When the Monkeydust Settles

This is another installment in the Artist Spotlight Series. I plan on doing more of these, if you would like to be featured, or would like to suggest an Artist, please contact me at drazil91@hotmail.com When I first met D.J. Briggs he struck me as being sardonic and having a very wry sense of humor. I immediately recognized his passion and talent for performing music and mentioned that he was our local answer to Donald Fagen .  He informed me that he was not a huge fan of Steely Dan . I have played with him at jams quite a few times, and have witnessed his skill on the bass, guitar, piano and drums.  He also is very adept on the technical side, formerly having a studio in New Orleans. He often acts as a lifeline for me, onstage if I am stuck.  Open jams can be difficult at my skill level, but I usually take some good lessons away. I often ask him questions about music, such as the fabled  "Circle of Fifths" and he will respond that the job of...

Signed "To Matt" "When the devil finished Johnny said, "well, you're pretty good, old son But sit down in that chair right there And let me show you how it's done"- Charlie Daniels L to R: The wife, Charlie and your humble author and wings Charlie Daniels passed away recently and I thought it fitting to tell my story of meeting him. It was around 2005 and my wife and I were travelling through Nashville on the way home from Chicago.  We had planned on meeting up with some friends, but missed them due to storms in the area.  We parked down by the Grand Ol' Opry and decided to have a look around Broadway Street.  We saw many iconic  honky-tonks in this part of town which cater to the tourist trade and every window had a band playing in it. We decide to stop in Tootsies' Orchid Lounge and walk up to the bar.  "What are ya'll drinkin'?"  The bartender asked.  I gaze at the tap handles and am quite disappoi...

Upon a secret journey... I met a holy man... His blindness was his wisdom... I'm such a lonely man- The Police Lawyers! It's just blueberry picking... I received a message from Vincent.  "Hey, would you like to practice jam with myself and some friends?"   Having played with him before, I eagerly agreed. "Where and when for this thing?"  I asked.   "East Bay Baptist Church, just a little outside Callaway, tonight around 7" he responds that he leads the music ministry.  "I will be there" I hit send on my phone and look up the place on my GPS.  "Wow"  I think to myself.  It is way out there.  I figure I need the practice, so I get home from work, clean up and make arrangements with my wife to steal her Mustang over a quick bite to eat. I go to pack up my favorite bass and remember that it has some, AHEM, less than religious stickers on it.  I grab another bass that is less likely to immolate in a church...

My uncle has a country place  That no one knows about  He says it used to be a farm  Before the Motor Law-Rush I have an uncle that influenced me more than he realizes.  We are very close in age, with only a difference of about 7 years.  I always looked up to him, and he made a tremendous impact on my musical taste.   During the increased popularity of the CD player circa 1984, they became affordable enough for a teenage me to have one.  I spent an entire paycheck from my part time summer job, and purchased Dokken "Tooth and Nail" because of it's proximity to the cash register.  I listened to that over and over, it being the only thing I could play.   My uncle had taught me the mysteries of patch cables and good audio practices (as well as handling media by the edges) to get me started, and gave me a new album on CD by one of his favorite bands, Rush "Grace Under Pressure" for my birthday and announced that he would...

Well my baby, she's all right Well my baby, she's clean out of sight, don't you know that She's...-Grand Funk Railroad I have been inspired to start blogging again.   I lost interest right before Hurricane Michael, but now I think the time is right to continue.  It will be an ever-changing work in progress and I have decided to expand my focus from just local music, to my life in general. I humbly ask the reader to be patient with this process.  I would like to say that I am fully recovered after the Category 5 storm that massively changed my life, but, as always, some scars will remain after healing. Music is still a huge part of my life, and I consider myself extremely fortunate to be able to play, while still being aware of how much I still have to learn. Give the video below a viewing for the whole story, and know how grateful I am for my wife.  She is everything that I am not. What else could I say? Stir...