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Mike iLL

Oh cool, Napster appealed, so they’ll at least still be free to operate untill November. I want chaos. We have chaos, it’s just that its an unbalanced choas, based on the capatalist pyramid. John Lennon died with $150 million, Thelonious Monk (the great be-bop pianist/composer) spent his elder years living off a woman in Weehawken, New Jersey; a Jazz barroness as they were/are called.

The show in Roanoke on the 30th was such a contrast to the one in Baltimore. Here’s another struggling music venue, and I’m coming in almost unknown. The woman who runs the place works 9 hours a day at the bar and 4 - 5 hours loading trucks at UPS to support her two (beautiful) kids. She fed me, gave me money and a place to sleep and was sweeter than chocolate cherries. Bless you Judy.

Homegirl CAryn “Loveless” Hill will retreat from Newark, New Jersey after two months of New York style struggle. She’ll have to go back home to Memphis with her tail between her legs and draw up some new battle plans. Sounds like she’s got a warriors attitude about it. As Bob Marley sung: “(S)He who fight and run away, (will) live to fight another day.” Bravo CAryn. No fear. Keep commin’ back.

In Nashville this morning. I’ve slept in this parking lot before. This place is a warzone, like New York and LA. Throat hurts, probably from breathing the hot air in the van all night. Think I breath through my mouth when I’m asleep. People tell me I sing. Tonight I’ll play Billy Blocks Western Beat Revival at the Exit/iNN. It’s one of those non-paying deals where you get to play a couple/few songs for a whole bunch of people, often including celebrities, and they don’t pay you a dime. Had to hustle my ass off to get the gig too.

Actually it’s kind of a funny situation ‘cause Billy said they don’t book solo artists, but I thought I was gonna have a bass player and drummer with me so I told him I’d be with a trio. Jimmy D (the bass player) had schedule conflicts and the drummers 6 bag a day dope habit was too fuckin’ much. So I’m like, “You know what? Most of these shows I can totally rock solo, and taking these guys out will be a money loosing proposition anyway.” So I’m out here solo. Think the Big Ass Truck guys will back me up in Memphis tomorrow. Miller Powers who usually runs the gig I played at 12th and Porter last night had said he would play bass with me tonight, but now he’s out in LA playing in some country bands video shoot. So I asked Daniel Tashen who was running it last night (and who I know from my first couple of times there) to play bass tonight and this session drummer I met at the show to play some beats. Daniel was tentative and the drummer said he’s down, but I pretty much don’t even know the guy so who knows. Got to call them both now. If they bag out, I might just hang around a music store and pick someone up. This is the beauty of having some one-riff songs. Wonder what will happen if I show up at the gig tonight without a band.

by the seat…, mike |

1/08/2000