Getting Back to Basics

I'll be posting this video on my youtube channel which is http://www.youtube.com/user/IndieSpotlightLive as well (cool videos from past interviews there, check it out) about some of the things going on with the show, and some upcoming things.


Getting Back to Basics - Broadcast your self LIVE

Bill O'Reilly Makes an Ass of Himself

Ok, well he did years ago anyway. Funniest thing I've seen on youtube in a while.

Enjoy!

Jim Jeffrey's New CD is Out and Other Stuff

First, if you missed the show last Sunday, answer this question in the comments section....

For the guys, would you prefer a woman who burns her bra, or never shaves her pits?

For the ladies, would you rather arm wrestle, or mud wrestle?

In a nutshell, on top of playing some fresh music from Big Bad Sun, that was the gist of Sunday's show, more goofing off than anything. Not a bad thing I guess, with that being said I guess I should try and find some time to do some show planning. Stay tuned.

Ok, on to more important things...

After my goof-fest on my show Sunday night I headed over to Jim Jeffrey's show which is usually on after mine on Sunday nights on blogtv.

While I was there he let everyone know that his new website is up (jimjeffreymusic.com), and his new CD is out. You can just follow the link from his website to order and download it.

Jim is typical of many of the indie artists that I've gotten to know over the past year. He has nothing to do with any labels, ect. instead utilizing the internet to promote his music. He did all the work on the album, all the editing, the vocals, and the guitarwork, himself.

The music is phenomenal, I don't think I've heard anything quite like it. From the honesty in the title track "So Cold", through the raw emotion in "My Friend", the heart touching tribute to his daughter in "Sky" the talent of Jim Jeffery is obvious to anyone listening.

The CD is available at Digstation (link here)

Jim Jeffery's website

Jim Jeffery's youtube channel

Also, Jim does do free guitar lessons on Blogtv, from 7-8 (eastern time) on Sundays, you can check them out on his blogtv page as well as his regular show at midnight (right after mine) on blogtv.

Remembering 9-11-01

Do you remember where you were, and what you were doing at about 9 am (eastern time) on September 11, 2001?

I awoke to the news on my alarm clock radio, at the time they thought it was a horrible accident. I turned on the t.v. in time to watch the second plane hit. I sat glued to the t.v. and the internet, in shock.

So much has happened since, we've gone to war in Afghanistan and routed the Taliban, we still haven't gotten Bin Laden, who even today is still public enemy #1.

We've gone into a quagmire in Iraq, but by some accounts at least, are starting to turn the tide there as well.

We toppled Saddam, the new Iraqi government tried, convicted, and hung him, and while he praised the terrorists he had nothing to do with 9/11.

We did all that and still haven't gotten Bin Laden.

Conspiracy theories have been formulated about 9/11, I don't believe most of them. I don't believe that the World Trade Center was destroyed by explosives, it was destroyed by airplanes flown by terrorists. Any of the conspiracy theories I've heard about the Twin Towers being leveled by our own government have been proven wrong, and explained to me in ways that make much more sense than any conspiracy theory I've ever heard.

I love the one about us launching one of our own missiles into the Pentagon. One, eyewitnesses were on I-395 heading into D.C. and saw the plane fly over and two, yes the hole looks small, almost like a missile made it, but um, the Pentagon is very large, it covers 4 zip codes so when you take all that into consideration I call it swing and miss strike two for the conspiracy theorists.

The only one that might be even remotely plausible, is that the Air Force might have shot down Flight 93 over Pennsylvania. That might have happened. They knew the plane had been hi-jacked, had no way of knowing that the passengers fought back, and didn't know where that plane was headed. Not that this takes away from the bravery of the passengers who stood up to the terrorists, nor could it convince me of any conspiracy in regards to our government.

In the eight years since the attacks of 9/11 we've forgotten so much....

We've forgotten about the fear, and anger we felt that day. We've forgotten about the intense national pride we felt on that day. We've forgotten about the firefighters and rescue workers chanting U.S.A., U.S.A. over and over again and how in awe of their dedication we were. We've forgotten how much kinder, and how much closer we were to our fellow citizens. We've forgotten the members of Congress standing together singing God Bless America?

We've forgotten about those who lost loved ones on that day.

Today, I wonder if we've forgotten about 9/11 altogether?

The clip of that Congressmen calling Obama a liar has gotten more coverage today than any 9/11 tribute in the regular media.

Is it just the popular media deciding what is considered news, have we forgotten 9/11, or just chosen not to remember?

Did you talk to anyone about 9/11 today? Did you even mention it was 9/11?

Did anyone else?



Have we forgotten?

Where I've Been, and Other Stuff

Since it's been forever and a day since I've really made my presence on the internet known (outside of the farming games on Facebook) I guess now is a good a time as any to update everyone on what I've been up to.

Last week (and last minute for that matter) the wife and I went on a road trip, picking up her nephew in Michigan, then heading to Tennessee via Kentucky. She drove an hour in while in Michigan, an hour while in Ohio, and she was kind enough to pull the car in her parents driveway.

I did the rest of the driving. 36 hours on the road, 'nuff said. And yes while I drove through Kentucky, and listened to Pete Berwicks "Busted in Kentucky" while driving through Kentucky, I can't say that I myself got busted in Kentucky...lol

After we visited with her folks for a couple of days SHE drove us home! I spent the weekend with the kid, showed him the sites around here and DC and all that so needless to say I've been pretty busy and just haven't been around at all.

This week I'll be getting back into my prime internet form. I'm really looking forward to getting back on blogtv and chatting up all my buds and finding out what I missed.

Also, I'm declaring war on Myspace again, just because I can. Regular readers of this blog might remember when Pete Berwick was censored for using his album cover as his profile picture, Myspace said it was offensive and 13 year olds might see it.



I had it posted as my main one for a while, never got in trouble for it. Pete put it back up on his, so I took it off of mine.

Now, I have a new one I'm going to post. Hard to say that a 13 year old might be offended by Turtles Humping, since a 13 year old took the picture.

Eat this Myspace!



Indie Spotlight Live returns this Sunday at 9 pm (eastern) I hope to have a guest scheduled over the next couple of weeks, stay tuned!

Beware a Wolf in Sheeps Clothing

We had a caller on our old blogtalkradio show back in March who claimed to be a supporter of Indie artists, hated the way the industry treats independents, agreed with everything Deb and I had to say, ect. ect. ect.

Turns out the guy was full of it, and this Sunday night we're going to call him out.

Show starts at 9 pm (eastern), especially if you are a musician you don't want to miss this one.

Indie Spotlight Live

Hope to see ya there.

Freedom Fest 2009 a Huge Success!

We had 24 hours of non-stop original music and conversation about freeing the "evil weed".

Look, Marijuana should be legal, at the very least for medical purposes, and we found no shortage of musicians who felt the same way. We were entertained by some of the greatest guys on blogtv, as well as some other music by folks who couldn't make the event but wanted to lend their support to the cause. After weeks of preparation, and some last minute glitches the show went off pretty much without a hitch.

We kicked the show off at noon on Saturday, August 1st with Deb from the Unsigned Musicians show playing some of the best of the best of the independent artists out there. I took over shortly thereafter since we are better able to Skype on my computer than we are on hers, and from there I was able to bring her back on. We shared a great deal of great information about Marijuana legalization, and what people can do to get involved at the local level to make it happen.

At about 4:20 in the afternoon I handed the reins off to Jamie Gray who played some of his original music and shared his views on Freeing the Weed, an informative and awesome performance.

After Jamie played for a couple of hours, we had the incomparable Jody Parker (known as Dreaminglad on youtube and blogtv) and played an awesome set. I can see why so many people flock to his show on Tuesday nights over on blogtv, awesome music!

Jody actually cut his set short so that we could check out the music of Stealurface1976. His name is Jesse, and he played some awesome music, follow the link and check out his youtube channel.

DarwinTomorrow came on and played some of the most awesome blues I have ever heard. I think if there is anyone out there who has totally nailed that blues slide sound it's him. Check out his show (just follow the link above) and tell me if I'm wrong.

If you've never heard the Native American flute, or a Didgeridoo played live then you've got to check out the guy we had next. Every Monday night Didgerod soothes us with some of the most soothing sounds while he talks about the gifts that mother Earth gives us, which does include Marijuana. He was kind enough to come on the show and had a friend of his come on and play as well. Words alone can't describe how powerful that performance was.


Jim Jeffrey was also on the show after Didgerod, wowing and amazing us with his music. He is working on a CD, due out by the end of this year. On top of rocking our socks off with his original music he also does free guitar lessons every Sunday at 4 p.m. (pacific time) as well as his show at 9 p.m (again pacific time) which is right after my own show on blogtv.

Uprightashley also came on and performed for us. As I listened to her I had to wonder why I hadn't heard her play and sing before. She literally took my breath away.

Aemissary (Angela) and I had a discussion about the issues surrounding the legalization of Marijuana after Ashley played. We really had an interesting and engaging discussion with some of the folks in the chatroom which I thought was quite impressive considering that it was almost 5 a.m. (eastern time) and I was personally surprised that we even had folks awake, much less coherent and able to carry on an intelligent conversation. I have to say that I was really quite impressed.

Jamie Gray came back on and played another set, followed by another set by Darwin, and we closed the show up with myself, Deb, and Angela talking about the issues, the show, and we dropped a few helpful links for folks who would like to learn more about why we should legalize Marijuana, and what they can do at the local level to make it happen.

Of course I can't forget my good friend Rob Mazurek who put together a bunch of videos for the event. I can't describe how awesome it is to play his music, and he really took me by surprise with some of the music he played. He's usually a pretty hard rocking guy (and his tribute to Jimi was a testament to that) so I was taken aback and pleasantly surprised with Drifting off to Dreamland. He's a hell of a guy, and he really keeps our chatrooms going on blogtv. You just never know what he's going to say next.

Marijuana Policy Project

Safe Access Now

Drugsense.org

And how to contact your representative, votesmart.org.

Get involved folks, otherwise it's never going to happen.

Freedom Fest Happening Now!

Join us over on blogtv for Freedom Fest 2009!

Original music, and a ton of information about Marijuana legalization!

Unleashed Again!