Real Gone

Value is strange, no? It isn't real, but just as it is determined by humanity, it also determines how humanity will act. Fear, greed, judgement, comparison are all born out of value, even though it is relative.

In today's world, it seems the media has no time to explore depth. Hence the extreme importance placed on packaging, image, facade. The storefront of our world hides the turmoil within. Discord develops along with broken people. Where is reality? Who is Britney Spears?

Value is flattening. When a cost is placed on something, it becomes a commodity. It is spoken of as though all it were was that cost. Money, something intended only to hold value in the interest of making trade more efficient, has become all people see. People are in general so focussed on amassing more value, they do anything but. They collect, they exploit, they greedily look for every way to take advantage in order to get more money.

When was the last time you thought about the people who make the goods you buy or provide the services you use? They are selling their LIFE to you, as you are to those who pay you in your job.

We need to appreciate PEOPLE, not the value they create for us to take. I'm lucky in that, firstly, I get to do what I enjoy, and secondly, I usually get appreciation for what I do. I get to feel connected to the goodness in people. It is there. Behind the ever thickening facade created by societal value lie suffering, broken real people.

Where has your real gone?

Peace.

Buy Now - Tom Waits 09/30/08

Advancing The Ball

Jason, who's running Vinyl Killers 6, let me know that he'd most likely sold the Miles Davis and Tom Waits I'd sent him. The show doesn't start until the END of October! So he's letting me send more pieces by the Oct. 8th deadline.

I found this Miles Davis image on the cover of "Tutu" and I painted it on a greatest hits compilation. I've also found a reissue of a double album of Tom Waits, so I can do two pieces from that. Apparently, Waits is very popular in Portland, OR.

Hopefully, more will sell and more people will find out about what I do. I keep reaching out myself to let people I think would be interested know about it, but word of mouth is the best. You can explain to people what my work's about with the passion you have for your music.

I'd love to know stories about people's reactions to my pieces. If you have any, let me know! Post'em here as comments if you want!

Peace.

SOLD - Miles Davis 09/30/08

The Kids Are Alright

This was on an A-frame out front. I love the lower case.

This hangs from the ceiling inside the front door. The place is actually a hallway that by day is the entrance to the local VFW. They put down rugs and a backdrop at the end of the hall behind the stage to turn it into a concert "hall".

Here's the school's vinyl sign hanging on the wall just inside the door.

Here's a view of the wall of my art alongside the chairs. People walked right next to the paintings so a lot of'em stopped and checked them out. I think several thought that the images were somehow printed on the records. It's a weird problem to have: having to explain that they are handpainted instead of printed or screened or computer generated. I guess it's a compliment, but it's a marketing hurdle.

Paul put up information about my process and the availability of commissions. My wife came up with the brilliant idea to print up half-sheet commission forms for people who might want me to paint somebody else. If the order is placed before the middle of October, I'll still give the %25 to the school for their scholarship. Hopefully some people picked'em up.

They made this snazzy name sign. It was all sparkly and looked great on the gold wall. That wall color was nice. It and the rugs created a warm feeling in the place.

Me! My wife was so proud. During the gig, they introduced me and told the audience about the percentage going to the school a couple times. The kids were really appreciative and the general manager of the school thanked me a bunch.

None sold that night, but the Billie Holiday and Howlin' Wolf are going to be in the school's fundraising silent auction at the House of Blues on November 1st. So hopefully I'll get them some money then.

It was so cool to be able to connect my art with an organization that gets kids excited about music! My main point with my art is to celebrate the music, and to inspire kids to pick up an axe and learn how to riff like Jimmy Page is awesome! They played Zeppelin, Who, and other classic bands' music along with some originals by the kids. The drummers for the band were excellent, so I hope they saw my Moon and Bonham. They played "London Calling" and while I didn't use that album, I did paint Joe Strummer of The Clash. So my work fit right in with what the school's about. I really hope I get to continue to draw attention to them.

So, check out The Paul Green School of Rock!

Peace.

Kurdt Kobain? Kool!

So I was at Rockzone today getting my pieces back and I found this album, "Bleach" reissued. $10. Cool! Kurt is credited with his name misspelt. Does anybody know why?

I'd been waiting to find a Nirvana album. It's not "Nevermind", but then how could I possibly expect to ever find THAT one available? So here's Cobain, a last minute addition to the "dead rocker" show at Primitive Kool tomorrow.

I also found out today that I'll get to participate in a silent auction for the School of Rock at the House of Blues! I'd tried to get my work up in the restaurant/concert hall chain a long time ago with no luck. Maybe this'll open up that door again. And it'll be great to help the School of Rock out even more! I hope I can work something out with them at a national level too. Thinking big.

So, I've gotta frame this one and pack! Have a great weekend.

Peace.

SOLD - Kurt Cobain 09/26/08

The Future Is Unwritten

Here's the last one for my solo show at Primitive Kool this Saturday night. This post's title is on the back of The Clash's "Combat Rock" album I used for this painting of Joe Strummer.

The show is part of Newport Nights that I participated in last year. This show will also showcase the kids from Paul Green's School of Rock franchise in San Diego, CA. Apparently they're getting well known with franchises across the nation!

I just found out today that I get to give the school $25 for each piece of mine I sell at the show! Sweet! So if you're in the area, check it out! Should be a good time and you can support rock music education.

Coincidentally, I also was just asked to take down my pieces from Rockzone Records, the local independent record store that had agreed to help me try to sell my work back last year at the same time as the Newport Nights show. Bummer. Stephen said nobody has ever even asked about the pieces he had on his wall.

So, I'm getting them tomorrow midday. On the off chance that anybody reading this blog is in the Phoenix area and wants to really surprise a guy, go take a look at the pieces and ask Stephen about them and, heck, if you like one, buy it! Support local art!

I certainly didn't know where I'd be today a year ago. I was just so excited people were even interested in seeing my work, let alone buying them as gifts for loved ones. In the in-between-time, Life has thrown our family a curve that painfully reminded us of how uncertain and unknown the future is.

"There's no absolutes in life, only in vodka." - a line from "Homicide: Life on the Streets", my favorite cop show EVER

Peace.

Joe Strummer 09/25/08

Marketing Connections (Or How To Make The World A Better Place)

My friend Robert Benson just invited me to join a new site for vinyl lovers. Here's my profile. It looks kinda like a specialized Facebook. I hadn't looked at ning.com before, but it looks versatile and easy. The welcome email for this ning site said I was #59, so it's not big yet, but could grow if you guys join.

Growing the online network of people passionate about music, art, and creativity in general is perhaps my main lofty goal of this blog. Along those lines, I figured I'd give a list of blogs I've been keeping tabs on one way or another. These are people standing up for culture in their way:

Layla's Classic Rock
Imagine Echoes
Music Obsessive
Seth's Blog
davistudio
Think Simple Now
dig this / dig that
Zero influence
Magical Mystery Blog

This is an odd collection, but then I'm odd. I've commented on all of them, except Seth's which he has set up only to accept trackbacks and for some reason blogger won't do trackbacks right. So I email him. He emails back. He really does.

I got to thinking about marketers like Seth this morning. I like'em because they're job is to think of ways to make you make your life better. Or at least think it is. In any event, marketers push positive messages generally. Yes they do play to fears a lot, but that's what we respond to. If you haven't seen it, watch "The Day The Earth Stood Still" to understand that. Imagine if the Internet just stopped? Yikes. It's hard to remember what it was like before, say 1995 or so when the Internet took off commercially.

Anyway, marketers usually don't bash other products. They know they've got your attention for a limited time, so why waste it talking about the competition? I was thinking what it'd be like if political campaigns did that, promoting their candidate in and of themselves, not as opposed to the other one.

I don't like comparisons. My sculpture teacher liked to say that there'll always be somebody better than you and somebody worse, so worry about yourself. So much energy is spent by humans comparing themselves to others. Yes, society has to operate on norms to hold together, but participants in society don't have to judge themselves that way.

Be you, for cripes sake.

Be positive, too. Why spend so much time complaining about what you don't like? Like Zappa and so many others creative people say, if you don't like it turn it off, don't buy it.

Go one better and promote what you DO like, pay for music, contribute to society to make it what you want.

I know this post rambles, I know. My mind is a mess right now.

But it's me.

Peace.

SOLD - Jim Morrison 09/24/08

It Feels Like The First Time

Here's the new Hendrix. I still really like the image I've used before, but there's something special about the first time I use a new image.

It's not that it becomes old hat, or boring, or routine, or anything like that when I paint the same image again. Each piece is unique. Each piece stands alone. Each piece is a piece of me. So, I take the same care with every one, even those like Led Zeppelin which I've done the most.

I'm taking a physical document, the concretion of music into plastic, and creating art anew. So each piece has that significance. This is music. This is what I'm passionate about. This is what I hope to reach people with who share my passion.

I won't say that when I've painted the same image multiple times that it is as exciting every time, especially those that are going to galleries for repeat consignments, but it's each record's first time being painted on. So, while the first time is special, I still end up wanting to keep every piece.

Like this Billy Idol being given as a birthday gift:



Peace.

SOLD - Jimi Hendrix, Billy Idol 09/23/08

Truth Is... (Picture Tommy Smothers' Look Of Bewilderment)

... what you get other people to believe.

The political content of Smothers' acceptance speech harkened back to John Lennon's era.

The thing that plain sucks is that it still is relevant today.

I caught snippets of the Emmy's last night and Smothers' speech was the only moment that stuck in my mind, other than wondering where Goldie Hahn was in the Laugh-In wall. He still can nail that look, that look like he's got no clue what's going on for a split second and then lets us have it. It's, dare I say, even more subtle than Bob Newhart's delivery.

Anyway, back to Lennon. It turns out that I am the only artist being featured at Primitive Kool this coming Saturday. It's my first solo show! Pretty cool. So we're definitely going to be there.

I also decided to do some more pieces to take to the show. A week of the "J"s: John, Jimi, Jim, Jerry, and Joey. I've got to find a Ramones album to paint Joey, but I found a great, well, clear at least, photo of him unexpectedly. These will all be new images.

So here's John. I know he'd've been at yesterday's Peace Day concert. Peter Gabriel performed along with Annie Lennox and other passionate musicians. Despite the counterpoint of the bombing in Pakistan, I hope the day reached some people's hearts. I think, like Tommy Smothers, that we need to resensitize people to the conditions in the world, to the conflicts between peoples believing their truths, to the ever present need to seek

Peace.

John Lennon 09/22/08

Like Toy Soldiers (For PeaceOneDay.org)

Peace and Eminem? Odd pairing, on the surface.

I've discussed them both before, but this time, the context is the international Day of Peace, September 21st. I'm posting today because it falls on a Sunday and I don't usually post on the weekend.

I'd thought I might do something related to Peter Gabriel, but his connection with world peace is well known and acknowledged. Eminem's connection perhaps is only in my head, but I think it's valid.

As I said in that previous post, understanding takes the power away from fear. Both fear and lack of understanding are the primary causes of the escalation of conflict. I don't mean to say that conflict would disappear if we just loved one another. Eminem knows that isn't realistic either.

If you do listen and seek to understand others, put yourself in their shoes as it were, tolerance can be reached and solutions determined. Understanding puts everybody on the same side in opposition to the problem rather than 2 sides of people developing with positions further and further disparate and entrenched.

Eminem reaches out with raw emotion for understanding, telling his story as personally and openly as he can. Think about the reaction of many in the public to this expression and its effect on him. Imagine you had just produced for all the world to hear your innermost fears in the only way you'd been taught only to have them twisted and warped for political agendas attacking you and your art.

Yes, artists are supposed to have thick skins, but not of lead, man. Listen to his lyrics. Cringe at them. Realize they are HIS TRUTH.

The passionate expression of people's truth needs to be cherished. If it were, whole peoples wouldn't take up arms in defense of their beliefs.

What I can do for peace? Yes, love, but also stay true to me and communicate that truth, and passionately seek to encourage and defend others who do the same. Indeed, Eminem and his work connect closely with...

Peace. Make it more than one day.

Eminem 09/19/08

Life +'Justments

I'd painted this sometime last year, but today I was inspired to share it again.

In trying to figure out how to get more exposure, I set out to contact Rolling Stone. Aiming high, right? So it turns out they recently started some blogs hosted on their site. One is called "Smoking Section". It had that post yesterday about Chrissie Hynde that I found quite motivating.

Today, wandering the web again, trying different angles at Rolling Stone, I ended up on another post of that blog. It's a transcribed phone interview with Bill Withers after he'd done that impromptu performance in Brooklyn.

You've gotta check out the YouTube video embedded on that post! He sounds possibly better, and the recording is so clean, and the other musicians are awesome! Talking about authenticity! He says at one point that he really just goes with what he wants to do, not feeling forced into things, just living his life as it comes. Such a great soulful outlook.

I hope he gets that tricked out golf cart.

Peace.

Bill Withers 09/19/08

Burn McDonald's!?!

I'm feeling excited, reenergized even. Writing my last post got me thinking positively again about promoting my art. I'm not sure how yet (please help!) but it will work.

A cool thing about painting these pieces is that I get to learn about the musicians. I was surprised when it turned out Tommy Lee was involved with PETA. Today I found out that Chrissie Hynde is very involved with animal rights as well. She owns a vegan restaurant and almost militantly wants to eliminate meat-eating and destroy McDonald's!

I love that she's actually taking action to accomplish her goals. I only hope I can stay as passionate about music and creativity as she is about her beliefs in order to get my message out, and find the means.

At least you're reading this! Please check out my previous post and see if you can help. In its small way, my art with its accompanying stories can make a difference, can make people happier, and can bring people together. I'm just trying to do my part to contribute constructively to humanity, like Chrissie.

I still like the ocassional Big Mac though.

Peace.

Chrissie Hynde 09/18/08

With My Mind On My Money [EC]

It's a challenge being a professional artist, let me tell you. People don't usually go out looking for art, and people don't collect an artist's work usually until after they're dead.

I just want to make people happy providing something that helps them remember and celebrate music they love. I've wondered before about how to get people to find me. I think I need to take massive action.

Help me?

I'm still adding to this collection in hopes that some will be inspired to buy art and give to charity at the same time. But, as I'm certainly still a "starving artist", I don't know how to advertise effectively. Word-of-mouth and small scale promotion is wonderful and can be extremely satisfying, however with art, it isn't the most successful. So while I REALLY appreciate anything you out there have done for me to spread knowledge of my work, I need to do something bigger I think.

I've got some ideas for YouTube commercials but that's about it. I don't even have a video camera to try and make them, let alone get the clips to catch on. I'm not sure if people will respond to traditional interruption advertising for art and I don't really have the time to devote to connecting with people on last.fm or other forums.

I'm thinking of trying to get some art galleries to do the whole "wine and cheese" thing, but I'm not sure if that's the right audience to aim for yet. I need music fans, especially music fans who talk to other music fans.

That's why I was so excited that Barbara got excited and is getting a Springsteen for her birthday. That's why I had the idea to get readers to list their favorites in return for a discount. That's why I'm thrilled to be asked to participate in music-related charity events.

Another idea is to try to break into the music industry somehow. Since vinyl is selling, maybe record labels would go for some cross-promotion. I don't know anybody though, you know?

If you devote an iota of attention to this and tell me what you come up with, I'll be forever grateful. Any ideas out there?

Peace.

Metal Up Your 455

Woah, hey, this one turned out pretty well! I like seeing them photographed...

Cliff Burton, any Metallica for that matter, will be rare for me. I got lucky finding this reissue that I felt okay about painting on at this point. I'll sell it, but you might want to jump on it if this is your band.

As the usual antithesis to pop, metal and rock are definitely not about "canned" productions. Often, bands come complete with nasty reputations and standout assholes. Lars of Metallica has pissed off more than his share, as have the Gallagher brothers of Oasis (please don't tell me they're pop just because they think they're the Beatles' second coming).

That comes with living life on the creative edge. Frankly, if they didn't piss people off they'd probably be quite disappointed. Sometimes the packaging even becomes the attitude. Sometimes they are accused of selling out, putting on an act just to sell records. Does that in some perverse way make it then pop?

Sorry, still thinking about that question and if it matters 2 hoots.

Yet packaging is still important for raw artists too. Metallica alienated their own fans when Lars shot his mouth off whining about how much money they were losing from people stealing their music online. Noel not fond of it either. But Oasis seems to get how to work the system now though, while Metallica struggles with the whole thing.

Metallica's new album "Death Magnetic" was leaked due to a store selling it almost 2 weeks early. The tracks then showed up online, which of course was what got Lars' panties in a bunch years ago. This time, maybe realizing he'd again sound like an 455 if he complained, did so indirectly, saying that it was a victory having avoided a leak for as long as they did.

They don't get it. They don't get how to take advantage of the new way media content is distributed. Oasis does.

Yesterday I learned of a plan brilliant in its deviousness. Instead of touring ahead of the release of their new album, Oasis is pulling a marketing ploy that would make Seth Godin proud. They hit the streets of New York and online to get other people to promote their music by playing it themselves. Street musicians and anybody who wants to can get sheet music of some songs from "Dig Out Your Soul", out early October. Then they can upload their performances to a YouTube group for all to see, promoting both the band and unknown musicians, creating a wonderful warm and fuzzy feeling for all.

This is what's called a win-win. This is what's called building your tribe.

Now, how do I get people to paint my paintings?

Peace.

Cliff Burton 09/17/08

The End Of Pop

What is pop?

Not generally believing in categories, I'm not sure what is considered pop. I thought pop was short for popular, no? I don't know that it matters terribly, but we should get our words straight.

Does it have to do with when something is popular? If a release is widely popular when it's first released, is it pop? If a release becomes popular over time, is it not pop?

Or does it have to do with the perception that a release is meant to capitalize on the style of music that is currently popular?

Or is it just the style of the music or theme of the lyric?

The folks at Wikipedia seem to have difficulty nailing it down too, talking about how the meaning's changed and how it refers to the musical structure, the themes of the songs, the intent of the musicians, and the commercial and critical success of the release. Yikes. Even Wikipedia's editors are looking for someone to do some "cleanup" on the article. And popular music, which is distinguished from pop music, appears to be about as vague.

Maybe we should throw pop away.

No no, the word, not the music.

What do you think?

Peace.

Kate Bush 09/16/08

Ups And Downs

To all you whom have stock market investments, I feel your short-term anxiety. Just remember to "invest", not "trade".

Thinking, planning, acting, living for the long-term is difficult. It's really hard to not get swept away by adrenalin and fear, to not act rashly. Rather, to not react. Reacting is usually what gets us in trouble. We let things going on around us, and our perceptions, lead us.

The word "react" has a couple definitions that are helpful: to change in response to a stimulus and to act in opposition. Both mean that the action taken has as its cause something external. Something made you do it, you had to do it.

I know how it feels like that during those moments. I know.

I don't know, besides obsessive preparation, what the answer is to avoid responses that worsen situations. Maybe listening, and...

Peace.

What Will You Do?

Peace. One day.

It's a stirring video, stirring emotionally and a call to stir, to action.

I'm not sure what I'll do, but Peter Gabriel will be performing at the Royal Albert Hall, so maybe it will have to do with him. "Painting For Peace" has a nice ring.

Here's one I did of Peter:



What will YOU do?

Peace.

Peter Gabriel 09/12/08

Stick A Fork In It

This is two shots of the same painting. The shot on the left is from my previous post. The shot on the right is about an hour later after I realized the piece wasn't done.

How do I know it's done?

When I look at the piece and say "Dangit, now I don't want to sell it."

Nice double-edged sword, huh?

Peace.

Blues For Thee, Vanilla

Value = you. You'll see
where I'm going, eventually.

Last year I participated in Vinyl Killers 5, a show of artwork using vinyl records as canvas in Portland, Oregon. I sold a James Brown and Bob Dylan. I've got a link to the show's website in my linkroll off to your right. This year I'm sending Afrika Bambaataa, Miles Davis, John Lennon, Bob Dylan, and this one of Tom Waits.

I first found out about Tom Waits when I watched him in Jim Jarmusch's Down By Law, a great movie that also stars John Lurie and Robert Benigni. All 4 of these people are brilliantly creative. If you aren't familiar with their work, I'd urge you to explore.

I'm noticing that all the creative types mentioned in this post are distinctive, strongly individual, unique, and defiant. Types that live on the edge of creativity and culture. Remarkable.

But you are remarkable too. Even if you don't have a page on Wikipedia or a cult following, you are perfectly valuable as a human being. Think about the people killed back in 2001 on this day, each with a story, each with value.

Anything that you do or create, any ripples you send off, any effect you have on those around you, is your value, is part of "you". I was sitting listening to this Tom Waits album while my iRecord turned it into a reasonably accurate digital version and started thinking about everybody involved in creating the piece of art I was going to create using the record.

I end up thinking about that a lot, as I realize how we share our value. The people who have a part, any part, in your story have value to you. I mean the people who made the steel that became the machine that pressed the record that got released by the record company, bought, listened to, and sold to the store where I bought it are important to me. And so are all the people along that path. Get it?

So be remarkable as you are. Be you, the best, the most authentic you that you can, even if you are vanilla instead of homemade pumpkin caramel with whipped topping.

And thank you for being part of my journey, for as you read this, you exchange your attention for my creation, mutually sharing value, neither seeking gain.

Peace.

SOLD - Tom Waits 09/11/08

Remember: It Always Could Be Worse

Boy, these last coupla days! It seemed like every mechanical or electronic device I tried to use gave me grief. My lawnmower, my laptop, my car, my water heater, and even my iRecord acted a touch strangely. And yet it could be worse.

Remember September 10th, 2001?

I think I was getting excited to help out with my art school's annual student and teacher show. I was volunteering there regularly and was going to pitch in converting the school into a gallery for a week.

On the eve of another September 11th, I think back to that, not really remembering how I felt in general. That next morning, when my friend called me and told me to turn on my TV just in time to see the live shot of the second tower slumping to the ground, is ridiculously bizarre in my head. Certainly, collectively we as a nation are still grieving, still recovering. I don't think I ever will. When I see NYC skyline shots, I feel that hole. I don't know that a new tower will help or hurt.

I was lucky enough to be up on that amazing observation deck once, earlier that year. A friend and I had stayed with another friend in Brooklyn for a week and we explored Manhattan. Barely scratching Gotham's surface, we did see a lot, including the WTC. I vividly, vividly remember standing at the base of one tower, near its corner, looking straight up and feeling like it was arching out over my head, as though it were leaning towards the other. Heck maybe they had a mutual gravitational pull they were so freaking big.

I think that's the thing I can't get over: the scale, the magnitude of the buildings, of what happened, of the people lost. It just seems like it couldn't have happened. It's the only event that I remember in my lifetime like it. It's sort of like trying to conceptualize a billion dollars when it's a challenge to scrape together gas money.

What do you remember about the day before, and that morning?

Peace.

You Can Tell A Lot About A Person If They Like The Coen Brothers

My friend, Barbara, gave me this award. Finding its origin here, I'll follow its directions:

"You are never a burden.. don't ever think that. Friends need each other to pick them up when they are down and I would do nothing less."
Dawn Drover~ Twisted Sister

A Million Dollar Friend is the kind of person who instinctively knows what it means to be a good friend; this kind of person makes you look forward to the days ahead and fondly remember the days that have passed.
A Nice Place In The Sun

I had just started my contest when 4 days later Jason died suddenly (clicking on his name will bring up all the posts chronicalling my dealing with his loss). It still takes a lot to keep focussed on current tasks and I burst into tears at rather random triggers. For example, while researching this award, I ended up on a site that played Christmas music. Last holiday season we had Jason. That hit hard, thinking about this coming winter without him.

My contest took a back seat to all the family stuff during that first month, but I had one really good entry. Patrick submitted a story about a Grateful Dead concert experience. After I informed him he'd won, he sent me a heartfelt email that at once made me feel both reconnected to the world and painfully aware of how my view of the world had been shaken.

It was nice to feel support from someone online out there. I am so lucky to be part of my wife's family who are so close and open and supportive and wonderful, but Patrick was a "million dollar friend" when I needed it. He's got a fun blog, loves The Dead and Springsteen, and has great taste in humor, wishing Bill Murray would get more credit and listing "The Big Lebowski" as his top funny movie (can't wait to see "Burn After Reading"). Oh, and he's got some kick-ass ties.


Peace.

Did You Grow Up On The Couch Like Me? (Or My Top 10, Err, 20 Sitcoms)

I ended up watching a bit of an infomercial for The Carol Burnett Show DVD offer yesterday. I hadn't known that there were musical numbers too. That bunch of people have made me laugh probably the hardest I have. The way Conway would try to make Korman laugh. The sight gags. The guests, including a riotous Steve Martin.

So, Bernadette Peters was one of the musical guest people. I know her best from Steve Martin's "The Jerk" and the Broadway musical "Sunday In The Park With George". She and Mandy Patinkin sang so beautifully in that, gave me chills a couple of times. But she just is so funny!

She's a particular kind of funny. I love all different types of humor, from Woody Allen and "Bringing Up Baby" to South Park and Will Ferrell, but I really enjoy being able to get into long-term funny characters on TV. Here're my favorite sitcoms:

M*A*S*H
Get Smart
The Cosby Show
I Love Lucy
All In The Family
The Dick Van Dyke Show
Friends
Are You Being Served?
NewsRadio
That 70's Show

Those come to mind as the essential 10, but these next 10 are right up there:

Taxi
Night Court
How I Met Your Mother
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Married... With Children
Bob Newhart Show
Laverne And Shirley
Murphy Brown
Roseanne
The John Larroquette Show

What do you think of my choices? Which would you throw off the list? Which would you add?

Peace.

Bernadette Peters 09/05/08

Re(issue)

I went to buy The Verve's new album on vinyl at a local independent record store. I bought it to listen to, not paint on.

I decided to check out what else was available new.

There's a lot! It's really exciting to see so many popular and obscure records being released on, well, record!

I realized that I feel differently about new vinyl as compared to old vinyl, though. I'm not totally sure why. In the back of my head, I kind of wondered why they were pressing new releases and remastered old ones.

When I find an old used copy of, say, "Imagine", I treat it like gold. If I found an original release still sealed, no way would I open it, let alone paint on it. I have a hard time even painting on copies of that album that look like they were used as frisbees. Is it my sentimental connection to the music?

I don't think so. When I found out a couple days ago that "Imagine" was going to be rereleased on vinyl and it would be available on Amazon NEW, I didn't really cringe at the thought of buying one, if need be, to paint on. It's not the price, because they'll be more expensive than those used copies I wouldn't use as my canvas.

Then, maybe the key is the "original" part. I do tend to collect things, and I, for whatever blasted reason, do value originals more than copies. But it's not like the original release is better. In fact, remastered versions can be better and most rereleases are now digitally remastered. Oo wait.

I think that's it. When I typed "digitally" I felt something. Why would I treasure, let alone buy, an album released on analog media if the music has been processed digitally first?

That's why I had no problem buying the Black Eyed Peas "Monkey Business" on vinyl, the original release on vinyl, and painting today's piece. It is a digitally recorded and produced album that they simply pressed on vinyl.

You can't add back in the warmth and reality of analog.

So, that's it. I don't mind terribly using vinyl pressings if it's a digitally processed recording.

I'm not sure how I feel about this. What do you think?

Peace.

Black Eyed Peas 09/04/08

(Custom)er

This Springsteen is for Barbara. She's buying herself a birthday present. Love it. On her blogger profile, she has so many to list for her favorite music that she had to repurpose the "favorite movies" category to hold more music.

Barbara is exactly who I want to be able to have at least one piece of Vinyl Art. She's buying it unframed for $100 shipped. I added the option to buy unframed pieces for people who have a cool idea for hanging the piece, or who would rather save up for a painting and like 5 CDs instead of just a painting.

I've been getting real good use out of the PayPal email invoices for commissions recently. It allows me to customize the invoice for you. All you need to do is contact me if you don't see what you want specifically in my online gallery, or if you want to buy multiple pieces at one time. You also get a more personal story to tell people wondering what the heck that is you've got on your wall.

Peace.

SOLD - Bruce Springsteen 09/03/08

Attention Deficit

As I post here day to day, I occasionally forget that most people (including myself, heck) don't read blogs "cover to cover". I try not to repeat myself, but sometimes I need to recap. I've got a few events upcoming in which I'm taking part. I need to remember them too!

Oct. 16th - 12 Inch 4 in Winnipeg, Canada
Oct. 3rd - APW Arts in NYC
Sept. 27th - Primitive Kool Gallery on Ocean Beach in SD, CA (pieces on site still 30% off!)
Sept. 27th - Superstition Springs Golf Club in Mesa, AZ (silent auction)
Sept. 5th - Alabama Blues Project in Tuscaloosa, AL (silent auction)
Sept. 5th - Red Dog Gallery (#70 on map) in downtown Phoenix, AZ (First Fridays)

I think that's it. Your attention is oh-so valuable, so I truly appreciate your spending any time with me.

Peace.