Thursday, June 23, 2005

He plays an old guitar...with a coin found by the phone. It was his friend's guitar, that he played.
When he plays, no one speaks.

Just chillin' here late night, and I am in a strange mood.

Mostly because of Dave Grohl. Earlier today, I picked up a copy of the Foo Fighter's new album, "In Your Honor." It is a two disc set, with one disc "loud," and the other, "quiet." The loud disc is all rockers, and the quiet disc is entirely acoustic.

First off, let me say, the album is awesome. There are some guest cameos, like Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age on a fantastic acoustic song called "Razor," John Paul Jones from Led Zeppelin contributes to a couple tracks, and Norah Jones (!) duets with Dave Grohl on one track.

It's the acoustic disc that is putting me in a strange, out-of-body mood. A few of the tracks are phenomenal. Namely, "Still," "Over and Out," and "Razor," but mostly... "Friend of a Friend."

It was clearly written about Kurt Cobain, and it is just Dave Grohl singing and playing acoustic guitar, with no other instruments. I can't think of a better word to describe it than... haunting.

Here are the lyrics.

He needs a quiet room
With a lock to keep him in
It's just a quiet room
And he's there

He plays an old guitar
With a coin found by the phone
It was his friends guitar
That he played

He's never been in love
But he knows just what love is
He says nevermind
And no one speaks

He thinks he drinks too much
Cause when he tells his two best friends
"I think I drink too much"
No one speaks
No one speaks
No one speaks

He plays an old guitar
With a coin found by the phone
It was his friends guitar
That he played

When he plays
No one speaks
No one speaks
When he plays
No one speaks


---
"Razor" is just as good, if not better.

I'd burn you a copy, but the disc is digitally protected against copying. Besides, he deserves the money for this one... Pick it up. It's worth it.

Good night.

When in doubt, I whip it out... I got me a rock-n-roll band. It's a free for all.

For some reason, I have heard more Ted Nugent songs on the radio in the last three days than I have in the last three years. I forgot how damn good "Free For All" is... There are actually a couple great, independent (non-Clear Channel) radio stations out here. Today, for example, I heard Nugent, "Free For All," into a live version of "Jane Says," by Jane's Addiction, followed by Radiohead, "Optimistic," Nirvana, "Lithium," "Bust a Move," by Young MC, "After the Gold Rush," by Neil Young and "By The Way," by the Chili Peppers. That is the kind of eclectic programming you just don't hear nowadays on corporate radio.

I ran again, for the fifth straight day. I am starting to get my mojo back, and am up to 50 minutes at a pretty good clip. I saw the owl again, for the fourth time. I know where he lives... in a meadow about a mile from our house. I run down a dirt trail, and as I approach it rousts him from his (or her) nest in the meadow, and a little baby owl flies spastically behind. My friend Bells, who is very knowledgeable about wildlife, owls in particular, came over today and identified it as a "great grey owl." It is pretty magnificent, actually. The wingspan on this guy is about four feet. I will try to get a picture tomorrow.

I also saw a red-tailed hawk and a snowy egret on the run.

After that, I took the dogs for a stroll, and then waited for the Sears guys to deliver a frig to the rental house. The renter moves in this weekend. Here is the rental house...


They are still landscaping the park out front.

Then I hung a towel rack, and hung out with Bells, Alicia and Aden. On Saturday, they are going to float a remote river down a canyon in inflatable kayaks. Sounds fun. On Sunday, India and I are going to take a spectacular 11 mile hike up a different canyon, past Hyalite Reservoir, 2000 feet up to Hyalite Lake. We will pass 12 waterfalls, and you bet your bootay I will take pictures and put 'em up here.

Following their visit, I contemplated a potential career move...

High-Speed Snowplow Guy.


What do you think? Sweet ride, eh?

Then I geeked out, and set my other sweet ride up to make it even sweeter by adding some serious cargo capacity...





Can you deny the greatness? That thing kicks ass and leaves footprints. I could totally get, like, three feet of air.

Then we had a Cute Contest. I was disqualified for obvious reasons, but these two tied for first...