Just got word we’re returning to the Troubadour in West Hollywood September 8! We’ll be opening for our friends BigBang from Norway.

And some pics from our studio time with Adam …

and the star of the show, the Boss TU-12H …

• Fulltone’s just released their new Robin Trower Overdrive and it sounds great. Less mid-scoop than their OCD and GT500 (less “modern”) and less 808/Tubescreamer mid-hump than the Full Drive 2 Mosfet.
• Last night we all went to Japantown on Sawtelle and rented one of those private karaoke rooms.
• Ankur is putting the finishing touches on our private demo tracking studio. He just picked up a nice Sheraton for himself to cover a bunch of sounds with one guitar, some interfaces, DIs and room mics. This is perfect timing to track ideas before we go back into the studio with Adam for reals.
• Wrote a new song that sounded fantastic from the get go the moment I showed it to the guys.  I’m fleshing out a title, maybe “Oceans Apart” or “Clouds Roll East.”
• We’ve got more band photos on our new Facebook page

• So I’ve just written a new song, my first since our last batch of five or so a few months ago.
• I usually write in batches or “classes” ie “class of ‘06, etc. Then I get on with living and so on.
• I’d like to spend some time with a G and B Bender Telecaster. Bending my 26 wound Ga whole step is a commitment.
• We’re in the running for a slot at Austin City Limits.  If you’d like you can kindly vote us in here.

Wow it’s really been a month since my last post.

We’ve tracked guitars, vocals, backup vocals and even more guitars with Adam in his studio.

busted out and broken in:

1. Adam’s new candy apple red Fender Jazzmaster (killer! going to be a recurring tone/voice on the album)
2. my fingerpicking debut on a Gretsch Tenessee Rose through Roland’s new Space Echo
3. i think we used a Keeley modded Rat
4. maybe a Coleman Astro Fuzz which was completely new to me.
5. an older Guild dreadnaught
6. 90’s Vox Ac-30
7. a new Roland Rotary Ensemble
8. a Shubb C-1 capo !(MVP)

Going into the studio with Adam next week! Vocals, backing vocals and overdubs on top of what we’ve done so far. Adam is fantastic and I feel lucky just to work with him.

Just played a Headstrong Lil’ King Reverb 1×10 which was spectacular. It would have been nice to have a smaller combo on our tour when we hit smaller clubs in Memphis, Dallas, and Salt Lake.

Going to The Mint tomorrow night to see Dan and Leland perform with a full band.

Anks returned from Japan hours before my Venice housewarming party, bearing gifts from afar.  Japanese guitar picks!

Speaking of Japan I’ve included my Speed Racer VIP PitPass.

Our touring van has passed California smog check with flying colors.  0 emissions. That’s better than most hybrids.

When Anks gets back from Japan we’re heading back into the studio with Adam.

I would love a Nash Esquire and a Juke 1210.

So I’ve just finished moving into my new Venice apartment. I now have a view of the Pacific, Santa Monica mountains, Hollywood Hills and most of LA this side of the Valley. Plus McDonald’s and Domino’s within view. It’s a trip seeing charter planes take off from the residential area around the Santa Monica airport.

Wait, I can clearly see a fire erupting in Westwood Village. Now a chopper flying over the scene. All this while working on my tan before I get my Hispanic club card revoked.

I just played a Bill Nash 50’s style relic strat into a Juke 1210 combo. I dropped my pick and played my best Mark Knopfler for about twenty minutes.

Anks is in Japan living it up looking for a future wife.

Anks is headed to Japan for a few weeks to plant the seeds of our Mr. Big-esque future. Which means he and I can’t see the new Harold and Kumar sequel as a Korean/Indian tandem. He threw up a sharp looking splash page on the main site with a few fantastic shots from our Fairfax / Beverly Hills shoot with Quyen. A bunch of us are going to Silver Lake Lounge tonight to catch Bigbang
from Norway. They’re a really good rock and roll trio.

Colin and Jackie are in talks with that cool magazine to include us in issue later this year.

Checked out my new apartment in Venice last night. Top floor - check. Corner apartment - check. Strong, unsecured wifi to jack - not so much. DirectTV is coming this weekend. Maybe in time to catch the De La Hoya fight.

So a few hours after we closed out at Hotel Cafe I headed to Canter’s.  I ran into El Diablo who gave us our first residency at the Kibitz Room a while back.  About 2am and in walks Anks and his crew.  On our way out I hop into the van with all our gear.   I’m pushing our 15-passenger E-350 which has gotta be the largest non-commercial vehicle on the road.  Anks and his buddy speed off down Fairfax in this fucking Lotus about two inches off the ground.  He was twittering to his facebook “i don’t want to die.”