I Got This In The Mail Yesterday

That's pretty cool...

Victory!!!!!

LOST Is Destroying My Life

This morning I had a dream. I dreamed I was in The Hatch. Apparently I didn't push the button in time, so the alarm started going off and those weird red and black hieroglyphics came up on the countdown clock. I was freaking out, running for cover. I was breathless. "What have I done?" I thought. "How could I let this happen?"

Luckily this was only a dream. The alarm I heard was only my alarm clock telling me it's time to get ready for work. I was still freaking out a bit, still breathless. My heart was pounding. I was sweating. I was in that not-quite-awake-yet-but-no-longer-asleep state of mind. When I came to fully understand what was going on, I couldn't help but laugh at myself!

LOST is finally starting to take its toll on my mind. I'm just waiting for my consciousness to start jumping around from one moment in time to another. Any day now I'll probably start suffering headaches and nosebleeds. Maybe I should start looking for my "constant"...

For those of you reading this post who don't watch LOST, this isn't the least bit funny. If you do watch LOST, I hope you got a little chuckle from it!

Where Does He Get Those Wonderful Toys?

In a few months I am going to be debt-free (well, except for a mortgage payment but you get the idea). I was discussing this with one of my friends the other day and he asked what I was going to do with all the extra cash I will have each month. While I know I'll be responsible with any extra cash I'll have, there are a few "toys" I've been wanting.

Many of you know I play guitar. I try to play several different styles and, thus, there have been many guitarist over the years that have influenced my playing - James Hetfield, Dave Matthews, Warren Haynes and David Gilmour are just a few. Each of these guitarists are absolutely tremendous at what they do and they have a sound that is unique to each of them. Hetfield is the greatest metal rhythm guitarist there is. When you hear that Hetfield "crunch", you know it's him. Dave Matthews, on the other hand, took the acoustic guitar to places few could even imagine let alone replicate. Warren Haynes can not only play southern rock and blues riffs that command you to listen for hours at a time, he has the voice to match. Finally, David Gilmour is the guy that plays a solo and you immediately say to yourself, "Man, that's exactly what I would have done - if I could do it!" All these guys have shaped my performance and understanding of the instrument.

Yet one guy, in my opinion, stands out even more than these guys. He is Dave Evans, aka The Edge. He can play rock, blues, gospel, jazz, country, etc. and make them all his own. Plus, he plays in what I would call a very "minimalist" fashion. He is the epidome of the "less is more" school of guitar playing. Since 1980, no one hears an echo or delay effect and not think, if only for a brief second, that it just has to be The Edge playing that!

With all that being said, I weighed all my options and decided that if there was one guitarist's rig that I would like to replicate, it would be The Edge's since he has such a tremendous overall sound. So after a little research, I found a list of equipment I'll need in order to achieve this sound. Looks like I'll have to keep on wanting!!!!

Guitars
'67 Rickenbacker 330-12
'66 Telecaster
'62 Epiphone Casino
'63 Gretch Country Gentlemen
'65 Gibson SG
'75 Gibson Les Paul w/custom bridge pickup
'73 Fender Stratocaster w/ custom-installed bridge pickup
'76 Gibson Explorer
'61 Gibson ES-335TD
Gibson "Pete Townshend" J-200
Two custom Line 6 Variax acoustic guitars

Effect Pedals

Floor Effects:
Volume controller
Original Digitech WH-1 Whammy Dunlop Wah
Boss TU-2 Tuner
Skrydstrup SC-1 system foot controller

Rack Effects:
Eventide Ultra-Harmonizer
Two Lexicon PCM Processors
Four 2290 T.C. Electronic Delays
Two Line 6 Pod Pros
Two AMS S-DMX digital delay/sampler
Two Korg SDD30000 delays
Two Korg A3 multi-effects
Two Line 6 rackmounted version DM4 distortion modelers(custom made)
Rocktron DVC dynamic volume controller

Stomp boxes(on rack):
Lovetone Meatball envelope filter
Lovetone Doppelganger phaser/vibrato
Original EHX Big Muff
Original Amped Scrambler
Ibanez TS-9 Tube Screamer
Boss GE-7
Boss CS-2 Compression/Sustainer
Boss PW-2 Power Driver
Boss FA-1 FET amp/ preamp booster
Skrydstrup Bufferooster boost
Sobbat Drive Breaker

Amplifiers
Two early sixties Vox AC30TB(main and backup)
Custom Vox AC30TB head with Vox 2x12 cab
1956 Fender Deluxe Tweed w/ Vox Vintage speaker
Customized Fender Blues Jr.
Early seventies Vox AC30TB


So, if any of you reading this have recently won the lottery and feel the need to contribute to my dream of one day obtaining these "toys", please feel free to give me a call!

Happy LOST Day!!!

Happy Birthday Dad!

Coming March 3

Wanna hear U2's new single "Get On Your Boots"?

http://goyb.u2.com/