Like everyone else, for most of life I've been buying studio albums from the artists I enjoy and the once in a blue moon a live album.  If you were lucky, you got to see said artists when they came around to tour.  Now, thanks to youtube I am over loaded with incredible, unreal, never seen before (by me), clips of music I adore and can't get enough of.  These youtube clips are making my listening to studio albums seem sort of dull in comparison . My listening exerience is now diminished thanks to youtube.  What I am to do? Stop listening to my Ipod? Am I suppose to steal as much audio off of youtube as possible? If I did grab the audio from youtube would it be as cool without the visual to go along with it?  This a tough one, maybe I should back away from youtube all together?  If I back away, while think about it, dream about it, or go into withdrawls ???  What a strange thing .......  My name is Mooney, and I'm a youtube junky... please help me

 I think we feel as though we've lived different lives at different times.  You know, when you look back at some time years ago and it makes you feel like it was so long ago it might not have been you!!! Well, as a musician you can sort of go through the same thing with influences and music that may have meant great deal to you at one time or another.  Back in the day of my first bass and first hours, days, months, years of being insanely crazy about playing bass there were of course my first influences. Or, maybe the first bass players i became aware of that I wished I could be or play like! I wished I had a tiny fraction of their ability to play bass!!! Back then the holy trinity of bass players was Geezer Butler, John Paul Jones, and Steve Harris.  What do they all have in common? They were the bass players you could friggin' hear in the music!!! The music was also very, very cool and driving and loud and my parents hated it.  The good news is that these three guys also happened to be the real deal, talent in what they did, strength and confidence in their playing, and an important part of the bands they played in. How lucky was I?  For the time, the place, and all of the endless possibilities I ended up being fixed on three great rock bass players.  It is far too difficult to guess how much influence they've had on my playing, but there are a few things I can say for sure.  To this day there is nothing like the chugging driving sound of Steve Harris on a good Maiden song, there will never be anyone who could get away with playing as much as Geezer did in Black Sabbath, and last but not least how could anyone deny the brilliance that JPJ put down on all of those Zep albums.  Collectively they all taught me one thing, play like you mean it.  The end result I suppose is that unlike most bass players before them, they were heard loud and clear.  Luckily for them and us, they were loud and clear and could play their asses off.  Let's all bow our heads and pray...to the Geezer... the JPJ... and the holy Harris LOL  

 So many people put so money and time and effort into recording music, movies, television. Seriously, there is a psychotic amount off effort put into such things.  Of course, without this effort  we would not know about or get to experience a lot of things.  However, i really think we should take a closer look and start to appreciate the live performance again. There was once a time when that's all there was and now...my god we are assulted with pre-recorded material.  Pre-recorded material has its place, but nothing will ever compare to a live performance.  People getting out there and putting their talent on the line for people to love or hate.  I'm afaid we've let the value of performace slip from our minds a bit.  Go see a performance!!! Anything!!!  Most importantly, there is so much that we can see locally. New York Cty is right there, almost any town has local theaters, bars, and clubs where you can see people perform every week.  You never know, you might actually enjoy it or enjoy your friends or unplug for a few hours.   So, get the hell out and take in something that hasn't already been chewed for you.....

 ahhhh...the sweet sound of Clyde Stubblefield & Jabo Starks....

2 of my major influences..2 of the most sampled drummers in history...& most importantly 2 of the baddest most funkiest drummers ever....

Clyde & Jabo's sense of timing & groove go unmatched in the annals of modern music, there's a symbiosis between them , as if their playing from one brain...2 styles so different but when put together none can compare... if anyone has ever seen this dynamic duo, it's a site to behold.. i had the pleasure of seeing them at Radio City Music Hall back in 1996 & I was blown away at their craft... the 2 would play in tandem, or one would play the verse, stop & the other would pick up on the chorus & not miss a beat, the whole time moving  Mr Brown's feet....

You may ask yourself why I felt the need to pontificate on this today,, well, i had the headphones on this morning & "Give it up Turn it Loose" came on, & the immediate reaction it had on my brain, got me goin, I can get lost in their riddim's, as ive done for most of my life....so i just wanted to give sum props to Clyde & Jabo.. cause lord knows they deserve it... b/c they were labeled as just "session" players,, they receive no royalties for any of the beats that they "created"  & have been sampled hundreds of times, if not thousands... it's pretty sad... but oh so common for us drummers. (insert lame drummer joke here)... actually there's a great article about them that you can read here...

http://dukeupress.tumblr.com/post/4184295465/clyde-stubblefield-and-the-pitfalls-of-being-a-session

anyways thats my 2 cents... big up to Clyde & Jabo, thank you both  for your grooves that will beat forever...


here's a link to one of the baddest grooves ever...

http://youtu.be/pf5CqSDgiLU

 So, what's the point? For me, (not speaking for my band mates) the point is pretty simple and it is sharp.  Music is as old as mankind, therefore in my mind it falls in line with many other things man has been doing since the beginning.  The very old tradition of traveling aournd an area and trying to entertain and possibly enlighten the public with your art is what I see in playing music for you or anyone who will listen.  One could join a popular cover band or a wedding band and make a living playing music for people, but this is something very different.  We make the music from scratch, play it the way WE love it, and put it out there for people. If they like it, GREAT; if they don't we can not control that.  People liking or not liking your art is the risk you take, wearing your heart on the outside for someone to poke at.  

Since i don't have to feed my family with my music, it is a luxury and a priveledge for me to play. So this thing I / We do is something special and is the one thing that can make the hairs actually stand on end and beats you up on the inside a little everytime you do it. All of this becomes this intangible thing, ends up being serious as a heart attack and another thing on a VERY short list that feels like nothing else.  

It's a big topic, maybe the point is not clear?  It doesn't matter if you listen to music or play it, if you really love it, you probably understand what I'm saying.  

 On a sad but hopeful note we'd like to send out prayers & best wishes to Tony Iommi. We heard the news of his lymphoma & hope it's curable. Iommi & Sabbath have been a huge influence on all of us in this band & we wish him & his family all the best!! Get Well Soon!! You can read more about Sab & their latest news here http://www.blacksabbath.com/

 Hey everybody it's Frank & this is my first attempt at bloggin!! lol!! First off I want to Welcome everyone to SP's blog, we are goin to have individual & group posts on everything from gear to music, videos,news etc. etc... Basically anything & everything we feel like talking about!!  So welcome to SP's blog!! let the bloggin begin!!