can't I be a professional musician? It might not be pretty right away. Nothing is. But I know it's worth it.

Just like tomorrow will be worth the pain the comes Thursday. I'm ready for it.

As Promised

I can't believe the year is basically over. Wow...Where did the time go?

I promised a big entry, so here we go!


Semester One of Eight:

My first semester at Berklee was pretty good. I met a lot of great people, made a lot of great friends, and jammed with some really awesome musicians. I need to work on Ear Training a lot more this next semester. That was definitely my weakness. I also didn't jam enough. Need to do more of that. Networking as well. I also want to go to the Songwriting club more often, and by more often I mean actually go. I signed up at the beginning of the year with a friend and we had planned to go together, but it didn't happen. We also planned on starting a band, that didn't happen, either. Anyway.

One Wednesday evening in October, I went to the Music Business Gala thing. It wasn't a gala, but I can't remember exactly what it was called. Chris Carlson (here's his blog, good stuff), the President of the Music Business Club at Berklee gave a little speech. I already wanted to join the Music Business Club, but Chris's speech made me feel like I had to join it. So I did, and I met even more awesome people and learned a lot, too. A lot of kids in college were once (like me) overly-involved in high school. Sports, student government, community service, National Honors Society, etc... But once they get to college, they stop doing that sort of stuff. I didn't want that to happen to me, and it did at first, but like most things, I fixed it.

I think the highlight of my semester wasn't even related to Berklee. I went to eight Red Sox games. Eight. That's a lot for someone without season tickets. The John Mayer thing was pretty cool, too, but lately I haven't been Mr. Mayer's biggest fan. Nonetheless, his clinic rocked, but the Sox games were great. I went to seven of them alone, but you're not really alone at Fenway. There are 39,927 other people there. And I'm not even counting the staff or the players.

I didn't write as much as I would have liked to. I only wrote one song really. Lots of ideas, but they were just ideas. That's another thing I need to work on.

(I'll put a whole list of goals/resolutions/things to do at the end of this. I will also write them down. Goals are manifested by being written down. Anyone can talk about doing stuff, but how many actually do it? My guess is not many. I'll admit to being a bit of a talker (not a close-talker like in Seinfeld), but I say I'm gonna do stuff, and I don't do it. Well, that's gonna change, too.)

I saw a fair amount of shows at Berklee, too. Oh yeah, and they were amazing and either free or two dollars. Can't complain there!

Here are the "Academic" Berklee Resolutions/Goals:

--Spend an hour a day at a piano
--Practice Ear Training daily
--Get all A's
--Play more guitar. Let's shoot for an hour a day--at least.

Here are the "Non-Academic" Berklee Resolutions/Goals:

--Get a band together. First thing.
--Write a song a day.
--Meet two new people a week.
--Actually GO to the Songwriters Club at least once a month
--Keep my room as clean as I have been


Looking back, 2008 was a damn good year. Between all the concerts (Elton John, Alicia Keys, Billy Joel, Bon Jovi, John Mayer, Bruce Springsteen, the Who, and all the Berklee shows), the Red Sox games (eleven total, counting the three over the summer), and traveling, it rocked. As I said earlier, I met some really awesome people, and Berklee was good. I really can't complain.

As for non-Berklee Resolutions/Goals:

--Run three days a week; workout twice a week
--Eat healthier
--Look/Feel my best everyday
--Sleep better (haha)
--Find a good, upcoming artist every week
--Twitter better

I'll think of some more, I'm sure, but for now, I'll stick to those.

Happy New Year!

Vienna/Torn

Sometimes I feel like I'm the person Billy Joel is talking about in his song Vienna. I'm gonna break it down:

Slow down you crazy child
You're so ambitious for a juvenile
But then if you're so smart tell me why
Are you still so afraid?

At this point, I haven't really done anything that would warrant Bill to tell me to slow down. However, the rest of the verse is true. If I know I can do it, why am I afraid to do it? I'm not afraid. I don't have time right now to do what I want. "He who hesitates is lost." I hesitated this semester, and I lost, but not really. I just didn't do exactly what I had in mind. I didn't count on needing a transitional period. That set everything back.

Where's the fire, what's the hurry about?
You better cool it off before you burn it out
You got so much to do and only
So many hours in a day

Currently, there aren't enough hours in the day. I've cooled off some things, and I've been setting other things on fire. So that's not really anything new.

But you know that when the truth is told
That you can get what you want
Or you can just get old
You're gonna kick off before you even get halfway through
When will you realize...Vienna waits for you

Oh God...That's so true. I believe in a go-go-go lifestyle because of that saying really. I'm not quite as bad as the person in the song. At least not right now. I've slowed down some stuff and sped up others.

Slow down you're doing fine
You can't be everything you want to be
Before your time
Although it's so romantic on the borderline tonight (tonight)

I tell myself this constantly. I'm always wanting to do more, but I can't always do more. It's a tricky situation. Some people walk through life because they don't want to miss anything. Some people run through life because they want to reach their destination as fast as they can. I fall somewhere in between those two kinds of people. I think I jog through life. I don't spend too much time on any one moment like some of the walkers would do, but I don't keep my eyes on the prize all the time like the runners do. I speed up more than I slow down, though. Sometimes I stop and smell the roses, but generally I'm going at a brisk pace.

Too bad but it's the life you lead
You're so ahead of yourself
That you forgot what you need
Though you can see when you're wrong
You know you can't always see when you're right (you're right)

This part's not so true about me. Sometimes it is, but on the whole it's not. I do get ahead of myself, but I haven't forgotten what I need. I'm quite aware of what I need.

You got your passion you got your pride
But don't you know that only fools are satisfied?
Dream on but don't imagine they'll all come true
When will you realize
Vienna waits for you

Passion, check. Pride, check. However, I can be satisfied. At least for a moment. It doesn't last long because dwelling on anything--good or bad--is not healthy. It's okay to be nostaligic once in a while.

Dream on but don't imagine they'll all come true. How many times have we all heard that? I always find it somewhat amusing and irritating when successful people tell the public stuff like that. You had a dream, and it came true. Well, why can't my dream or somebody else's dream (or dreams) come true? Every single successful/famous person was at one point a normal person with a dream. I don't think Billy Joel's telling us to give up on our dreams, but still, it's not overly encouraging. However, he redeems himself in "James".

Slow down you crazy child
Take the phone off the hook and disappear for a while
It's alright you can afford to lose a day or two
When will you realize...
Vienna waits for you.

At this point, I don't feel I can afford to lose a day. Nevermind two.

And you know that when the truth is told
That you can get what you want
Or you can just get old
You're gonna kick off before you even get halfway through

Already talked about...

Why don't you realize...Vienna waits for you
When will you realize...Vienna waits for you

And Vienna most definitely isn't waiting for me.


I've been feeling torn lately on what I want to do. I know that no matter what I choose to do, I will be happy with my choice. It's just a matter of choosing. One choice (A&R rep) would please just about everyone I know, but I'm not sure if that's what I want to do. It would be the safer of the two. The other option is being a performing songwriter. That would probably please just about everyone I know, but only if I made it "big."

The lyric from "James" that I love so dearly is
Do what's good for you
Or you're no good for anybody

I have time to figure out what's good for me. Thanks, college. I'm going to test out both fields. I'll get a band together for the latter, and I'll intern at record companies over the next four years to get a feel for the first.

To quote one of my own songs:

You've gotta let whatever happens happen
Let things fall into place

I'm So Excited!

I cannot contain my excitement right now for many, many, many reasons. Here are a few of the reasons:

-For starters, I will see Bob in ten days! Ten! That in itself is enough to make me excited. by the time I see Bob, it will have been six weeks to the day that I last saw him. You have no idea how much I have missed him. Ask Julia.

-I'm back in the groove of songwriting. Another cause for celebration.

-A close friend of mine is making huge steps in getting his career as a musician going. I'm so happy for him.

-In 26 days, I'm going to see the Who! THE WHO! As I have written before, I love the Who and they are definitely one of my favorite bands ever. I can't wait to see them. It's going to be amazing. AMAZING!!!!!

-The rain has almost completely stopped. Which is great for more than one reason. Continue reading.

-I have tickets to tonight's Red Sox game! First base side, three rows off the field, right behind the Red Sox on-deck circle. I can't even express my excitement for that. It's the equivalent of seeing Bob. So I have double the excitement that I (as of late anyway) normally have.

It would be an understatement to say life is good right now. Life is fucking awesome--and I don't swear a lot.

Tonight (And Other Things)

I have been waiting for tonight for a very, very long time. Why? I'm going to see my biggest songwriting influence ever, Mr. Billy Joel. Yep. That's right. Billy Joel has more influence on my writing than anyone. After I point it out, it's really quite obvious. He's so loquacious, and his melodies are incredible. I'm not anywhere near his ability (yet). He's also been doing this for about 40 years now..Which is about 36 years longer than I've been working at this stuff. That's a long time. Tonight is also the Block Party, which is essentially the "kick-off" of La Kermesse (big Franco-American festival), and I'm missing it. It's very similar to the class trip/Alicia Keys thing, only this time it's, "But, Amy, it's the Block Party!" And I reply, "Yeah, but it's BILLY JOEL! BILLY JOEL!!!" Haha!

Speaking of songwriting, I have been writing a lot lately. I have so many lyrics, and the melodies/the music is slowly forming. As soon as I get my (mom's) Macbook, I'll be able to record and edit and POST my songs. How does that sound to you? It sounds pretty damn good to me. Then once I'm at Berklee..with Logic Express 8..Oh boy..Be ready. That's all I have to say about that. Be ready. Be ready.

Ah, Berklee. I'm getting really sick of waiting for you. Thank God I have an absolutely amazing summer (Alicia Keys, Billy Joel, Bon Jovi, John Mayer, TWO Red Sox/Yankees games, Bruce Springsteen, and Europe), otherwise I may go insane. I'm so ready to get out of this town. I have been for some time. I can't wait to be around musicians and music 24/7. While my friends are struggling with Calculus, I'll be arranging. It'll be funny talking to them about what I'm doing because they'll have no idea/probably be a little jealous because I'm doing what I love, and they're waiting to get to that point. Unlike many, I know what I want to do. I don't have to lay on my bed, stare at the ceiling, and ask myself what I want to do with my life. I've been doing it for about five years now. Berklee is the next necessary step I have to take. And I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm more than willing to give up my social life from time to time to transcribe Billy Joel songs, write a few of my own, and blues out. So what if I don't go out every weekend? I have more important things to do sometimes.

That being said, I have to go get ready, and then transcribe Billy Joel songs. I'll see you later. How much later? That's a good question.

Three

In today's entry, we will be going over three things:

1. The Coffee House (or as Alex and I call it Chez-Cafe)
2. Computer Blues
3. Senioritis (or my lack of it)

So let's start with the coffee house. All in all, it was a success. A lot of people backed out last minute, but it was still wicked fun. I went from playing 12 songs to playing 4 songs, but hey, things happen. I jammed on 'I Shot The Sheriff' for a bit. Then I played 'Blinded by the Light' followed by my own song called 'Sleepless In The City.' The vocals weren't loud enough, but I was told my guitar-work made up for it. Matt and I played 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps.' That was incredibly fun. I soloed the whooooole time.

I guess I'm better than I think I am at guitar. The problem is that I hear what I play all the time, so it sounds so old and sometimes boring. Then I get feedback and find out that I sound pretty good. I can't wait to be able to play out all the time. I don't have a lot of options around here, but Boston's a whole different ballgame. The next few years are going to be wonderfully musical for me. And I can't wait.


You might think 'Computer Blues' is a bit weird, but if you ever happened to use my computer, you would understand why I have computer blues. My computer is approaching eight years old, and it gets slower every second. It's overloaded, and it's got a lot of glitches now. It's been cleaned out twice, and it didn't even make a difference. It's a sad sight. I hate my computer. My dad and I went computer shopping today, but no one helped us at Best Buy so we left. I said, 'We should just get a Mac. They're better,' and my dad said, 'I know they are.' That is a HUGE step in my quest to get a Mac as our home computer. My dad has been anti-Mac for as long as I can remember. It would be absolutely amazing if we got a Mac. I would probably cry tears of joy.


Senioritis is breathing down my neck. I can feel it. It's waiting to pounce on me. I have surprisingly escaped Senioritis this year. I think I'm one of the few. I've done just as much work as I did in my first three years of high school. I don't think I have it in me to not do the work. As Kanye West said, "For me, giving up is way harder than trying." I'm in the same boat as Kanye in that way. Actually I am in the same boat in a lot of ways, but I'm not any where to close to his level of arrogance. But yeah, Senioritis is calling my name. I can hear it, but I don't turn around to look him in the eyes. I do the work. I haven't skipped a day of school. I haven't even skipped a block without permission.

I have to much of a conscience to succumb to Senioritis. I'm not gonna let it get me. It's too late now. I have like..15 days of school left. The work is winding down. And I could slack off. Grades closed in the third quarter for seniors. My 5.218 or whatever it is GPA is safe. I don't think Berklee would give me the boot if I got three As and one B.


I have to go. Stuff to do..I think I'll go for a run--right after a round of Text Twirl .

Ohh Thunder Road

That's a good song. No, it's a great song.

I'm so confused on my days. I know today's Tuesday, but it feels like Friday. Yesterday was Monday, and the only reason I know that is because I went to Bob's. All the days blend into one now. It's actually kinda cool. I basically look at a calendar and it just swirls. There are a few very important dates coming up, but the rest all blur.

I'm too lazy to post prom pictures right now. I'll do it later.

I had two band practices tonight. The first one was just Matt and me. That was really fun. I won't elaborate. Go to the coffee house Thursday if you want to see what I won't talk about. The second band practice was my band without Matt, which was a Trio tonight. We're playing a jazz song and 'Who Did You Think I Was' on Thursday..it's gonna be cool.

I can't wait for summer. I can't wait for Berklee. There are so many things I just can't wait for. I know they say time flies. But unless it's at Mach 3, it's not going fast enough at this point in my life.

Alyssa wanted me to update this. So there ya go, kid. It's not very long, but I'll have a better entry later in the week. Or I should at least

Prom and Other Things

I'm still finding it hard to believe that prom is tonight. It's so weird..I remember my sister going to prom when I was a freshman and it seemed so far away, and now I'm going to prom. Crazy! Gah, it's so weird to me. It should be a lot of fun though, even if there is a part of me that doesn't want me to go. Luckily the majority of me does, and in my world majority rules.

I was at Bob's yesterday for five and a half hours. We had a lot to catch up on. I love that man, I really do. He's the best. It's gonna be very hard/weird when I'm at Berklee and I don't see him every Monday...I'm telling you, I'm gonna go nuts hahah! Honestly, the entire time I was in Europe it was either 'I miss my guitar' or 'I miss Bob.' Except when I'm at Berklee I'll have my guitar. So it won't be as bad, and like he said, he's an email or a phone call away if I ever need him. It's good to have someone like that that is not one of your parents. It'll still be weird.

I'm trying to be productive, but then YouTube started working again, and my production train basically crashed..After this I'll be productive, otherwise my mom might be a bit upset.

So I think 'Forever Young' by Rod Stewart will be my class ode. It's perfect. It really is. It's easy to play, it's easy to sing, all the parents will know it, and the lyrics are great. It's definitely better than '100 Years' by Five for Fighting. I have a few other songs in mind ('Never Say Goodbye' by Bon Jovi, 'The Middle' by Jimmy Eat World, and 'Baba O'Riley' by the Who), but 'Forever Young' is by far the best out of those. I don't know if I'll find a better song for this situation.

Okay, I should go be productive now.

Vacating/RIP Danny Federici

April vacation begins today. It's the perfect way to end the week--sunshine and 72 degrees I'm guessing. I couldn't wait to get to fourth block. We played Jeopardy! today, and my row won again. We won with 18,200. Yes, we are that good.

Well, while most kids spend their April vacations lounging around, playing sports, or heading to Florida, I am lucky enough to be making my third trip to Europe. I leave Sunday for Austria, Venice, and Paris for nine days with some of my best friends. I can't wait. I need to get away for a bit--even away from my guitar, as hard as it may be. I've got a song in me that needs to come out. I need a change of scenery for this one. It's gonna be good. Trust me. I've got a few titles and the "story" in mind. It's in my brain. It's in my heart. Now it just needs to be on paper.

So I found out yesterday that 7,500 people applied to Berklee. Berklee only takes 800-1,000 a year..That's 13.3% at the most. I feel really good about that. Maybe I really am good at this whole music thing.

I haven't had a guitar lesson since March 31st. That is truly depressing. You have no idea how much I miss Bob. I may seem like I can handle an entire month without a guitar lesson, but I can't. Yes, I can figure out almost any song I want to by ear. Yes, I can learn stuff online or through books. Yes, I can analyze tunes on my own. But it's not the same. It's not the same. I need human interaction with music. As much as I enjoy picking apart a Hendrix solo on my own, it's always more fun with Bob. Music isn't something to do alone. It's interactive.

Danny Federici died today. He was the long-time keyboardist/organist of the E-Street Band--Bruce Springsteen's band. He was diagnosed with skin cancer earlier this year. Who dies of skin cancer, honestly. I was very shocked when I heard that. I don't really know what else to say on that. I'm awkward when it comes to death and funerals. I don't generally cry, and I never know what to say to people. I hate saying stuff like 'I'm sorry for your loss,' yeah, I am, but I don't feel like that's enough. It's just..I don't even know. I never know what to say, which is unusual for me. I like to think that I say the right things at the right times for the most part. I'm pretty good with words. I just talk too fast for people to understand sometimes (haha).

It's too nice to be inside right now. And I need to go tanning at some point today..Ironic, isn't it?

Oh yeah, and I may not have to go until May without a lesson. Bob just emailed me.

It's Raining

It's raining right now. I'm not a huge fan of rain, or of any precipitation for that matter. I prefer sunshine. Rain puts me in a weird mood. Indifferent is probably the best way to describe it.

School's going by pretty quickly which is great. I can't wait for summer! And then Berklee!! I'm going to several concerts this summer--including BILLY JOEL and BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN! I can't tell you how excited I am! I've never seen Billy Joel. I saw Bruce this past November in Boston. He was awesome, but I know he'll be better in the summer. The concert's at Gillette Stadium, and Bruce is much more powerful in front of 60,000 people than he is in front of 16,000. If John Mayer comes around..man, it'll be the best summer ever. I'll also be taking a two-week trip to Europe in August. Like I said, it's going to be an amazing summer.

I have a band now. After three years of trying to get a solid band together, I think I finally have one. It's made up of myself and three good friends. I play guitar and sing, Matt plays guitar, sings, plays piano and drums, Josh plays bass, and Nate drums, plays guitar, and sings. I've got a good feeling about this. Three out of four of us are going to music school. I think that's pretty cool.

In other news, the Red Sox are 3-1 and we're playing the Blue Jays tonight. I don't think the Jays are any better than last year. They didn't make any big moves in the off-season. They always play tough against the Sox though...It'll be good.

Prom is just around the corner, or according to most people it is. It's a month away, give or take. I am going. I have a date and a dress and a hair appointment and an after-party to attend to. But I don't even know if I want to go. At the moment I don't really feel like it. It's a glorified, overly-expensive high school dance. Yes, I know in a little while I'll be excited for Prom, but as of right now I am not. I'd rather spend the night in dirty ol' jeans and hoodie with my hair up in a messy pony tail playing guitar. That's the difference between me and most people. Give me a guitar, and I'm happy. Give me a baseball game, I'm happy. It doesn't take much.

I know I'm not really weird, but I'm not exactly normal. It's hard for me to just like something. I have to go in all the way. There are some things I simply 'like,' but they are few and far between. I'm very passionate. Actually, I probably passed passionate a few miles ago. People that barely know me could tell you my two favorite things (excluding friends and family, of course), and they are music and the Red Sox (well, baseball in general). And for those of you that didn't know that, now you do.

That about does it, and I need to make a phone call.