Mark Pickerel Blog

RESCUED BY RIEFLIN and ROKY RULES !

2006-03-22T08:05:00.000-08:00

Just back from South By South West (Austin Tx)
Highlights :
Night number one , my piano player , Micah Hulscher calls ,"I'm on my way to see Roky Erickson and Kris Kristofferson at the Austin Music Hall , are you coming ?"
"HELL YES"
Roky sang 'You're Gonna Miss Me' with the same spirit and conviction that he did over 30 years ago , I was amazed ! Chills rushed through my body as I recalled all the times the Screaming Trees must have listened to the original recordings of his songs , I wish my old friends (Lanegan,Conner and Conner)could have been with me to stand in Roky's presence! I'm so happy for his triumphant return to rock !

Day Two:
My drummer missed his flight to Austin , horror fills my mind as I imagine having to take the stage with a full band and no drummer !
I spent most of my day with a cell phone glued to my ear fielding phone calls from friends like Ian Moore who rallied around trying to find a replacement , just when I had given up on the search for a drummer the call came in from Jim Sangster! "Bill Rieflin from R.E.M./Minus 5 said he'd do it!" Finally I breathe again !
Rieflin went on to play one of the most spirited and flawless performances I've ever heard from a drummer , especially considering that he'd never heard my songs before ! Thanks , Bill , I hope it won't be the last time we share the stage together.

Day Three:
One more show to play , still no drummer (Rieflin had to hit the road with The Minus 5)
My friend,Sara Bennett (who's already done way too many favors for me) calls , "Do you still need a drummer?"
"Not as much as I need a drink,are you holding?"
"I can't help with that drink but I do have Ken Coomer (ex-Wilco) standing here and he's demanding that he play drums with you today!"
Holly shit ! Another lucky hand , two in one weekend !
Ken played with the same finesse and command as Rieflin did the night before!
Thank you , Ken . It was great to share the stage with you again , I think the last time we stood on the same stage together was around 1988 when I was only 16 and you were 32!

Day Four:
Ian Moore performs at YardDog .... Amazing ! I finally caught Ian with a full band and they were even better than he'd described them to me! Great show ,Ian !
Weary Boys perform at Continental Club , I LOVE THE WEARY BOYS ! If you haven't checked them out yet do it now , don't even finish reading my self-indulgent diary , go directly to your nearest Google search and enter their name and find their site and listen to their greatness! In a matter of minutes you will also be a Weary Boys fan !
Other highlights of day four included a great set by Andre Williams and Wanda Jackson.

Back to Seattle and back to reality !

Morning Rotation:
Karl Blau 'Beneath Waves' (K) CD
Sparks 'A Woofer In Tweeter's Clothing' (Great Cd , belongs next to your collection of Queen , T-Rex, Bowie )
Sparks 'Kimono My House' (Island CD , Re-Issue)(See above)
Kraftwerk 'Man-Machine' LP
Randy Newman 'Good Old Boys' Lp

Love,
MP

DRUMMER EXTRAORDINAIRE

2006-02-11T08:52:00.000-08:00

Mark Pickerel and His Praying Hands are proud to announce the addition of drummer John Hollis to their line-up.
After years of searching Seattle's pool of musicians through classified adds , recommendations and talent contests we finally discovered this talent at what should have been the first place we looked , a bar ! After all you can't be part of any band if you can't drink with them and thank god this guy can play drums as well as he drinks !!
Mister Hollis will be joining us in Austin as well as upcoming shows here in Seattle.
Just added are shows at the Tractor with Jon Langford and Sally Timms as well as a show at a favorite drinking hole,The Comet(Where Anie and I met,speaking of meeting "the right one" at bars) This show is sure to be full of laughs and thrills as it will also be featuring Steve Turner and His Bad Ideas and a new favorite 'The Withholders'
If my site does not have current listings , please visit our MYSPACE page.
Still waiting to hear back from our contacts in France to see if we'll be playing French dates after our dates in England.

Morning Rotation:
Belle and Sebastian "The Life Pursuit by" My favorite so far.

Sam Cooke "Night Beat" It doesn't get any better than Sam , even Rod Stewart(who I just ran into recently) said that there would not be a Rod Stewart without a Sam Cooke.

Cat Power "The Greatest" (and it really is) Too bad about the tour cancellation , I hope my pop princess is ok.

Al Green "Greatest Hits"

Nao Wave (Brazilian post punk collection) Really great !!!!

Kaleidoscope "Tangerine Dream" recommended by Michael at Wall Of Sound as the ultimate Psychedelic album and it just might be!

MP

Here's one without the personality !

2006-02-08T09:49:00.000-08:00

Mark Pickerel and His Praying Hands have been asked to perform at the prestigious 'All Tomorrow's Parties' festival in England on May 12 , we will be joining the stage with Mudhoney , Dave Dondero , Comets On Fire , The Scientist and The Fleasheaters . More UK dates are being discussed but it's too early to mention anything solid at this point.
We'll also be performing at SXSW(Austin TX) on March 16 at the Club Deville with The Waco Brothers , Cordero , Bobby Bare Jr. and other Bloodshot royalty.
Back here at home Mark will be playing a few solo shows (See performance calendar or MY SPACE page) and also playing drums with 'The Hope' and 'The Tripwires' at several locations around the city.
Pickerel will also be rehearsing with Truly in preparation for a new studio CD.
Talks are underway for Mark to play drums on the new Carrie Akre CD with Steve Fisk producing.
In other 'Praying Hands' news ... Both the Sangster brothers are involved in various projects around the city including playing shows and recording a new record with Steve Turner and His Bad Ideas. Jim just finished recording guitar parts for a new Roy Loney CD to be released soon with a tour of Spain to follow.
The new CD by MP&HPH is called 'Snake In The Radio' and will be available in late April or early May.

UPDATE FROM INMATE # 812

2006-01-04T09:07:00.000-08:00

Sick as a dog !
At least it's slowed me down , I can finally write a new "blog".

Let's see , it's been awhile since I attempted this , how about I start with :
WHAT I GOT FOR CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR :
#1 : A really cute Smokey The Bear salt&pepper shaker(circa1960's) From my mom .
#2 : My girlfriend got me a membership to Triple A , she knows that I'll be touring this Spring and that I have zero mechanical skills , very cool !
#3 :She also bought me about 20 DVDs , almost all music related , early blues footage , the Klaus Nomi Doc. , best of Town Hall shows from the 1950's featuring Johnny Cash , The Collins Kids , Wanda Jackson , Mel Travis , needless to say , It Rocks !
#4 A gift certificate to my favorite drinking hole (The Hunt Club)
#5 A Tom Pickerel original painting !
the list could go on and on ....

I found out over Christmas (while visiting family in Spokane) that my mom and her sisters (who performed as singers together in the early 1960's) not only shared the stage with the 3 Stooges from time to time(I have the photos to prove it) but they were also backed up by THEE BILLY TIPTON TRIO when they played in Spokane !!!
It turns out that he(she) also served as one of my aunts booking agents! This is fascinating to me as I've been becoming more and more interested in Billy's life and career. My sister, Julie loaned me the Billy Tipton Biography entitled 'Suits Me' , I'm half way through it and loving it . If you're not familiar with who Billy Tipton is , I suggest that you go online and do a "google" search , you won't be wasting your time !

The Dusty45's show on New Years at the Fenix was a great time , our best show in months.
The Hope show at the HighDive was also great , it was cool to see my hometown boys (Half Acre Day) they rule !

Upcoming .... playing with the Hope at the Tractor this Friday(Jan7) we'll be sharing the stage with The Withholders!
Later this month I'll be sharing drum credits with Bill Reiflin on the new cd by The Tripwires , I feel so honored to share credits with a drummer of his caliber !

In March I'll be heading to Austin to play at SXSW as a solo act , I'll be playing two of the Bloodshot bills (joining me will be the Sangster Bros. and Micah Hulscher), more info soon , I'm also waiting to hear about playing the 'All Tomorrow's Parties' festival in England.

More Soon , I Promise !
MP

FINE'

2005-12-07T10:12:00.000-08:00

It's done , it's in the bag , complete , finished , mastered , ready for mass consumption !
CD en route to Chicago where the folks at Bloodshot will be putting on their white-scientist suits to dissect , study , scrutinize , analyze and figure out a way to best mass produce and mass market their latest invention ! I'm just glad that it's out of my hands and that I can't be held responsible for any harm it may cause to the larger population !
Artwork will also be handed over to them shortly , I'm putting the final touches on a cover design that features my father's artwork .

Spent the weekend driving pop stars around , Backstreet Boys , Lifehouse , Pussycat Dolls as well as Chris Brown and others , unfortunately I can not discuss the nature of my time spent with the said royalty , at least not here but that does not mean that if you were to approach me with a free drink at a "shady" bar that I couldn't reveal a couple of "interesting" stories .

Both solo shows last week were memorable , especially the Townes Van Zandt night , what great performances from everyone , it was an honor to share the stage with so many talented people , I wish it could be a monthly engagement .

The Dusty 45's show , auction and fundraiser in Ellensburg a couple of weeks back was another highlight of the year , we're proud to have helped raise over $5,000 to go towards the medical expenses of a victim of a "random act of senseless violence"
An autographed Screaming Trees record fetched $475.00 !! Sometimes us musicians wonder if there's any purpose in what we do ,I realize that music can help people through their day and even keep people like myself interested in life through it's beauty but it's nice when playing music can contribute to something so helpful and "tangible" .

This Saturday I'll be playing drums with John Ramberg's new band at the Sunset in Ballard , Ramberg is a great song writer reminding me of Nick Lowe , Costello , Paul Weller and occasionally of artists like T.Rex , Badfinger and early Jeff Lynn/ELO/Move etc .. Great Stuff ! Should have recorded for Stiff !!

Just watched a really great documentary about Joe Meek that the BBC produced , what an interesting but troubled talent THAT man was !! I've been wanting to buy the box set but have not had a chance , Fisk played me several cuts while working on the new record , his production definitely stands up to the test of time , still has an edge that is difficult to replicate ... Although we all try and try again !

Morning Rotation : Elvis Costello , Nick Lowe , Charlie Parker (with strings , my fav) Night Train To Nashville Vol.2(Comp) Judee Sill , John Rauhouse .

Off to buy more art supplies ....
Mark

THE FINISH LINE ...

2005-11-17T09:10:00.000-08:00

Steve Fisk and I are just hours if not minutes away from completion on my new cd (god willing)I'll be spending the next couple of weeks working on art work for the release as well as preparing for several shows (solo and otherwise)

For those of you who have never recorded music before , it can be an incredibly rewarding and intense experience , sometimes you might feel as though you're recording something truly unique and beautiful , just minutes later you might hear things differently and go in to an instant depression , thinking that you have nothing new or original to offer , a fraud perhaps ! In this situation your only defense is to keep working , trust your ears and your instincts . Eventually this wish to die rather than hear another second of your own caterwauling will pass and you might just find yourself back in a place where you can enjoy your own songs again .

I find that the less I listen to my own music , the more I can enjoy it .

It looks like I'll be playing in Austin at SXSW this year , most likely a Bloodshot showcase or two . It will be such an honor to share the stage with such an impressive roster ! I wish Trailer Bride were still around and on Bloodshot , they were always my favorite ! If you haven't checked them out , you really should .
They were such an incredible band to see live , music that could literally make me feel as though my soul could be vulnerable to a "take-over" , a "coup d' etat" of the soul !
I miss them and their music , we had some great times touring together with Neko .

For fans of Townes Van Zandt : I'll be joining Ian Moore and Mike Johnson for a tribute night at the Tractor on Dec 1 , hope you can make it !

Have To Run .... More rambling soon .
M

BLOODSHOT BOUND !

2005-11-04T07:56:00.000-08:00

GOOD THINGS COME IN 3s!
Sometimes , just when I think there's no reason to go on ...
Great things develop , for instance one of the only people I despise in this world gets arrested for assault ! It's about time ! "Thank you" to all of the friends who emailed me and kept me abreast of all the latest developments that are making headlines in Ellensburg over the arrest of one of the most evil and pathetic men I have ever known!

It just gets better ... The "Scooter" goes down ! Justice WILL finally be served !

And as if all of this wasn't enough to make this one of the best weeks in some time , I finally received word from Bloodshot Records of Chicago that they want to put out my new CD ! Finally a home for my 'Praying Hands' !
After several discussions, negotiations and after much begging and pleading on my part they finally caved ! SUCKERS !!
I can't wait to be part of one of my favorite rosters in America !
"Thank you" for trusting you ears , Nan ! (A rarity in this business)

Some bad news ..... I joined "my space" and life will never be as I knew it again !
From this point forward my self esteem and self image will be ruled only by how many "friends" I have , the caliber of "friends" on my page and by how many sexy pictures are submitted for my approval ! Yes , it's true , I have become ... "one of them" ! At least I can finally monitor my girlfriends social life !!

Morning Rotation :

Townes Van Zandt 'Nashville Sessions"

Link Wray 'Slinky'

Bob Marley and the Wailers 'Soul Rebels'

The Specials 'More Specials'

Blind Willie Johnson 'Praise God I'm Satisfied'

Check Out , on My Space : Crispin , Gun Club , kexp .
Mark

THOSE DAMN CANADIANS !!

2005-10-29T09:17:00.000-07:00

I went to check out my friends,'The Good Brothers' who play in Canada's own 'The Sadies' on Thursday . The Sadies, already one of my favorite bands completely owned the stage AND everyone in the room!
I can't recommend this band enough! However, be warned! If you're a musician, this band might just make you re-think your ability to do anything worthy of appreciation!
Guitar playing reminiscent of Jerry Reed or Billy more , melodies as rich as anything by 'The Byrds' or Gram Parsons .
May I suggest that The Sadies might just be the best American band since 'The Rolling Stones'!! A band so good that they might have to be DESTROYED the next time they venture down in to "our parts" !! That's right , "destroyed" , before they destroy us !!

This week : Nina Hagan ! (performing at El Corazon Thurs.Nov.3)
I checked her out a few months ago on her 50th birthday . Admittedly I went to see her for nostalgic reasons more than anything else AND maybe for the novelty of seeing her on her 50th birthday ! I thought it would be quite a spectacle to see who or what kind of people her delayed return would attract .
Instead of being treated to some kind of novelty act or "freak show" , I was surprised to have her unleash one of the finest shows and vocal performances that I've ever witnessed !
I saw Nina in 1984 (opening for X)with Van and Gary Lee from the Screaming Trees , I remember enjoying it but I hadn't remembered just how talented she really is !
Some of her recordings from the late 1970's don't exactly reveal the intensity of her music , the early production techniques applied suggest to me that someone might have been trying to "tame" her sound for a larger audience , too bad because her early material is extremely intense ! The Germans really had a strange take on Punk back then , while punk bands from other territories abandoned any evidence of progressive or classic rock for a purely stripped down raw sound , the Germans continued forward with a sound that combined prog with punk , very interesting but maybe too challenging for punk fans , too punk for classic rock fans !

Hope To See You There !

For other examples of this phenomenon check out : Amon Dual , Kraftwerk , Can .

VICTORIA IN VINYL

2005-10-25T09:18:00.000-07:00

She was knee deep in black vinyl last night and everyone was loving it !
I haven't heard anyone spin so much "paisley underground" since it had it's first resurgence in the early '80's . The Church , The Rain Parade , Brain J-Town Mass !

If reverb isn't your flavor but you do like Soul and R&B , you should check out 'Hazlewood's' where they also spin some amazing black wax on a vintage sound system .
Last time I was there I was treated to a great night of classic blues and soul , it's the only bar I've seen where the bartender also has to spin records between pouring drinks ! He does it with real finesse and great taste !

Off to surround myself with greatness ! I'll be listening to Sangster lay down guitar solos all day . I don't know how I lucked out with this guy , he's quickly turning in to the "secret weapon" of this session ! I'm so honored to have his talent on board . I can't wait to show off this lucky find !

PEACE !
MP

STRANGE SOUNDS FROM STEVE FISK'S PRIVATE STUDIO

2005-10-23T09:31:00.000-07:00

SAMBAS , SOUL & SIN

Steve Fisk spent the week tracking new songs for Mark Pickerel and his Praying Hands at his private studio in Ballard . First listen brought some classic artists to mind : Stranglers , The Doors , The Damned and even some classic 'Motown' sounds !
It was by far the most productive and exciting tracking session so far for the band .
Eerie sambas , dance beats from the dead , cries for love from shrunken heads !
It really took this listener on strange ride .
I just hope that CNN's reports of the "end of the world" won't come true before the release of this record !

Musicians charged with involvement : Johnny Sangster , Jim Sangster and Micah Hulscher .

Hollywood Pop Quiz of The day :
Which movie did 7 out of 10 viewers prefer ? Love Actually or Fuck Actually ?
If you guessed 'Fuck Actually' you were correct ! Good guess !

Not doing anything depressing for Thanksgiving this year ? Now you can ; Mark Pickerel and His Praying Hands will be performing at the Tractor Tavern in Ballard along side Tom Brosseau , Ian Moore and Steve Turner !
So , if your looking for a place to highlight your holiday blues on Nov 23 , the Tractor Tavern is the place you'll want to be ; four "downer" artists on one stage in one night !!

More Transmissions soon !

DF

TRULY REHEARSAL ROCKS INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT !

2005-10-13T22:55:00.000-07:00

Good news to report for fans of Truly !
After an exciting reunion (VH1 cameras included) Wednesday afternoon in South Seattle , the rock band Truly have agreed to record a new CD together !
The mood was festive and the music was mesmerizing ! After the band dusted off it's old equipment it quickly launched in to several classics from their first three Cds .
The band blazed through at least five or six old songs then moved on to new material written recently by Robert Roth exclusively for a new Truly Cd . The new songs were slightly reminiscent of previous Truly material but also managed to break new ground-not previously visited by the band . Guitar swirls , hypnotic bass and drum grooves with vocal melodies from another world ! Stay tuned !

The recent rumors of label interest in the new Mark Pickerel and his Praying Hands release seems to have sparked new enthusiasm among members of the band and even for Mark himself . The group actually practiced three times this week , two practices before 10AM ! Steve Fisk will be back at the knobs to produce five new songs for the band next week !
Also in the works for the Praying Hands Band , local film producer Noel Paul has offered to film a video for the song 'Graffiti Girl' which features guest vocalist Heather Duby . The song is about a young - small town boy who falls in love with a girl who he only knows by the beautiful graffiti she leaves on the box cars that pass by his little town and even smaller life ! It should make for great video imagery !

REVISITING THE "DAYS OF GRUNGE PAYS"

2005-10-08T08:08:00.000-07:00

Greetings !

On To Business !

The Dungen show at Nuemos was great . I stood and watched with all of my other friends from the "days of grunge pays" (Robert Roth , Ben Shephard,Megan Jasper)
......The term "schooled" comes to mind !
Their live sound was "groovier" than I imagined it would be , recalling early Fairport Convention , King Crimson , Deep Purple . It's strange to find ones-self inspired by young kids from Sweden , performing in a genre that you once helped to revolutionize 15 years earlier .

On the subject of the "days of grunge pays" , it looks like Robert Roth , Hiro and I will be getting together this week to work on new songs for a new Truly CD .
I can't wait to hear "Robert's Riffage" again and to hang with Hiro (who I haven't seen in three years) Be Warned !! The last time Robert and I played together we literally started an earthquake here in Seattle !

More good news , one of my favorite labels has expressed interest in releasing my new solo CD ! I don't want to "Jinx" anything by revealing any details or names but I will do so just as soon as it seems appropriate . Even if our negotiations don't result in an actual recording contract , I am just honored that they think of this new project as being worthy of consideration .

Not everything in my life is coming up roses .
I had to make a decision this week that was very painful to me .
As of Jan 1 2006 , I will no longer be an official member of the Dusty 45s .
Our separate schedules and side projects have become very difficult to manage .
I think it's safe to say that a few of us (myself included) have become over committed ! Too many projects , stretched too thin !
When a band hasn't been able to find the time to have even one practice in over a year while still finding time to pursue multiple projects outside of the band , it becomes obvious that it's time for a change .
I think that fans of the band deserve more from us than we've been able to provide in the last year .
I have nothing but love and respect for each member and I'm looking forward to finishing out the year with several shows that are currently on the calendar for Nov/Dec (including New Years Eve @ Fenix Underground)

Saturday Morning Rotation :

Elvis Presley 'Peace In The Valley' 3-CD Gospel Box . Songs this beautiful and inspired make me reconsider my feelings on religion ! Maybe there's something to this "Jesus stuff" after all !

Ben Webster 'Jazz Master' (verve) Ben is easily my favorite sax man ! Breezy ballads , perfect phrasing ! A true artist ! Check out the track 'Chelsea Bridge' .

Jesse Sykes 'Oh My Girl' (Barsuk) 'Tell The Boys' never fails to chill the spine !

Sigor Ros 'Takk' (Geffen) I still haven't completely come back to earth from their show at the Paramount a couple weeks back . Still diggin' the track about fast cars and loose girls !

Ladytron 'Witching Hour' (Ryko) Another beautifully-hypnotic release from these pop-princi' (That's plural for princess!)

Love ,
MP

P.S.
Don't forget to get yer derby on !!
Saturday the 15th , Final Bout !!
www.ratcityrollergirls.com

Scooter Crashes While Bennett "Black-Baby" Bashes !

2005-09-30T09:06:00.000-07:00

Will the "scooter" crash and burn or will he get another term ?
My guess: another term .
They'll figure out some way to protect their "reckless rider" !
I don't even need to comment on the William Bennett story , it's out there and it's ugly !

I was lucky enough to get in to the Sigor Ros show the other night , thanks to the Sangsters' , I didn't even have to pay , although ... It did come with a price !
Just when I was feeling like a "big shot" for knowing the right people ....And just as we were being ushered in through a private entrance ... I was hit with a big slice of "Humble Pie From The Sky" !! That's right ! Pigeon Shit on the head , the back , the neck !! It was ugly ! I want to publicly thank Kurt Bloch for doing his best to clean me up with paper bags from a trash can , Kurt , you're a true friend !
Jim Sangster also rushed to my aid with a friend named 'Jack Daniels' who helped to restore my mood and ego quite nicely (although he did not do much for "the smell")

Inside the theater , Sigor Ros was so amazing that I almost forgot that I was covered in bird dung ! It was a truly-beautiful performance , I especially liked the song about fast cars and loose chicks !!

To my fellow "Seattle-ites" , be sure to check out 'Sgt.Major' this Saturday at the Sunset , they'll be sharing the stage with Rusty Willoughby who is sure to "wow" even the most jaded music fans !

On Tuesday Oct.4 , Dungen from Sweden will be performing at Neumos . If you haven't had the chance to hear these "Swedes" yet , you should do your ears a favor and check them out . I really can't think of a band from the last few years who has captured such classic and psychedelic sounds so well . The guitars and melodies are very reminiscent of early Pink Floyd and of early Pretty Things . I can't wait to see how they pull it off live .

Anie and I went to see 'Corpse Bride' yesterday , I laughed , I cried ! It was great ! Does Tim Burton ever sleep ? My god , that man has to be one of the most creative and prolific people on this planet !

Morning Rotation :
Erkin Koray '2' ( Turkish Psych !)The guys at Wall Of Sound turned me on to this Turkish Psych-Sensation , amazing arrangements !

Howling Wolf 'Sings The Blues'(Ace) It just doesn't get better than the "wolf man".

Flop '& The Fall Of The Mopsqueezer!' ( As long as we're on the subject of Kurt Block and Rusty Willoughby , I thought I'd pull out this "pop-gem" for a listen . I really think this is the most over looked release of the 90's , it came out right after 'Nevermind' and is ever bit as good ! It really should have been a "unit-shifter" ! Pure pop genius !

Isolee 'Wearmonster' Still listening to this "electro-pop-ear-candy" , it's truly contagious !

Love ,
MTP

IRONY

2005-09-27T08:56:00.000-07:00

George W. Bush has called on Americans to conserve gas and oil !!
Does anyone else out there see the irony in that one !!??
I could tell that the words were very difficult for him to say , almost painful !
He spoke even slower and with even more pain than usual , almost as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing come out of his own mouth . Nor could I !

The Bob Dylan Bio is playing on PBS this week , I checked out last nights viewing and was completely absorbed by it , enlightened you might say . I highly recommend it to anyone , Dylan fan or not you will find it interesting just in it's historical/cultural content . I wish it were a six part series rather than two part .
Anyone remember 'Eyes On The Prize'? (Great PBS documentary on civil rights movement)
Thank god for PBS !
I heard that someone in congress is suggesting that we cut public broadcasting money for the sake of Katrina relief ! While we're at it , how about public education !!
Can you imagine only having access to corporate broadcasting !!??

I apologize to those of you who thought my blog would be about music , that was my original intent but sometimes I can't avoid a little political commentary . If you don't like my views please speak up ! I'm always game for a little friendly debate !
I only ask that you make your opinions known through this blog and not my private email , if I'm willing to make myself vulnerable then you should as well.

On to music .
I'm bummed that I won't be able to see Sigor Ros at the Paramount tomorrow night as I will be playing drums for the Vinyl Avengers at the Owl & Thistle . My friend and sometimes bass player , Mike Elkins saw them the last time they came through and pretty much had an "out of body" experience . I don't know that anyone will have an "out of body" experience at the Vinyl Avengers show tomorrow but they might just find themselves getting drunk , dancing and just flat out making an ass out of themselves ! Sometimes that can be just as rewarding ! The last time I played with Billy and Micah we had some pretty "creative" dancers up in front , it kept a smile on my face through the night .

So I won't see Sigor Ros but I will be attending the Dungen show here on Cap-Hill next week . If you get a chance you should check out their new CD if you're a fan of Psychedelia . They're from Sweden and recall the sounds of great 60's bands such as the Pretty Things ,Pink Floyd (early Floyd) Hendrix , Love , Cream ,The Move ..... You get the picture ! When I hear releases like this it makes me wish that the Screaming Trees would take one more crack at recording the perfect psychedelic masterpiece . 'Invisible Lantern' was close but we could do better .

Heavy Spins Here At Home :

Howling Wolf 'Sings The Blues'(Ace)

Gene Vincent 'Blue Jean Bop' (Cap.Re-Issue)

Dungen 'Ta Det Lungt' (Kemado Records)

Terry Reid 'Superlungs' (Astralwerks) I sold this guys records at my shop for years and just now finally decided to take a listen , wow ! Now I see why Jimmy Page wanted him to join Led Zepelin ! Several of his songs were covered over the years by the likes of Cheap Trick , Marian Faithfull and even John Mellencamp . Hats off to Astralwerks for evolving in to one of the coolest and most diverse labels in the business . What started out as an electronic label has branched out in to one of the most adventurous labels that I can think of , not to mention their impeccable-great taste !

Freakwater 'Is Thinking Of You' (Thrill Jockey)

Coco Rosie 'Noah's Ark'( These folks make Bjork sound like elevator music !) Special guest vocalist : Antony from the Johnston's . (Touch And Go)

Isolee 'Wearemonster' ( The best electronica I've heard in a couple of years , a return to the primitive sounds of early Kraftwerk , Cabaret Voltaire etc..)

Peace Out !
MP

DIAMOND DAYS

2005-09-23T10:06:00.000-07:00

I spent a few days this last week driving the Neil Diamond Band around the Seattle area . My days consisted of running errands for the band and management etc ....
The most memorable moments I can not air via this blog as it could jeopardize future
driving jobs . If you're interested in the details it'll cost you a drink of my choice at a bar of my choice (actually , any bar , and any drink will do)
I will say that the catering for the four day event was absolutely amazing .
My compliments to Chef Jason from Tom Cat Catering for providing some of the best cuisine I've seen since eating at Michael Mina's restaurant in Vegas last month .

When I wasn't busy driving 'Royalty' around this week I was busy playing drums with the Hope and sitting in as guest drummer with the Vinyl Avengers down at the Owl And Thistle . The Dusty 45's also kept my evenings busy last week with two shows here in Seattle . The next few weeks will be devoted to finishing production on the new 'Praying Hands' CD . My dad and I will meet again this week to go over cover art for new release , I can't wait to see what he's come up with . My dad's illustrations have a little in common with Charles Burns or Daniel Clowes (two favorites)

This week's rotation :
The Hope 'In The Deep'
John Ramberg (demos)
Neil Diamond (concert and sound check)
Sigor Ros (new one)
Zap Mamma (Triple Door Concert,Thanks Matt!)Amazing show !
Amadou & Mariam ( A new CD produced by Manu Chao ) One of the most exciting "world music" CDs I've heard in months .(On Nonesuch)
Mills Brothers (1930's Recordings Box Set)
Funkadelic 'Cosmic Slop' (Amazing record that bridges the gap between Hendrix , P-Funk , Sly & The Family Stone etc...)

TV EYE ON ME !

2005-09-12T08:33:00.000-07:00

Hello friends , greetings from another "stormy Monday" here in Seattle .
I'm sorry for the long period of silence , I had a busy week last week - performing with The Hope , designing a new CD cover for the new 'Praying Hands' release , rehearsing with various artists and more . Also , I've been preoccupied (like most)with the devastating news from New Orleans .

The latest news from the south prompted Anie and I to rejoined modern civilization (for better or worse.) We finally subscribed to cable television after going without channels for the last year .
The battle for remote control-control is on !!
Up until yesterday we lived a rather peaceful existence together - but already I can feel the "devil in the box" trying to turn us against each other ! Trying to exploit everything that WE DON'T have in common .
However , with that said , I'm determined to rise above this new challenge ! I will not let this "TV EYE" invasion tear us apart , I have decided to be the bigger person and let my girl handle the remote control during all commercial breaks !
Let The Turner Classic Movie Marathon begin and love will rule again !

Sangster and I go back to work today on new material , so far we're off to a good start , we should have enough songs rehearsed for a new CD within a couple of weeks .
Speaking of new CD's , my father , Tom Pickerel and I are designing the cover of the newly finished CD later this week , for those of you who don't know , my dad is an excellent and very accomplished artist who's work I will try and feature here on the site at some point in the near future . His work can currently be viewed in most grocery stores where his art graces the faces of all the Skipper's products: tartar Sauce , marinades etc.

Recent "live" viewings : Iggy And The Stooges , the best live show I've seen since Prince played Seattle last year . Iggy is a miracle , I hope he'll donate his body to science when he goes (if he ever does) because there's got to be something valuable for all to learn from this living legend . I've never seen such energy from another performer of any age . It was also great to see Mike Watt rock the low end , I haven't seen him look so happy or at home in years ! I was reminded earlier in the year just how talented Mike Watt is while watching the recent Minutemen documentary .
Mike was also a huge help and inspiration to the Screaming Trees who he took under his wing for over a year of touring the country , he literally taught us how to be a functional touring band . His influence on us (or at least me) can not be exaggerated ! It was great to see him shine again with the Stooges .
The show inspired me to finally go out and buy the newly remastered and expanded Stooges CDs .
Mudhoney opened the show and also made me proud to be from the same family of Seattle bands .

Morning Rotation (accompanied by Turner Classic TV Visuals)
Sam Cooke
Bobby Bland
Brook Benton
Benton Wood
Irma Thomas
Little Willie John
Johnny "guitar" Watson

MP

DOMINO SURVIVES ! BURNSIDE DIES !

2005-09-03T09:06:00.000-07:00

Glad to hear that Fats Domino survived the flood . Fats decided to ride the storm out in his modest 9th Ward home , he was eventually rescued by boat and ushered to safety . It's not often that a multi-million selling artist decides to live out his life on the "wrong" side of the tracks , I have the utmost respect for the man and his music and I'm so happy to know that he's still with us !

Sadly...blues man R.L. Burnside did survive the weather but did not survive old age and hard living , he died today in Memphis . Though he was not a house hold name he was an amazing artist who has recently become popular with a new generation of blues fans thanks to the fine folks at Fat Possum Records who have been doing their best to promote his music and catalog . Peace Out R.L.,We'll miss you and your larger than life music and life style .

It's heart breaking to read and hear the other headlines from the South , the people , the culture ... what a tragic loss of life and heritage . God bless us all.
I hope that our country will go the extra mile in the future to protect our people and our cultural heritage from such destruction .

Off to rehearse with The Hope .

Morning Rotation :
(all Cajun)
Dr. John
Meters
Irma Thomas
Fats Domino
Jelly Roll Morton
Lee Dorsey

MP

SWORN TO SECRECY (DERBY IN VEGAS)

2005-08-29T09:33:00.000-07:00

As they say "what happens in Vegas ..."
Sorry friends but I enjoy my health way too much to throw it all away just to give you a "Spicy" read ! I really can't imagine defending myself against the entire Rat City Rollergirls (although I'm sure some men imagine it nightly) I guess I still enjoy the simple things in life like walking and using my hands far too much to lose it all over "loose lips" I will say that a couple of the girls were very well behaved but unfortunately I can't think of a way to give their stories a very "sexy" twist , sorry !

Is it wrong to LOVE VEGAS ?
I recognize excess when I see it , I recognize "sin" when I see it , it's all around the place and yet I love Las Vegas !! In most ways it represents everything I hate about America and yet I think it's absolutely beautiful !! Maybe it's because it's so un-apologetic in it's excess and over the top indulgence . Rarely does it pretend to be anything other than what it is , unlike so much of our society , I guess one of my biggest "beefs" with America is the rampant hypocrisy .
Even after feeding over $150.00 in to a greedy-electronic-beast of brass and bright lights I still managed to walk away without regretting a moment of my miss-spent "ME ME ME" time !
Even my girl Anie managed to feed the belly of the beast some of her hard earned cash , I took comfort in watching someone as practical as her give in to the temptation of "winning it all" , She must have spent over an hour at 'The Munsters' money eating machine , I fell asleep with the theme song ringing in my head .

I do admit that at the end of the last night there was a little voice in my head that said "you over privileged , self indulgent prick !" Millions are suffering and I'm making a sport of throwing money in to the mouth of Satan !! Stupid brain ! .... The inner struggle continues .

So , it's back to reality where I only sin half as much here in Seattle !
I'll be finishing mixes with Fisk this week , the new 'Praying Hands' CD should be out soon .
This weekend Seattle will be hosting one of the best music festivals in the world : Bumbershhoot . Be there if you can , can't wait to see the Mudhoney/Stooges madness !

Morning Rotation :
All roots-gospel (trying to get right with god !)

HICKS IN THE HOUSE

2005-08-23T21:49:00.000-07:00

Spent the day on several projects here at the "Hypochondriac Dream Palace" ( We can see three Hospitals and two emergency rooms from our building ) We also live in the same building with several Docs , nurses etc .. it does feel comforting to know that there's a medical expert on every third floor.. In fact sometimes I swear I hear "home-made" operations going on in the place , kinda spooky ! I do have to wonder if we might be able to get some good "under-the-table" health care around here , maybe even find a "doctor feel good" as well ! I'll let you know if I find anyone who might be of service to you , for a small price of course .

While toiling away at the daily work load we put a Bill Hicks DVD on to lighten the mood around here ("all work and no play" ... you know the rest ) anyway , my god that guy was funny , I wish he was around to comment on the current political climate , I might actually enjoy living in this crazy mess we've gotten ourselves in to if I knew I could listen to Hicks un-load his thoughts on it every couple of weeks .
Anie and I saw Margaret Cho live here in Seattle a few weeks back , she also knows how to take a subject that normally makes me want to defect and turn it in to something laughable , so funny I literally had a sore face the next day . Thank god there was actually someone here in our building that was able to assure me that my cheeks would be back to normal soon , he only charged me $10.00 for his opinion , not bad .
Even more on the subject of laughter , we also played some 'Strangers With Candy' episodes today , I don't even know where to begin with how funny Amy Sedaris is , if you haven't witnessed this brilliant comedy and social satire , you really must , I'm almost ready to put it in the same category as 'The Simpsons'!!

Tomorrow I'll be meeting with my web magician to beef up the site a little more .... stay tuned . Soon you won't be greeted with the same opening songs each time you log on . Also there will be a few new additions to the photo gallery .

Thursday I'll be off to Vegas with 'Sake Bomb' to join the Rat City Rollergirls down there at the 'Roller-Con' , a 3 day Derby extravaganza that I'll surely write about (if I'm allowed) after the weekend or maybe even from the event , this will be the first time I've been to Vegas with a woman , we'll have to see if a guy can get in to just as much trouble down there with a dame at his side as he would with his "encouraging" friends!! I sure hope so !!

HOLY SHIT , It's 10:45 , an hour and a half past my bed time !
MP

MR. MOOG MOVES ON

2005-08-22T17:07:00.000-07:00

Today we lost another important figure in Popular Music and Popular Culture , Robert Moog died today . Those who aren't familiar would at-least know him for the incredible sounds that he invented with his Moog synthesizer , an instrument popularized by artists ranging from Devo to Yes and from Walter Carlos to Wendy Carlos ( I forget who came first , Wendy or Walter ) At one point even the Screaming Trees owned one , I remember screwing around on Lee Conner's Moog from time to time , imagining the new wave record that we would record someday , sadly it was not to be , instead we abandoned our new-wave aspirations for a more natural Psychedelic path (is there such a thing ?) Rest In Peace Mr.Moog , you won't be forgotten and you will always be heard !

Congratulations to Brandi Carlile who's new record is #1 in Seattle this week .
Brandi most certainly deserves all the attention and success she's been experiencing lately as she is truly one of the most talented artists that I've had the honor of playing with in the last several years . I hope she continues to rule the airwaves and press and that we all end up with a gold album award by Christmas (selfish me)

Recent Viewings : Hong Kong Hustle ( Anie's new favorite film , I sat and grumbled like my mother would regarding the violent content and how her little nephews' are too young to be exposed to so much carnage and killing ) I hate it when I sound like my mother when others are just trying to enjoy a little good old fashioned Killing but I guess her voice is just rooted so deep in to my sub-conscious that I just can't help it , sorry !
Tonight I'm going to try and Sit through Sin City without shooting my self-righteous mouth off , wish us luck as it's very difficult for me to bite my tongue !

Off To Sin City then to Ballard To See The Pornographers !
MP

MORE ON TIM EASTON IN ELLENSBURG

2005-08-22T12:14:00.000-07:00

Want to thank Matt Stephenson for treating everyone in Ellensburg to what was probably the best show there since Nirvana played Hal Holmes Center back in '87/88 .
Mike Elkins (Manuela/Dark Fantastic) and I had the honor of sitting in as Tim's rhythm section for the evening and it turned out to be one of the best experiences I've had behind the drums in quite some time (even if I did have to use the burned out old drums that Deadbolt burned to a crisp ) It really was a great night and it was a thrill to see so many familiar smiling faces !
I will definitely have to buy a couple of Easton's CDs after hearing his music live , he's such a natural talent and also a great entertainer .
Thanks also to the wonderful staff at Bull Road B&B for another great stay .

SATURDAY was also a great night , played drums with the Vinyl Avengers and then joined them for drinks at a hip new bar called 'The Hideout' here on Capitol Hill . If you get a chance you should stop in for a drink and also check out some fine art as well . Spent way too much time debating with one of the patrons over who's the more important band , The Smiths or The Clash . Me:Clash , Him:Smiths .
You ?

Some sad news to report , a friend from my years in the band Truly died recently who some of you might remember as 'Mountain Man' aka Dave Teachman , the reason I mention it here is that Dave's death was not known of by very many friends or family so this might be the first place for some friends to find out about his unfortunate death , apparently Dave checked himself into the hospital a couple of weeks back but from what I understand he did not inform friends or family , he eventually died there after he succumbed to pancreatic cancer . Goodbye Dave , you'll be missed by more of us than you could have imagined .
Dave worked for Truly for awhile as a roadie , guitar tech , driver and drunken philosopher back in the 90's , he also let our band practice at his house with no complaint ( I think he actually enjoyed it !)
Dave was a wonderful person , a die-hard music fan , hard worker , great story teller , great guitar player (if you could ever convince him to play) a devoted friend and yes a hard drinker ! We'll all miss you !
My friend Robert Roth from Truly will be involved in planning a memorial service somewhere in Georgetown(Seattle) when I have details I will pass them along .

Over the weekend a couple of folks mentioned to me that they've been reading the blogs , thanks for the feedback and I'm glad that you're actually researching some of the music and movies that are mentioned here , I would appreciate it though if you would occasionally suggest music , movies and literature here so that I can be enlightened as well as others . Don't just let me ramble like the arrogant , self -righteous - know it all that I must appear to be ! For god-sakes blog back you voyeuristic vampires !!!!

Tonight : New Pornographers !

Music Rotation :
Hammers , PowerSaws , Powerdrills , Swearing , Yelling .
Too much construction in our building to try and listen to a record !

MP

MY FAVORITE WARHOL (another name drop)

2005-08-19T10:42:00.000-07:00

Hung with the Dandy's last night , it was great to see Peter after so many years .
Christmas of '98 I believe was our last encounter . I mentioned in an earlier blog that my sister had written a song that would appear on the new Warhol's CD but it doesn't look like it will happen this time , too bad . That aside , the new Cd sounds great , of course it's hard not to enjoy someone's Cd when they're buying all the drinks , thanks you guys , it was good to see you again , I hope it's not so long apart this time !
The way the Dandy's are portrayed in the press sometimes I forget that they're really just music and art enthusiasts at heart who are very passionate about their craft and actually take it very seriously , glad that there are still true artists out there getting some spins where it's deserved ! (Spins:Industry term for radio airplay you dummy !)

KEXP ! KEXP.ORG ...... have you been listening lately ?
Their playing the Magnetic Fields as I write , love this band and this station , you really should check them both out when you can . "I don't want to get over you"
Just might be the perfect song !

In another hour or so I'll be driving through the beautiful Cascades to Ellensburg to hang with my favorite drinking buddies and to listen to Tim Easton and Matt Varnum entertain the drunks , shouldn't be difficult , we're a desperate lot !

I hope you all have a lovely day , talk to you later this weekend .
MP

News Alert ! Easton In Ellensburg

2005-08-18T08:08:00.000-07:00

Just In From The Wire ... Singer/songwriter Tim Easton will be performing in Ellensburg Washington this Friday Aug 19 at The Tav. I don't know how the people at the Tav pulled off this act of genius but I absolutely can't wait to see Easton wow the local simpletons with his sophisticated talent ! Local boy Matt Varnum will be there early to spit all over the mic before Tim takes the stage . Oh , forgot to say , it's free ! Apparently a local philanthropist/Patron of the arts has agreed to pay Tim's salary for the evening so that you don't have to! Why is it that Ellensburg seems to be blooming in to a cultural destination now that I don't live there anymore . Need directions ?
Can't help ya , just find the downtown core , circle the streets 'till you find the beautiful sign that reads : The Tav (the most beautiful words ever inscribed in sign)
Although the news of this show has been well received in Eastern Washington some folks from Easton Washington have been grumbling about the event-claiming that they should have had right of first refusal to host the show . Easton residence still in a depression after losing their bid for the 2006 summer Olympics feel(once again) jilted and under appreciated ! Better luck next time Easton , you deserve it ! Keep you chins up ! Walk tall and be proud of who you are !!

Back to the studio to mix with Fisk today , 8 songs done , 3 to go .
I sent out several advance cds to labels here in USA over the last few weeks , the biding war is on , so far offers have ranged from "We MIGHT put it out if you pay for the production" to "We MAY put it out if you pay for the production AND for the promotion" Tempting offers but I'm still holding out for something a little more substantial .

Spent the weekend at the Bull Road Bed And Breakfast , just a mile past the original Screaming Trees practice pad at 1000 Bull Road (how the neighbors must miss us,especially after midnight) The staff was as generous and as attentive as always and even provided massage and some medical attention for Anie's Lame leg .
I Highly recommend a stay at this first class spa/resort . WWW.BULLROADBEDANDBREAKFAST.CON

Morning Rotation :
Jimmy Reed 'Best Of' My god this guy wrote some classics !
Cars S/T
Knack 'Get The Knack'
Suicide 'S/T'
Bad Brains 'Black Dots'
Leonard Cohen 'Ten New Songs'

Recent Viewings :
Carnivale (HBO Series , disc 1) Not sure what I think yet but will continue to observe .

Recent reads :
I'm Still Here (Eartha Kitt Bio) Amazing life story of this amazing diva who literally went from severe poverty to becoming one of the most important figures in popular culture . I had know idea how politically influential her life and career had been .
Someone wrote to me recommending that I read some John Fante , I have read 1933 but have not read the recommended 'Ask The Wind' but intend to do so . I can recommend 1933 WAS A BAD YEAR by Fante . If you're a fan of Bukowski you'll enjoy this author .

Any recommendations ?

MP

MORE CLOUDS PLEASE

2005-08-16T08:54:00.000-07:00

Ah yes , this is why I moved to Seattle ..... out of the wind - in to the clouds , I love it ! People always thought I was exaggerating when I'd complain about the wind in Ellensburg , I recently felt some validation when Ellensburg was chosen for an energy producing wind farm , they even re-named the local baseball team 'The Wind Farmers'.. There's seriously enough wind out there that we should be able to power the entire country in no time at all . If there's not enough wind in Ellensburg ... we can always search for some poor country who has extra wind .. and.. if they wont give their wind away ...then we can always just take it away ( by force if we have to ) of course we wont have to say that it's about "the wind" we can always just accuse them of hating freedom and kittens !

I don't know if any of you are familiar with my sister Megan , she had a great band in Portland called Swoon 23 , it turns out that her old friends the Dandy Warhols just recorded a song she wrote for their new record . I can't wait to hear it .
It's great news except that I kind of wanted to be the only kid at Christmas this year with a million selling record to brag about , oh well . She deserves it !

Some good news for the Dusty 45s and for fans of .... the new web site is up , it's not complete but the framework is there . Even more good news for the band , Seattle magazine is naming us 'Best Band In Seattle' , they've asked us to play their "best of" party on Nov.16 . Should be a ton o' fun (if you can afford the $45 price tag , ouch !)

Morning Rotation :
nothing but the sound of the city today .....
must clear the head for some song writing !

MP

THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT !! Spills And Kills !!

2005-08-15T15:48:00.000-07:00

The Bad News : DEVO will not be performing at Bumbershoot as originally planned this year .
The Good News : Iggy & The Stooges will be taking Devo's slot along with local stooges' Mudhoney .
apparently Mark Mothersbaugh will be in China completing a complicated adoption .
I've had other friends subjected to the crazy , endless and expensive maze that the Chinese government is known for putting folks through for having the good intentions of wanting to help a needy baby . Good luck Mark .
By the way , you DE-EVOLUTIONISTS should check out Mark Mothersbaugh's web site , I think it's called 'Beautiful Mutants' , pretty creepy !

Ian Moore was at the High Dive last night , great show Ian , as usual you continue to inspire ! Ian tells me he's opening up live dates for Paul Weller (Jam) , Lucky Bastard ! That's Entertainment !

I've been listening to a lot of classic blues and gospel for the last few days , I picked up a really great Blind Willie Mctell collection called 'Statesboro Blues',
Definitely one of the King's of Creepy ! Spooky and beautiful !

Anie and I are going to finish the League Of Gentlemen (Royston Vasey) BBC DVD tonight , if you haven't watched this BBC series and you have an eye for the absurd then you should definitely check out this bizarre comedy .

The Rollerderby/Black Top Brawl on Saturday was crazy-hot and at some points just plain crazy . My favorite derby girl Sake Bomb won her first race but took a hell of a spill after the finish line , she literally left blood on the track but even after her close brush with death she went on to entertain in the next race , too bad she ended up with a skate in the face in the next race . That's Entertainment !
The Dusties did OK considering our old age and aversion to sunshine .

I just heard over the radio(NPR) about another horse dying at a local rodeo , how sad ! Some of you might know that I come from a Rodeo town and that I even owned a record shop called Rodeo Records so it may seem strange for you to hear me say that I condemn any competition that puts an animals life in danger . I stopped supporting the Rodeo several years ago after witnessing a horse injury that was serious enough to end it's life . The rider broke a couple of bones as well . I wondered how he felt having to watch someone put his horse down . That's Entertainment !!

Anyone out there read 'They shoot Horses Don't They?' What a great book . It might be time for me to read it again , I'm a sucker for pathetic people doing their best under bad circumstances , not to mention I love depression-era stories and if I remember right 'They Shoot Horses' had all my favorite qualities in a book .

What have you read lately ?

More Later This Week ,
MP