woode's words

2025-05-12T14:20:00.000-05:00

are you new?
read this first.

2025-05-11T16:42:00.001-05:00

please listen to my newest music and watch my latest videos at www.woodewood.com

woode wood at woode's point

2012-01-27T20:07:00.001-06:00

woode wood at woode's point, a photo by woode wood on Flickr.

woode wood at woode's point

2012-01-27T20:06:00.001-06:00

woode wood at woode's point, a photo by woode wood on Flickr.

woode wood playing for the zilker zephyr

2012-01-27T17:48:00.001-06:00

woode wood playing for the zilker zephyr, a photo by woode wood on Flickr.

woode wood at woode's point

2012-01-27T07:28:00.001-06:00

woode wood at woode's point, a photo by woode wood on Flickr.

2012-01-26T20:54:00.002-06:00

reading

i read alot. hopefully all singer/songwriters do. i couldn't imagine one that doesn't, where wood their vocabulary come from? i especially love non-fiction, and in that vein specifically biographies. some of the books i've read in the last few months are "life" by keef, "the voice" by james kaplan, "finishing the hat" by stephen sondheim and "last train to memphis" by peter guralnick. books i love, i re-read over an over. it's amazing the things you catch that you didn't retain from first, second or even third readings. "last train" i just re-read for the umpteenth time(i've lost count), it came out in 1994, and i've for sure read it every 3 years or so. i really have grown to empathize with the early elvis. he was such a loner and so determined to become a musician. "life" just came out last year and i started re-reading it this week. keef had a dog named "mr. tompson wooft". love it.....

gabriella mcswain & woode wood at woode's point

2012-01-26T13:37:00.001-06:00

gabriella mcswain & woode wood at woode's point, a photo by woode wood on Flickr.

2012-01-25T18:10:00.001-06:00

advice from a cook

so many young people tell me they want to become a chef. almost every day someone tells me this. i always tell them, don't do it unless "cooking is in your blood, you love it and you have to cook", because it is a very hard life and will not pay well for a long time. after thousands of long hour days, it can reward you financially if you dedicate yourself and have great ideas. someday i may write a piece about it but until then this one will have to suffice: http://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Chef

woode wood at woode's point

2012-01-22T23:51:00.001-06:00

woode wood at woode's point, a photo by woode wood on Flickr.

2012-01-22T01:05:00.002-06:00

so much fun

yesterday(saturday) was non-stop. if every day were like saturdays, i wood have already played tokyo and the continental club 15 times, and i'd be worn out. it's just continual, the procession of folks that come by to hear a song and chat. met so many good people yesterday, and must have had my photo taken a thousand times. a hundred of those were by jill hunter. she came by with her friend/assistant man(pronounced "mon"), and shot me for the april issue of klm royal dutch airlines's in flight magazine. becca hensley at austin monthly magazine steered her my way. i get shot so much and have so many photos sent to me, it is a real pleasure to be in front of the lense when there is so much talent behind it. here's jill's site: http://jillhunterphotography.com/jill%20hunter%20photography/album/index.html

wayne nagel just texted me that steve gave me another date at the continental club. no date yet, but it's official. here we go. now all i have to do, is prove myself. prove that i can draw on a monthly basis. saturday at least a hundred folks asked when and where i am playing next, and it's like that every day now. i'm still hearing back from folks that were at the 12.4.11 show, and all are so positive it really makes me feel good and hopeful, that my dreams are actually coming true.

i'm starting to think "23" is a good title for my 23rd record. in fact, just typing it now has convinced me. i've always liked the number 23, after all it adds up to five. i remember my 23rd year very fondly. i was living with august on parkwood avenue in richmond. he threw me a birthday party in his little "shotgun shack". i had just moved back from los angeles and was so happy to be home. fell in love and got crushed by desiree, what a whirlwind romance that was. she wood leave me food, on the front stoop, she had learned to cook at chris lyle's restaurant on cary street(forget the name now). if memory serves, that's where i first met fred neuville, who wood later teach me the fundamentals of cooking in baltimore. made love to my first african-american, cut grass for a living(for the city), had an amazing time just about every day, except when i was nursing my broken heart. i distinctly remember sobbing on august's couch in the front room of the house ( ; anyway this post is bleeding into a book chaptor, so i'll close, but 23 is a really good number in my life.....

alexis, juliana & woode wood

2012-01-19T20:22:00.001-06:00

alexis, juliana & woode wood, a photo by woode wood on Flickr.

2012-01-19T20:01:00.005-06:00

recording # 23

life is very good. friends and love all day long. recording is going very well also. i've waited a long time to be able to record a record like this one. rock & roll with an electric guitar. i'm moving slowly too. i've got the scratch tracks done on 16 songs. if at the end, they all please me, the record will be 16 songs long. eleven, railroad, is what i'm sure of though. i'm playing drums again, to keep the overhead down and i am so very excited about the new clarity of the process. when i got home from the trail today, i laid down a rhythm guitar part and walked away. that's what i've been doing. letting it breathe and then listening to it again after some separation. you always do that, but i'm being more deliberate about it. i'm in touch with my process. today i heard a bass part while i was recording guitar and i listen, for others. horns, organ, harmonies, counter melodies. i'm determined to record a great record here at xylo. even when i have lots of money and can afford to go in a great studio, i want to pull one out of here first. i just have to. for 36 years i had no control, and now for almost 20 i have had control, and i still want to prove it to myself, that i can do it. it's really the motivating force behind all i do. it's why i only do originals, why i direct, shoot & edit all of my videos. i love collaboration but only when we work it out together. i don't know if i wood be this way, if i had started when i was younger, but i know the way i feel now and it feels so good to know.....

2012-01-11T01:28:00.002-06:00

go your own way

so many questions. i get asked. this will answer some. i've always liked many things. i've never really joined any group. i always prefer to float. people will want to put you in a box. to categorize you. it's always been much more interesting to me, to hang with everyone, to learn from everyone. when i was young i hung with older folks, they wood teach me what i didn't know. i'm always seeking energy, and the flow of. i'm in mid creation constantly. several videos, records, art. it's so much fun to produce. get it out of your mind and let your hands create. enjoy the difference, in everything.....

2012-01-10T14:33:00.002-06:00

new song

i've got a new instrumental, doesn't even have a name yet. it was cold and windy today and i had some errands to run, so i drove. after i picked up some new long sleeve t's and went to see amber, i launched into this new song standing on my rock next to the rails. i like standing there when it's cold and i need sun. about halfway through i turned to see if the zephyr was coming, and a car had stopped on lou neff road, and the young woman inside was listening to me play. when i finished she broke into applause and i went over and thanked her, introduced myself, and gave her a card. i love the trail.....

kristin, emily, woode wood & shelly at woode's point

2012-01-08T16:00:00.001-06:00

kristin, emily, woode wood & shelly at woode's point, a photo by woode wood on Flickr.

woode wood at woode's point

2012-01-06T16:24:00.001-06:00

woode wood at woode's point, a photo by woode wood on Flickr.

2012-01-05T08:56:00.002-06:00

record number 23

rehearsals for the continental club gig went so well and taught me so much, i have decided to record these songs for the next record:

pure joy
something to say
days
bleed
door
miss ann
1962
untold look
girl twang
duet
she
love with you
pretty penny
driving night
hug the river

this will be my first rock & roll record. i've had rock on every record but this one will be full up. in fact only "hug the river" will be dif. i am so excited. the addition of my epi and the way it came together in rehearsal, left me with a clear path. i feel so confident, unlike i've ever felt before a record. i have a clear idea of what i am to do, and what i want it to sound like. it's january 5th 2012 and it's time to go to woode's point. fun.....

2012-01-02T19:46:00.000-06:00

blaise & woode wood at woode's point 1.1.12

2012-01-01T14:13:00.001-06:00

blaise & woode wood at woode's point 1.1.12, a photo by woode wood on Flickr.

woode wood at the continental club 12.4.11

2012-01-01T05:50:00.001-06:00

woode wood at the continental club 12.4.11, a photo by woode wood on Flickr.

2011-12-31T19:39:00.000-06:00

woode wood Q R code

2011-12-17T18:01:00.001-06:00

woode wood Q R code, a photo by woode wood on Flickr.

2011-12-16T13:33:00.001-06:00

sun

i love rain, i'm happy it's been raining and we all perish if it doesn't rain, but i miss the sun.....

2011-12-14T14:14:00.002-06:00

rain, cold & wind

it has rained almost every day for a week now. i've only "set up" at woode's point once since our continental club gig. i've been using the time wisely though. as i always do, i save alot of my stuff for when it's too nasty to go down to the trail. i've been writing too, which is always good. i've spent quite a bit of time figuring out how to get the audio i recorded on 12.4.11 onto my hard drive and software to edit it. just listening to the raw tracks i am quite pleased. we got better as the set went on and it's just a matter of rehearsal before every song kicks it, from the start. and that just takes money, so if you don't have a woode wood record, t shirt, or lyric book, please get yourself one or three or get yourself another. holiday gifts, stocking stuffers. thanks again folks.....

woode wood at the continental club 12.4.11

2011-12-08T02:18:00.001-06:00

woode wood at the continental club 12.4.11, a photo by woode wood on Flickr.

woode wood at the continental club 12.4.11

2011-12-08T01:16:00.001-06:00

woode wood at the continental club 12.4.11, a photo by woode wood on Flickr.

james fidlon, andrew duplantis, george duron & woode wood l to r at the continental club 12.4.11

2011-12-08T01:05:00.001-06:00

james fidlon, andrew duplantis, george duron & woode wood l to r at the continental club 12.4.11, a photo by woode wood on Flickr.

woode wood at the continental club 12 .4.11

2011-12-08T00:57:00.001-06:00

woode wood at the continental club 12 .4.11, a photo by woode wood on Flickr.

2011-12-06T19:04:00.002-06:00

addendum

in the "round one" post i stated i didn't know if it could get any better. it got better.....

2011-12-06T18:55:00.002-06:00

andrew jackson pope

kim texted me today and asked me to meet her and jack pope at woode's point. they had something to give to me. kim is one of jack's caregivers and both of them are good friends whom i'm been knowing for 4 years now. when they pulled up jack rolled his window down and gave me a copy of "my little united nations", a book he wrote about his caregivers and his experiences on the trail, and in life. when i have a little more time and after i've read it, i will post more about this. but i'm very proud of jack for this accomplishment. more to come.....

woode wood at continental club 12.4.11

2011-12-06T18:52:00.001-06:00

woode wood at continental club 12.4.11, a photo by woode wood on Flickr.

andrew duplantis(bass) & woode wood(epi guitar) continental club 12.4.11

2011-12-06T15:44:00.001-06:00

andrew duplantis(bass) & woode wood(epi guitar) continental club 12.4.11, a photo by woode wood on Flickr.

2011-12-06T07:51:00.001-06:00

hey gang

well folks, we pulled it off and it was super fun. thank you so much, i will remember each and every one of you forever. this gig meant that much to me. including the little ones y'all were 105 strong, so 200 wood def have been an overstuffed house.

most of you have sent me some form of feedback and it is all overwhelmingly positive. i really appreciate it and wood love to hear from all of you. if anyone has any constructive criticism, i'll take that too. believe me i know i made a ton of mistakes, but it wasn't for lack of preparedness on my part. i worked my butt off for this one. unfortunately due to money concerns we only had two full band rehearsals. that in itself is amazing to me.

james fidlon(guitar) and i did two rehearsals and then james, george duron(drums) and andrew duplantis(bass) joined me for two more. those guys are all super busy and i can see why, because they are so talented and quick studies. ian stewart is alive, but we still have not heard a peep out of him and don't know why he no-showed.

i posted all of your names on my blog, please go there now and if you do not see your name, send me an email and correct that: www.woodewood.com alot of you went to my site, when i asked over the p.a. at the c.c., and it was the biggest "hit" day on my site in 6 months. if you all go now, we will surpass that. i dig this stuff.

again y'all really touched me by coming out to the show.

thank you from the bottom.....

woode

2011-12-05T17:01:00.001-06:00

early thanks

for the most part i'm chillin' today, tomorrow i will thank each and every one of the folks that came to the show last night. it meant a great deal to me. consider this an early thanks.....

woode wood at the continental club 12.4.11

2011-12-05T06:24:00.001-06:00

woode wood at the continental club 12.4.11, a photo by woode wood on Flickr.

woode wood at the continental club 12.4.11

2011-12-05T06:23:00.001-06:00

woode wood at the continental club 12.4.11 , a photo by woode wood on Flickr.

2011-12-04T20:07:00.000-06:00

mmmmm

that was fun.

more to come.....

2011-11-30T18:01:00.003-06:00

round one

i'm even more excited now. i just walked in the door and i have to get this down while i'm remembering it. firsts only happen once. so do twices. it was deja vu all over again in the beginning of rehearsal. the last time i actually had a band was in 1995, all documented here. the first time i played at a rehearsal then they said the same thing ian said to me tonight. "that distortion is annoying". i've been playing with distortion for weeks now and to suddenly go without was a wakeup call. i don't even remember what my strat sounded like in 1995, but the results this time were pleasing. after a couple songs i got the hang of it. it's all about the right hand. still lightyears to go but we sounded good. george duran, james fidlon and andrew duplantis were awesome. so was ian but he had to cut out early and it was before i felt good about my tone. it actually helped that he wasn't there, because i could hear myself better. i'm ecstatic, i've dreamed of playing with these caliber of players, and tonight it actually happened. the only thing stopping me now is money and that will never stop me again. i will work my tail off to get the money. the guys were great to me tonight, attitude and ability. wow, i don't know if it can get any better than this. we'll see sunday.....

2011-11-29T18:01:00.001-06:00

finally

http://www.austinchronicle.com/calendar/music/2011-12-04/

2011-11-28T13:11:00.002-06:00

only once

i'll never pass this way again and i am soaking it up. knowing we are playing the continental club this sunday is so fine. i've been walking around on air for weeks now, but the closer it gets the higher i get. between rehearsals, the weather and gigs, i've missed more time at woode's point than i have in a year. that is not to say i haven't been there almost every day, i have, just not as long. i went about 6 months there, in a stretch, where i didn't miss any. i went down today but traffic was so light i packed up and ran errands instead. i always save 'em up for a rainy day, literally, but cold or wind will suffice. i just want you to know i am wallowing in this feeling. 7 years ago i started this experiment with the sole purpose of taking it directly to the people. i was in a "catch 22", couldn't get a good gig, because i didn't have any good gigs to show. i figured i'd take my music straight to the people and build a following until the normal avenues opened up for me. and even though that is beginning to happen, the real reason was to get really good, by playing every day in public. i can honestly say now i am lightyears from where i was in 2004. and the cool thing is i play more now than i ever have and i'm still just scratching the surface. having the wherewithal to have a great band share a stage with me has been the goal for so long, i almost don't believe it's about to happen. but i earned it and i believe it deeply, but it is dreamlike or surreal(i rarely employ that overused word, but it's def fitting here). rarely does a day pass now when 5 folks don't tell me what something i created means to them, and luckily they're usually alot more than that. it's a constant ego boost and we artists need those. trust me. although my skin is alot thicker than it used to be, i'm still way more sensitive than your average bear. so let's go get a picnic basket. i am happy and i'm not going to forget this week.....

2011-11-25T18:15:00.002-06:00

the gig

i just want to say, i have never prepared so thoroughly for anything in my life. i know that's a huge statement but i swear it's easily the truth. for 37 days now, ever since i got the j gould epi, i have been rehearsing our set at least twice a day. on top of that i have been playing individual songs and all the while tweaking. it is sounding so good i can't believe it. i dreamed about this for so long, and had thought rock n roll was just eluding me. you can rock with an acoustic, but it's def not the same. what is completely blowing my mind, is how fast i am adapting to electricity. i feel like, no bullshit, i'm 13 and discovering myself. it's indescribable. i was on the trail today for 6 hours and i've already played the set twice, once from 8-9a and just now from 5-6p. all day friends were coming by and asking about my preparation for the fourth. they were feeding off of my energy. it's hard to contain and i'm not trying. the room will be full and no one could like what we do and i will still be ecstatic. it's truly a dream come true. in the months ahead, adding all of the accoutrement will just be icing, but it will really make a statement. horns, background singers, more percussion and keys. i planned on doing it for this show but came to realize that i needed to have a tight nucleus first. to start from scratch and build a ten piece wood have needed and does need at least two weeks of rehearsals. that's alot of bread. i still may add a female backing vocal for this show, but i'm not sweating it. i'm very pleased. i hope you are too.....

2011-11-19T19:36:00.000-06:00

2011-11-19T19:08:00.002-06:00

empty bowl number 5

empty bowl project in the a.m. my 5th i do believe. monday we shoot the first round of footage for "something to say". lisa marques is graciously allowing my cam in her classroom again and her students are providing the talent. this will be alot of fun. it's going to be the first time i've shot a conventional lip syncing video. but even though it's been done a zillion times, because it's 3rd graders it will be a little crazy. on top of that i'm using a digital harinezumi 2++. it's a tiny cam that imitates the old super 8 images. george sledge turned me on to it about a year ago and i filed it away, for when i had some extra cash. i just shot my first sequence a couple hours ago and then again 15 minutes ago. the first was a test, i just shot some clouds. the second was a take of me playing "rain" on the john gould (i'll explain that in a book chaptor later). the sound aint so hot on the little cam, but that's not why i got it anyway. i'll tweak it and figure out the best way to get audio with it, prob from a distance. i've been walking on air for weeks because of the continental club show and especially because i'm now doing it electric. for two weeks i've been playing the set over an over to pre-recorded drum tracks, with specific bpm's and rhythms. it's sounding fucking awesome. i never knew it could be so good. when a few months have passed and we have a bunch of gigs and rehearsals under our belts(regardless of the players, they will all be pros rotating in an out from a pool), it's going to blow my mind. i haven't touched my strat since i got the epi and i don't plan on it till after the 4th. two weeks to go from tomorrow. talk about excited. all day today folks were running by screaming out "the fourth!". how cool is that? ashley came by today and set up a shoot for saturday for her family's christmas card. they are going to shoot their kids hanging with me at woode's point and we'll post the video on youtube and she will send out 150 christmas cards with my site on it as well. that's very cool. lots more but my mind is racing way too much. first song of the set:

c'mon sun

come on sun
come out from behind those clouds
warm up my bones
i aint that proud

my mind is racin'
never has before
a matter of pacin'
i'll get the hang of for sure

for the first time
and i love my firsts
everything i need to do
is connected to thirst

it's a new day
dawning for me
light shines the way
and this time i see

2011-11-11T13:45:00.000-06:00

triple railroad

railroad, railroad, railroad.....

2011-11-10T08:53:00.001-06:00

2011-11-08T19:47:00.001-06:00

love

show me love, i give love. don't and i'll turn my head and catch it from the other direction.....

2011-11-08T17:53:00.000-06:00

definites 2

175 and counting.....

2011-11-08T17:14:00.002-06:00

musician

this post will really be understood by musicians. i have refrained from calling myself that word for 19 years, because i've never felt worthy of it's meaning. a musician is someone that has become proficient on their instrument. and even though i still feel i don't live up to that meaning, i took a leap forward these past few days. my new epi has caused this transformation. it may seem hard to believe for some of you, it certainly is for me, that a guitar could actually change my abilities, but that is exactly what has happened. when i began playing in 1992 i knew i wanted to play electric as well as acoustic and in 1993 i got a '93 american standard strat. other than a few inspired moments in 18 years, i have to admit i've never been able to play it in the way i can my acoustic, any acoustic. i thought it was electricity or the instrument itself or my lack of knowledge. every record i have attempted to dub in a little of my strat, but i just never could get to a comfortable place(and it showed). as i've said, that changed when i started thinking about mimicking the acoustic with a wider bodied electric. at first i didn't get the exact wider body. i played a casino and dot and other similar body styles but they didn't speak to me. then i played the epi emperor swingster. it had the same effect on me that being taught 5 chords in an hour did in 1992. it's life changing. i have played it every day since and i love it. i can actually play an electric now. not great, but i know how to get better and that has been the difference. volume and touch. i knew that before but i couldn't get there without this epi. so, 19 years later, i feel a little like a fool, i'm starting out on electric guitar and i'm ecstatic. i wanted to go play an open mic the first few days, that's how excited i am, and i still may. i'm not saying this epi is the greatest guitar made, i'm saying it's perfect for me. hallelujah.....

2011-11-08T17:13:00.001-06:00

electricity

electricity is fun.....

2011-11-08T16:51:00.002-06:00

success

i have been alive for 56 years now and i have learned a few things from the experience. if i can impart only one piece of advice to follow, it is to always do what you say you are going to do. i can't stress this enough. i deal with hundreds of people on a regular basis and the successful ones stand out like beacons of intelligence. they return my emails promptly, they arrive when they say they will and they do what they said they wood do. the other 95% or so do not. i hear from these people all the time, complaining about why they are not respected and successful in what they do, and yet they don't learn these basic principals. if you tell someone, a ceo or a busboy, that you will call them, call them. you can always change your mind, but tell the person that you are supposed to contact, that you have, don't leave it unfinished. and the biggest point i wish to make, is don't lie to someone and tell them you will, when you know you wont. this is the number one reason someone will lose respect for you. now return to the flow and change your ways.....

2011-11-03T18:20:00.000-05:00

the 5's

after much consideration, the band sharing the stage with me at the continental club on december 4th, 2011 at 5p:
the 5's: james fidlon: electric guitar, ian stewart: mandolin/violin, andrew duplantis: bass guitar, george duron: drums.

2011-10-26T00:51:00.004-05:00

35,923

woode's words, my lyric book has 35,923 words in it. the cleaner version has 35,649. i showed it to my friend and supporter john blinn today and he was mightily impressed. only a very small fraction of the folks that are aware of me even know about the book. one of the many things i plan on changing in the next few months. up til now it's all been pretty much word of mouth, other than the occasional piece of press, about everything i do. no advertising to speak of. i think i'm going to give that a small whirl just to see how it increases my presence. the continental club gig is def getting the largest effort i've ever put into promotion of a live performance. i've already told person to person around 5,000 people, and plan on that number being around 25,000 by the time we set foot on stage. after hundreds verbally said that they wood be coming to the gig i started pinpointing certain folks for the "definites" list. it now stands at 111. when it gets to 200 i will not stop promoting the show, but will stop pinpointing "definites". as i said earlier, the 200 "definites" are folks that if i called in the middle of the night for help, they wood come. i only put names on the list after a good grilling. with each person on the list i am asking them to bring a twenty and throw it in the bucket which we will have on the front of the stage. next to the bucket there will be records. while we play our set i will ask the definites to come forward and grab a record of their choice and place the twenty in the bucket. kinda like a rock n roll church. the continental club holds around 200. we are charging 5 bucks at the door and i get 80% of the door so i am going to lose money on this show. that is why i am asking for these additional record sales. so i can afford the band for the next continental club gig. and really, until i am able to charge more at the door for whatever size venue, breaking even will be cool. about a week out from the gig i am going to send a mass email to just the "definites" and tell them to get to the continental club before 4:30p and some other "insider" details. that's when the doors open and this will insure that the "definites" get in. just so you know, i've had many say they were coming and bringing lots of friends and they are not on the "definites" list. so. heed the message to get down there early. i am so excited about this gig i can't describe the joy. i've been sleeping but only for short bursts. between the gig and my two new epi's(an emperor swingster and a 5 string banjo) i can't seem to get my requisite 5 hours. yesterday i started humming a new tune in my sleep and it woke me up, and i grabbed the cam and recorded the hum with the words that came pouring out. i've written almost a song a day for the past 3 weeks. i haven't done that since the beginning in the mid 90's. back then it was a 75 song a year clip, then it was a 50 song a year output and for the last few it's been about 35 a year. so roughly 21 in 21 days is enormous. i've been writing alot for my book too. 51 posts now. these i keep as drafts and they will not see the light of day until they appear in the book. some juicy stuff. more and more folks are reading this blog, because every day someone says something to me that they wood only know from reading this. and usually it's a person i don't recognize. that is the newest chaptor in all of this. the amount of people i see every day, that say hello, that i have never seen before. i mean i must have seen them but i don't remember their faces. along with that are the instances where someone will sit down for a song and say they did just that years ago and i have no recollection. all my friends know i have a very good memory so this is not disconcerting but happily a realization that i am starting to reach alot of people(35 countries visited www.woodewood.com last month alone, according to google analytics). after all that is what this is all about. what good is it if all of this stuff i create never gets seen or heard? but even if that were the case i'd still create. it's what gives me life.....

as you know i've been on a hiatus from club gigs for the past year or so. i was waiting for now. with that, i am going to begin the next phase of this musical life. i'm going to start gigging with the old fervor but only in good places. solo and full band. i've been talking to conrad about playing solo at spiderhouse, for months, and this friday at 7p will be the first gig there. here's the set list for both spiderhouse and the continental club(interestingly, the same songs done solo acoustic and full band electric, respectively):

c'mon sun http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L16iBZ8giPI
pure joy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1fg1y_4KAY
sure of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMJcotNWquA
so simple http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oq8Ohpc20qg
baby http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oq8Ohpc20qg
i'm mad http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Yxhbj9KinU
something to say http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUpSozZEgEo
rain http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTu3oAxTp0k
bleed
door
miss ann http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqY2Nmd2gY4
days http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBms_3RFqfQ
sweet sweet http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aP4gxe_QJrY
untold look
1962
torpedos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ve-43OkE8l0
girl twang
duet http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sE92gk1CjNQ

enjoy.....

2011-10-23T23:16:00.002-05:00

new epi

http://www.vintageguitar.com/5602/epiphone-emperor-swingster/

finally having the tool you need is a wondrous thing. i play music alot every day, probably more than most, but for the last 3 days i've started a new chaptor in my musical life. i never knew what playing an electric guitar was like until now. as i've said many times, i'm a late bloomer, and it's true in this case too. this morning from 2-5a i played my new epi until i couldn't stand(literally) any more, and then i sat. and then finally around 6 i laid down to sleep for an hour, fingertips buzzing with joy and pain. i never knew i had it in me. 56 and discovering electricity. crazy.....

2011-10-23T00:11:00.003-05:00

i am one lucky human being

ez was just over xylo and we had an exchange that made me know how lucky i am to be who i am. i don't know why i am this way, but i am very grateful. ez and i were shopping for some food in central market and a song i love came on, just as we were leaving. "hate that i love you" by rihanna & ne-yo is one of my fave music videos and i think the duet between them is wonderful. i said when we get to xylo i'll play it for you. after i did she said she hated it. i encounter this alot. i love so much. all types of music, art, food, people, cultures, language, books, films, the list is endless. i love mozart and public image limited, kc and the sunshine band and joy division, the faces and bjork, nick drake and ac/dc. vincent van gogh and jackson pollock, the world an america. i think you catch my drift. i'll show something to someone often and they don't like it and i'm always curious as to why. a perfect example is every day on the trail. no matter what type of weather we are having, all day long i hear complaints, unless it is between 70 and 80 degrees, with a light breeze and sunny and/or partly cloudy. i gravitate to the folks that are more like me. it doesn't matter what it is, as long as it's genuine, from the heart and real, i'll probably like it. there's tons of stuff i don't like, i'm just saying i'm fortunate that i like more than most. often i talk to someone that is very narrow in scope and they offer something to me that seems limited to me. and many times i'm left baffled by their choices. all that said, i know someone right now is listening to my music and hating it. depending on the song, i can understand that thought. i love my songs but not my recordings. but what i have dreamed for so long is finally happening and i am so looking forward to being able to flesh out my songs the way i hear them in my head. friends that day is fast approaching. within another year in fact. you know i always do what i say. before 2012 is over, i will release a record that is so far superior to what i have released that even i will be stunned. but first i have to establish my self at the continental club, no easy task. by establish i mean play there often to full rooms. ask any performer, here in town or anywhere in the world and they will tell you how hard that is to do. i'm all in though and it will happen. still have some hurdles to get over but i'm not going to let anything stop me. apathetic, set in your ways, no vision people will just have to move aside.....

2011-10-17T16:34:00.001-05:00

the continental club calendar

i'm on it.....

2011-10-17T12:56:00.000-05:00

purple 5's

i love purple fives.....

2011-10-16T15:34:00.001-05:00

definites

roughly 50,000 go by me every week at woode's point, half of them know my name. i've already spoken to about 2,000 about 12.4.11. hundreds of those have said they are coming to this gig, but i've heard that before so this time i'm writing down the "definites" (folks that wood come fix my flat, at midnite, in the rain). as of today i already have 80 some, not counting the fb event page, with 8 weeks to go.....

2011-10-04T22:34:00.001-05:00

sunday december 4, 2011 5p the continental club

2011-10-04T22:33:00.000-05:00

woode wood at the continental club

my life just changed forever. i woke up from a nap at 10:15p, october 4th, 2011 and my cell was blinking with a message from wayne nagel. wayne secured a date for me at the continental club on december 4th, 2011 from 5-6p. 5 dollar cover. hallelujah.....

andrew w/minnie & micky in woode wood t

2011-09-29T20:45:00.001-05:00

andrew w/minnie & micky in woode wood t, a photo by woode wood on Flickr.

2011-09-25T14:38:00.000-05:00

on all cylinders

i am very excited.....

2011-09-25T14:19:00.003-05:00

kids record experiment

so sally was the one who finally convinced me to do a children's record, and i'm very grateful she did. i decided if it was successful i wood actually write a children's record. well "kids (all sizes)" has been out for a week and a half and it is far exceeding anything i thought it wood do. so i am going to write a genuine woode wood children's record. i'll try to have it done by mid 2012, but i'm not in any hurry, it's just the fact i'm doing one is exciting. i'm going to unleash my inner child, but it's still not going to pander to children. i'm not going to write "the cow in the barn goes moo". but it will be a true kids record unlike this one. as you know "kids (all sizes)" is cherry picked songs from my back catalogue, adult songs that are kid friendly. it's not your typical kids record, but an experiment to test the market and see if woode wood music can fit. the new songs will be written specifically to sing along to, as kids are want to do. it'll just be imaginative with lots of choruses and repetitive musical and lyrical phrases. i came up with one yesterday. "bounce baby ball, bounce baby ball, bounce baby ball, bounce". emphasis on the "bounce".....

2011-09-24T23:13:00.002-05:00

any life you want

every day i try to inspire. if you listen to my music, hear my lyrics, watch my videos you will see that it's what i'm all about. i discovered my path and i want everyone to find theirs. all day i talk to the people who stop by or stop me on the street, and hear their stories. everything under the sun is related to me. once a day, at least, someone starts to cry when telling me about some incident in their life. mostly they tell me because i have enabled them in some way, but i do hear from people that are mired in a life they feel they have no control over. the lesson i have learned in my life, is you can make any life you want. you can start this instant. you can choose to be happy instead of miserable, quit doing whatever it is that is causing you so much stress or just start fresh and look at the world through a child's eyes. bitching about it will not change it. only action will. if you are in a marriage or job or relationship that isn't working for you, walk away from it, if you can't change it to what you want. over 7 years now i have been talking to alot of the same people on the trail. some of them are still grousing about the same things they complained about 7 years ago. i want these people to find a way. no one is doing anything to you, that you didn't allow them to do. free yourself. start a new life and look at the glass as half full. when you meet someone, see the good in that person. i practice this. i am fond of calling out and saying something i like about someone. it's the way i am. i like the way i am. i like seeing good. i aint no saint though. don't want to be. i just want to be real. if you do something i don't like, you will know about it. but i will get over it and invite you in again. i have the memory of an elephant but grudges are for fools. so choose joy and be active. really believe in the fact that your life could end abruptly. do you want it to end with you being a miserable fuck, or in the middle of some hellaciously, awesome experience that is so much fun you didn't think you could take any more of it?.....

2011-09-23T05:50:00.001-05:00

photo at red 7 sxsw 2006

my photo at red 7 during sxsw 2006 in scmap austin guide:
http://austin.schmap.com/bars/red_7?pn=0

2011-09-21T18:11:00.001-05:00

excited

i am very excited. that's all i have to say.....

2011-09-19T18:16:00.000-05:00

natalie langham in woode wood t shirt at acl

if u watch this news report, you will see natalie langham, who sings on my new record "bare", sporting a woode wood t shirt at the austin city limits music festival. pretty cool, thanks nat and great job on the record btw:
http://austin.ynn.com/content/top_stories/280512/acl-opening-act--acl-moves-into-its-final-day?r=5200626032

2011-09-19T05:58:00.001-05:00

rain and "this rain song"

it's rained every day since i released "this rain song" on "bare". the people asked me to write a song to make it rain. i did and it is. how cool is that?.....

2011-09-19T02:18:00.001-05:00

sweet

a woman came by woode's point two days ago, and said she heard my voice the day before, when i wasn't there.....

2011-09-18T06:08:00.002-05:00

new records

so far no negative feedback at all. children are loving the kids record and all are loving "bare" and "original". "original" has legs. it will be around a long time. it's easily the best record i've done. and mad props to my friend julian milo for sequencing it and all of the wonderful players who have graced my records. the coolest thing is what i have learned along the way. i've always known my records could sound a million times better if someone else twiddled the knobs and we used great gear and rooms. now we are nearing this beginning. i can now see someone footing the bill for it and making it possible. we are just scratching the surface my friends.....

2011-09-18T05:08:00.003-05:00

the dynamic

i feel oblidged to enlighten from time to time, because so many are involved in this little experiment. some of this is repeated explanation, but i have to to keep people abreast of the situation and also it documents what is going on. i can look back and remember the dynamic.....

when i started in july of 2004 no one said hello, but me being me, i said hello anyway. i have continued this and because of that, tens of thousands now show me love. perseverance pays off. never forget this. don't ever quit if you believe in something. it may take a long time, but you will eventually get where you want to be, if you put in the effort. now along the way, hundreds of little mini-stories have occurred and that is what this post is about. dealing with the public on a regular basis is an ongoing, changing dynamic. i will just relate some of the stories and hopefully that will illustrate what i'm trying to document. almost down to each one, these stories are at least duplicated, so you will see that it is an experience like no other. i have this friend who i met on the trail, and remember no one said hello at first, although thankfully there are many who do say hello the first time they walk/run/ride by. this friend loved to stop, after our initial meeting, and shoot the shit. years ago, i wood see him almost every day. we became friends. i got to know his family and even went to his home on a couple of occasions. they came to my gigs. always this friend wood, from visit to visit, have some kernel of info he wood like to impart. sometimes he wood have a head full of steam, coming 'round the corner, and unload on me whatever was bothering him. i listened to these rants for years, but they became more and more frequent. (another dynamic you have to understand, is 7 years ago, along with becoming a singer/songwriter full time, i swore that i wood stop putting up with bullshit and remake my life into an experience i had always wanted. this meant that i wood hang around people that i love and do what i love continuously. it has worked out well. my stress level went way down and life is very wonderful now.) so one day he came 'round the corner, spitting nails about something, and i told him i didn't want to hear it. he had reached my tipping point. he became indignant, said some things he really didn't mean and stormed off. this type of situation has happened several times with other enraged, misguided angry people. i don't put up with bullshit anymore. if you have a "friend" that takes advantage of you or doesn't show you the respect you deserve, that person is not a friend. you deserve to have friends that support you and look out for you. if their day to day drama is more than you want to handle and it's becoming your drama... need i say more. so, this cat later sent me an email asking to be removed from my elist, which i immediately did and i didn't see him for a while. just to reiterate, all of these "separating" actions came from him. i never raised my voice or asked to be removed from anything. what he did by doing all of that, was separate me from unwanted stress. i now see him on a regular basis. he always smiles and says hello, but we don't have conversations anymore, and i'm ok with that. i do feel for his wife though. she must endure alot.....

in the beginning i said hello to many and it has paid off. when it finally dawned on me someone did not want my greetings i stopped greeting them. remembering everyone is an ongoing formidable task. it's impossible. i've talked about vivian and her ilk, but there is another dynamic. the person that has been walking by me for years, rolling their eyes, making disparaging remarks, or just avoiding eye contact completely. every day one of these individuals turns over a new leaf and accepts me and smiles or talks to me. this is glorious, but not without it's conditions. if you have been hateful towards me for years, i will let you in, but you have to prove yourself. by this same token, if i have been showing you love for years, playing songs for your children, brightening your day with encouragement and then you snub me when i ask for your help with my dream. this does not sit well either. friendship is earned and a very valuable relationship. i am no saint. i have made mistakes, too many to recall. some were yesterday. when the number of people you have relationships with becomes in the thousands, the number of mistakes made increases as well.....

this is here so any one can read it and hopefully understand a little better what is going on at woode's point and beyond. there will be times today when every person that goes by, for minutes, will want a fist bump, and then there will be some hate. it's all part of the fabric and i'm riding the wave. if you want to be my friend, stop by and visit, introduce yourself, we will be friends. even you one percenters. there is hope even for you. it's all about love. open your heart and your mind and come on in.....

2011-09-16T13:08:00.002-05:00

"this rain song"

it's raining. for weeks i've been telling folks that when my record with "this rain song" on it comes out, it will rain. "bare" finally, officially came out today, and sure enough, it's raining.....

2011-09-14T05:39:00.000-05:00

2011-09-12T19:54:00.002-05:00

so

know where to start. the 3 new records came out and because of that very fact, i let some things slip. the first thing that happened, was during a mix for "this rain song". i had my mic pre on and the volume of my vocal mic too hot and it fedback and blew out one of my crappy, little speakers. first time in 19 years i've destroyed one of my pieces due to error. i'm still upset about it. i say crappy because when frank took me under his wing at bismeaux, he let me observe. one of the first things i learned, was never mix through headphones and use two sets of speakers to hear through. one crappy pair and one good pair. it has served me well. the crappy pair i used were really awesome. they came from a boombox i bought in the 80's. to this day i remember how much i paid for it. i bought three in quick succession. a 200 dollar one piece, a 350 dollar 3 piece and a 600 dollar 3 piece. i still have all three. one of the speakers i blew was from the 350 model. they sounded great. at any rate, i'm going to replace them with the two from the 600 model. somehow in the mix for "this rain song" i didn't pull up my vocal enough in one chorus and nat is singing almost alone, and it doesn't work. in the past i wood have let this go, because it was too late to fix it. but this time because we put out 3 records and we hurried through the compiling of "original" i put the wrong version of "blue to me" on it. i didn't hear this until we had actually duped some. when i heard that, i decided to re-record "this rain song" and "strat" and put the right version of "blue to me" on "original". so "kids (all sizes)" came out, but the real "bare" and "original" come out this week. and i may sub another song for "strat" and release it on "buncha notes". considering everything, it has really turned into a blessing. lemonade, you know?

the trail has been nuts. so much is going on every day, i can't even remember everything at the end of the day anymore. lots of songs and loads of love with a tiny side of hate, which is what i tend to dwell on. i always want to change the hate to love, i guess that's why. all i know is my dreams are coming true and it feels really good. i'm even starting to get some respect from some of the local artists that i admire, something i have wanted for so long. i'm writing another chapter for the book and you'll have to wait for it to read about who. i've got so much more to post on my calendar and here, but it will just have to wait. my days are full and it's just a matter of what i want to put my energy into. i'm never lacking for a project.....

2011-09-12T01:20:00.002-05:00

kids (all sizes)

"kids (all sizes)" was compiled from many records. for the liner notes to each track, just search "liner notes" on this blog and find the corresponding record and song.

kids (all sizes)

song record

chocolate dog actual lee
molly brown untitled 1997
green primitive
so much hope be
lost dog lo-fi living
stupid previously unreleased
reverse o'sten
voices untitled 1997
a reason to smile untitled 1997
thinking it untitled 1997
good evenin' whole 'nother life

2011-09-12T01:01:00.003-05:00

original

for liner notes to "original" see the record notes for each track. just search "liner notes" and then go to the corresponding record and song.

original

song record

sure of leap
sweet sweet it's all goo.....
funny how that is be
e thing cheap cars & acoustic guitars
blue to me be
letter it's all goo.....
rain be
my darling old soul
i'm mad just july
5 dollars leap
stream be
black cloud old soul
duet be
that's love just july
so simple it's all goo.....
degas actual lee
c'mon sun leap

2011-09-09T06:41:00.001-05:00

more bare notes

i will elaborate on "bare" and "kids (all sizes)" shortly.....

2011-09-09T06:30:00.004-05:00

bare

something to say
stupid
door
it aint what she says, it's the way that she says it
strat
this rain song
duet
miss ann
piss
old poppa brown
it aint what she says, it's the way that she says it (reprise)

natalie langham backing vocals
james fidlon electric guitar
ian stewart fiddle, mandolin
cooper white baritone saxophone www.cooperwhitemusic.com
will krause bass guitar
ian walling drums
bryan jackson backing vocals
i play all others

2011-09-08T09:36:00.001-05:00

good

this feels good.....

2011-09-08T09:27:00.002-05:00

rest

after recording and mixing for days, i'm doing something i haven't done in 6 months. i'm chillin'..... all day. "bare", "original" & "kids (all sizes)" were finished last night, and they hit the streets this evening. i'm going to sit back, play my 12 string and maybe write a song.....

2011-09-07T06:28:00.000-05:00

be safe

again to all of my female friends, please do not run near dark or alone and hug the river for the safest area, inside the 4 mile loop: http://www.statesman.com/news/local/man-charged-with-assaulting-robbing-jogger-1824141.html

2011-09-07T06:12:00.001-05:00

2 more

finished "piss".....

2011-09-07T04:12:00.003-05:00

another break

3 songs left, 8 done for "bare". still need to dub some stuff onto "old poppa brown", "strat" & "piss". i'm exhausted, gonna lay down a bit. very excited. still want to hit woode's point for at least an ear rest. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....

2011-09-07T00:55:00.002-05:00

mmmmmmmmmmmm

i will be posting a bunch of stuff soon. i'm in the final hours of recording and mixing "bare". although i always want more i am very pleased. "buncha notes" is going to kick butt. i changed the title, as you see. that record will have full resources and should come out by xmas. i'm resting my ears, sort of, i'm listening to some bob seger, now norah. when i fill you in on what has happened in the last week, you are going to enjoy the post, almost as much as i have loved living it. the austin tri was awesome, again. so much love. it's just after midnight and later today may be the first day i miss at woode's point in 6 months. george and i start mastering "bare", "original" & "kids (all sizes)" at 3p. i still have a few dubs to make to 5 songs and then to mix them. even if i'm not done though i may take a break and drive down for a few, just to keep my streak going. "hug the river" didn't make the cut. i spent days on the song and then rerecorded it a few times, then did it again and still was not happy. it and "love with you" just stymie me. no explanation, just is. i am very excited.....

2011-08-29T13:58:00.001-05:00

56

now's your chance people. if you need an excuse to get one, or more, of my records, and supporting me is not enough, i'm celebrating my birthday all week. come by or go to my site and do the do. thanks: www.woodewood.com

2011-08-28T13:41:00.000-05:00

yea

the short of it is, i'm asking everyone (10,000+) that loves me to get at least one of my records. i am being overwhelmed with the response. all my dreams are coming true. here's the whole story: http://woodewood.blogspot.com/2011_07_20_archive.html

emmy an audrey at old faithful (back)

2011-08-26T15:55:00.001-05:00

emmy an audrey at old faithful (back), a photo by woode wood on Flickr.

audrey and emmy at old faithful

2011-08-26T15:54:00.001-05:00

audrey and emmy at old faithful, a photo by woode wood on Flickr.

2011-08-20T12:48:00.000-05:00

half full

finding out who.....really.....loves me, and those who pose.....

2011-08-19T03:35:00.002-05:00

"original" download

a new friend stopped by yesterday to tell me how much he loves "leap" and was brainstorming ideas and throwing them at me. i was hanging with lexi and we were discussing a new shoot, so my attention was divided. but it got me to thinking. i've been reading about these dif bands that have been giving away downloads of their latest records and i haven't heard of a bad experience with it yet. so. i'm going to give "original" away to anyone that wants it and ask for donations to cover costs. i'll do it several ways. but for sure i'll set it up on my site www.woodewood.com and keep a memory stick with me. it's going to have 15 songs on it and i'm still deciding which ones. def one from each mastered record:

the first two five years ("best of" of first ten records)
whole'nother life
just july
old soul
it's all goo.....
be
leap
actual lee

2011-08-18T06:39:00.001-05:00

origami

real quick. i am saving the really good, green origami being thrown from the zephyr. the best ones will make it into a music video.....

2011-08-17T18:58:00.002-05:00

crunch time

i'm in crunch time with "bare" and will be until mastering on the 7th. but even so, life is crazy good right now. it was great before, but the last 4 weeks and two days have seen a huge uptick. there were several times today when i had someone listening to my dream and someone else walked up and sat down and joined in. so many new names to remember. it's hilarious. a woman ran by yesterday and said we spoke last week and "if you want me to stop again, you have to remember my name". ok. she obviously hasn't been paying attention. everyone tells me everyday how amazed they are at my ability to say everyone's name. but folks, there are 50,000 people going by a week. think about it. not only do i not know the woman's name, i'd never seen her before. there are people who have run by for 7 years that i don't recognize. very, very few granted, but still if you have only been a regular for a year or less. well. but i do love knowing someone's name, so i will try to learn this woman's name. not to appease her, but to make a new friend. today was just all good. the one bad was actually a hidden good. i had to drive instead of bike, because i had to traverse the city taking records and picking up t's. i'm seeing at least one t every day now and that has happened for months. talk about a good feeling.....

"bare" is really going to be interesting. it's a record of joy for me. "bunch of notes" will be the next all new material record, but being able to do whatever i like is very cool. electric, crazy, inebriated, old, you name it, this record will have it. there are no rules and it feels good.....

woode wood: this rain song (live at woode's point w/ andy)

2011-08-17T16:11:00.000-05:00

2011-08-14T00:11:00.002-05:00

protocol

folks i am busting my ass making this dream come true. i've always interacted with hundreds(really thousands) each day, but now the amount of folks that i am speaking to for an extended period has quintupled. consequently i am fried by the end of my day. i just want to tell you a few things that i have tried to maintain at woode's point. since i have begun this dream realization phase, i am getting there earlier and staying later, talking to the people. i'm lower on the limestone until it's time for the zilker zephyr to run. this enables me to directly interact with everyone up close. i wood always do it this way if it weren't for the fact that up top i get it both ways. twice as much interaction. but up top the zilker side is less frequent, so i wait until the zephyr arrives. i've always tried to play for the zephyr. and this means i will cut off in mid-conversation to jump up and play. in this regard i will try to navigate a conversation by asking folks to just "listen for a moment". this enables me to get the dream story in before the train. as the day goes on and i get more worn, i can be curt at times. i apologize for this, but walk a mile in my shoes. it is what it is. i am completely wiped by the time i hit xylo. nothing left and i have to recharge. a meal and a nap and i'm ready to record or write or edit. also at woode's point i always try and keep the trail clear. if the path is blocked by a baby carriage or bicycles it is not fair to all of the traffic. so i am constantly asking folks to move over to the dirt and sit down. you wood have to experience what a day is like to understand this fully, but it is constantly a source of anger for any trail user to have to deal with a blockage. regardless of where it takes place. it's just disrespectful to others to walk three abreast or even two when it's really jammin. headphones are a terrible idea. thousands of times i have said "on your left" and gotten no response. this is also the case with conversation. we all must pay attention, because even then things happen. children and animals don't know about protocol. keep all of your love ones close and watch them. life is very good, let's keep it that way. a good trick on yourself is to take a beat before you speak. i put my foot in my mouth constantly, but it wood be thrice as much if i didn't practice this beat taking. we are all a little quick to anger and civility is really a wonderful thing. saturday was incredible. my heart is bursting. thank you.....

2011_07_03_liamguitar2.MOV

2011-08-13T21:04:00.000-05:00

2011-08-12T05:42:00.002-05:00

faces

the greatest thing is happening. putting names to all of the faces. yesterday was a non-stop parade of new friends stopping by to say hello and share their stories. my heart is full. i feel a groundswell coming up that is going to completely take the local media by surprise. my music has virtually been ignored for 19 years in all media. only the human interest story of my being on the trail has been reported. well i know my records are only "half way there", i've been saying it for over a decade. but when i listen to my first and then my latest, i am completely overwhelmed with my progress, and i'm just scratching the surface. when some out of town large media shines it's spotlight, and all of the locals that have marginalized me start to clamor for a piece, that will be vindication. i just want respect. every day now at least a hundred folks tell me how much they love something i created, and it's usually in person, all the better. i could care less about fame and fortune. what i want is respect, and i'm gonna get it. i'm going to force all of the gatekeepers to give it to me, by unleashing the love of the people. when what you do is just make your living off of others art, and it's not your life's calling, you are not standing on a rock. when you have found what you were put on earth to do, you are made out of steel and can do anything for the good, if you desire it. i desire respect. yesterday was amazing, the last three weeks have been amazing and it's only beginning. every day 5 people say hello that used to ignore me. if you believe, don't ever give up, you will achieve what you desire. thank you folks. i love ya.....

2011-08-11T15:37:00.004-05:00

my dream 7 goals

so by now many people know what some of my goals are. the immediate goal of playing the continental club with a ten piece band (moi included). playing small clubs (packed) in tokyo, cairo, rio, reykjavik, etc. but my biggest goal i've never shared with anyone, to my knowledge, until this week when i told a new friend. after having discovered my new life, by getting it unlodged with a musical instrument, i wanted to do the same for others. and since it seems many programs are geared towards young people, which i am all for, i wanted to start one that is for all people. my ultimate dream is to open a large facility where any human can come in and play any instrument for free. the building will have at least 50, small, soundproof cubicles where you can play a french horn or piano or a kalimba, for the first time or the hundreth time. the staff will be made up of a few professional, multi-instrumentalists and alot of helper, people, persons. the pros will be there for guidance, but mostly these people persons will do the brunt of contact with the players. i want the facility to house every instrument. players will be allowed to play up to an hour every day, any day, free. there will be guidelines so everyone will know what is expected of them in return for this kindness. instruments will have to be wiped down after every use and personal hygiene will be observed. basic stuff. the main point is to be all inclusive. no snobbery, hate, or marginalizing of any kind will be tolerated. good players will be encouraged to share their knowledge and beginners will be paired up with accomplished players when they desire it. when one facility has been successful, we will open another in another town. the world needs more people performing music. players will always be encouraged to learn to compose their own and share the process. a non-profit, donation based operation, with future successful musicians who got their start there, giving back. it's a big expensive dream, but i'm going to do it, because music changed my life.....

2011-08-11T03:50:00.000-05:00

slow down

if i am killed like andrew, riding home, please make an example of the person that does it. then maybe others will slow down, observe the state law of a 3 foot margin between their car and me, and be more kind. been meaning to say this.....

2011-08-09T17:35:00.002-05:00

vicki & leonard

today was insane again. a wonderful insane. i think i slept from 10-1a and again from 5-6a and then hit the trail around 7a. so much love and heat everywhere. it was actually very cool and breezy early and it made for a great morning. i don't know if you have noticed, but i have been using alot of "actually" lately. it's just my little stupid nod to my last record. i like the word. i meet so many people who are searching for a community and they don't use the trail on a regular basis. it's like a huge family. everywhere i went today, and i went every where, i saw trail friends conversing. folks that have actually met on the trail and become great friends. it's the perfect way to go. get healthier, meet healthy folks and make more friends surrounded by beautiful landscape. every time i meet someone that doesn't use the trail regularly, i wonder why not. how can you not use this incredible free resource? it's not just for runners, bikers or walkers, it's for anyone. that's wherein lies it's beauty.....

again today some folks dropped by woode's point for the first time. it happens over an over every day. it's my favorite thing, besides singing to beautiful girls and chillins. i'm going to pick one of the couples that stopped today and talk about how much i appreciate them and the experience. winning someone over and having them see what i've known all along, it's the best medicine. vicki or vicky and leonard have been walking by me for years. two of the fifty thousand or so that i am fortunate enough to see on a regular interval. they are always cordial and smiling, but until today, they had never stopped to talk. after i gave my little spiel(20th record on the way, 110 music videos, tour, book, etc., blah blah blah), i told them about my dream. even now, after repeating this event hundreds of times over the last three weeks, i still get excited retelling it. sometimes i need to take a break and catch my breath, because i start to wain, but the excitement always comes back. it's contagious, relating words that speak of something so deep in my soul. i actually found my path and now i have found a way to make it all come true. powerful shit. so v & l listen and smile and are very gratious. when i finish and ask the inevitable question, "do you love me?" and get the response i'm hoping for, i ask if i can play them "duet". when the last chord rings out and fades, they give me the look i crave. the look of two who will forever think of me in a more positive light. the very look i am seeking from every one i see. it's an uphill battle, but i don't have any "quit" in me, only "go" and "do it". the vickis and leonards are maybe the most important wins for me. young folks are much more inclined to want to hear some new music, but i want to win over everyone. so vicki and leonard, thank you for coming by today and i hope to see y'all soon.....

2011-08-07T14:27:00.002-05:00

another amazing day

saturdays are always the best, and sundays are second best, but i'm never sure what sunday will hold. sundays tend to be the day when you see the most casual trail users. people who tend to be on the trail once, maybe twice a week. you still get all of your hard core users, but the mixture makes for a crazy day. i get alot of stares on sunday, from eyes that have never seen me before. it's like reverting back to the first day i played the trail in july of 2004. it's one of the things i most despise and enjoy at the same time. how can this be you may ask? well, i love the fact that there are always new folk to win over, but i also don't like being looked at with contempt. the dichotomy is unusual to say the least. there is so much love though. just pouring over me. i'm fried, it's almost 3p and i've been home at xylo for a good hour and i'm still decompressing. i hit the trail at 6:30a today and it was non-stop the whole time. i played at least 50 songs and i still had some guy say to me, "every time i run by you are never playing". it always makes me laugh. and i always say, "sit down with me for three minutes and i'll play you a song". at least once a day that happens. at least once a day someone says, "you know what you should do?" for those of you that follow this blog, you've heard this before. today it was a suggestion to do something i did 5 years ago. people you have to understand, i have thought about marketing myself every day for 19 years. think about that for a second, think about it for a minute. i've tried and re-tried every angle and have winnowed it down to what it be now. if you are on a major and sell millions of records and have a big budget, certain avenues are lucrative for you. when you are the epitome of diy, you keep tweeking it until you get what works for you. 19 years. it's just like my songwriting process. i am very comfortable with it now. i know what works for me. that is why this latest epiphany is the final piece of the puzzle. i now know how to get to tokyo. yea. even so, someone will come up to me tomorrow and say, "you know what you should do, you should go play at the srv statue, play next to the water fountain, try kickstarter, sell on itunes, get a website, get some t-shirts, get a martin guitar, get a trailer for your bike, get a big sign, get your records in waterloo/runtex/store of your choice, play the airport, go to kerrville, blah blah blah. heard it, done it, lived it, know it, moved on from it. thank you very much. if that is the biggest problem i have? sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet. please keep all that love coming folks. y'all are lifting me up, and soon you will see some major changes. and this time the changes will be for the better. how cool is that?.....