American Thanksgiving

Spent Thanksgiving in Nashville with our son Brett and his wife Gretyl. The "big American dinner" was held at Dianne's house - Dianne is a music publicist and she puts on mega- thanksgiving meals and I've come to believe that my American Christian friends express their gratitude in a bigger way that we do in Canada, where it is just a day off work. Dianne brought in a table for 20 people and a extraordinary buffet that went on for ever!

A couple of bands were dining across from me so as expected we all gabbed about the music business and getting songs on the radio - how very Nashville! It was very social and lots of business!

The singer of "Onset of Demise" is Leif Macaulay. Leif has some tasty tattoos - two sleeves. Here we are comparing my puny ink blotch to his dazzling exhibit. After dinner Leif and the boys drove back to Allentown, PA from Nashvegas.

Matt Rogers was another guest. Matt has started his own record label. Matt's all about business and he's absorbed a ton of industry connections since I last saw him in 1997. I believe he has 7 bands on his label, all funded by him. (He says his stocks paid off! Haha!)

Meanwhile back "In The Gulch" condo, Brett and I had some father/son time. Brett is taking an audio engineering course that teaches him how to record bands, select the right mic, add effects, mix and produce. Somewhere inside me is a passion for working with bands either directly as a manager or in-directly so I guess you could say that Brett really schooled me on audio techniques.

Later that night, Brett and I headed off the to the famed "Rocketown" - a Christian nightclub and skatepark owned by Michael W. Smith. This is "the place" to play if you're in a band. There's three stages of varying sizes. This night we were in the dark dungeon below the big stage where we discovered some really loud, young bands.

Ah Nashvegas. I miss you lots. Yes, I'm "ready to call Icon home".