Lexie's Video blog

My best day on Second Life yet

As you probably know if you have been following this blog, last Sunday was the BIG HUGE EPIC POL ARIDA COVERED EVENT (man.... would you look at all the capital letters, must be important).

Now in real life, you have to be very careful about saying “The best day of my life”, because there is almost always a child or spouse near by ready to burst into tears. But in Second Life you have the liberty to just proclaim, this is... the best day ever.

I'm a big POL fan... but I'm not Internet gay for him, and this event was like Christmas for me. The best part, at least as far as I'm concerned is the simple fact that everybody there was almost as into POL's music as I am.

It was kind of like going to church... but it's not stupid to believe in POL's music.

The line up started with Lexie and I doing a duet of POL's “Brief encounter”. We thought it would be a funny idea to swap the Boy and Girls part, and maybe it was funny, but I did end the day in a skirt.

Well to be technical about it, I ended up in a kilt, but you and I both know what a kilt really is.

Then the hero of the show Nya , whom is NOT a Second Life (or first life) Musical performer did “The suicide of Jane”. She did it with the double stream backward because that is the only way we could get it to work. So she started singing when Lexie cue her in chat, and did what the kewl kids call “Going for it”. Yeah it was awkward, but it worked. The disjointed performance worked very well with such a disjointed song.

Nya RAWKED it, as best she could and she did it for all the right reasons. The Love of POL and his music.

Then Hazadion (However you spell that) covered “One”. He performed it playing his guitar and singing which is a lot less awkward then singing to a backward double stream.

Hey I could sit here and tell you all about it, or you could check out the recordings available at POL's web page. Okay it's a little tricky so I'll tell you how I get it to work. You click play on the POL Player, and a the menu to the left of the POL player will pop up. Then click on “Live tracks” and you are hooked up.

Be sure to Check out the Lexie and Zorch tracks. Also make a point to check out DeadEyes version of “The last song ever”. Then check out all the tracks. Phemie did a smashing job as well with “Winning”.
And Strum's version of “Passion” kicked major booty. Blind boy gumbofied “Catch the wind”, and Grace got all up inside “Welcome to winter”.

Hey, didn't I post the link so I wouldn't have to tell you all this stuff? Oh wait, I didn't post it yet.

http://www.cultx.com/mp3.html

If you were not there you need to check this out. And if you were there, you'll want to hear it again.

One side note. GarGraVar was taking pictures during the event and posted them to FaceBook faster then... well...... I would ever do it. Way to go Gar.

Why?

This blog entry isn't going to be funny at all. But every now and then you have to step out from behind the clown mask and say something personal, and perhaps even profound.

Lexie and I have been working ourselves to death trying to get this tour started. In spite of our best efforts we are very behind where we need to be. The task seems daunting, sometimes it seems impossible. But this tour will happen, simply because I feel it must.

This is a bold experiment with an agenda of sociological change. You could call it the pebble that rolls down the hill. Maybe it just rolls until it stops, or it might just start a avalanche.

This is very hard to put into words, but please follow along as best you can.

Music is not the Internet, or recordings, or radio, or videos on whatever TV station plays music videos now. Music is an art form that has relevance to a listener. Now I'm not saying all music is deep and poetic, but all music has relevance to a listener. “Girls just wanna have fun” is not deep or poetic, but it's one of those songs that ignites a broad pallet of emotions. Even guys get a kick out of it.

Music is not the lyrics, the rhythm, the melody, the chord progression or the production values. It's the effect all those elements achieve.

In the end, music is art that has emotional relevance to a listener.

Art does not thrive in a vacuum.

Are we too big for the Internet? Yes, but simply because music in and of itself is always bigger then then the channel it's transmitted on. Music is also too big NOT to be in the Internet as well.

As an Internet musician, and that is what I've been for the last two years,I need to reach out. Step away from the keyboard and present my music to new listeners, and never forget the supporters that took a moment to discover me on the Internet.

Now I'm well aware we could all cloister ourselves away and still reach a world wide audience. We could probably forge a sustainable living doing nothing more then Logging on. But that would be fundamentally wrong.

The effect of art is far more profound when we experience it as part of our physicality.

Example, there is a huge difference between seeing a photograph of the statue of David, and standing before it. Millions of people travel to Rome each year to see the Sistine chapel. We've all seen photographs of it, but to stand there and look up is a transcendent moment. If you've ever been to Bath England and viewed Stonehenge in person, you would know no photograph or video can fill you with that sense of awe.

Live music in a face to face setting extremely powerful, and in a way, magical. The performance happens then vanishes into history upon completion. The entire event becomes a memory to the listener as well as the performer. A powerful memory.

So Lexie and I undertake this task. To reach out from behind our computers and venture forth into a cold uncaring world. To find the few that seek a new and more personal music, and to connect with the supporters that have sustained our vision for the last few years.

Because Music is too big for the Internet, and somebody has to be the pebble rolling down the hill.

Some people are “Internet gay” for POL Arida

Okay, Sunday is the BIG (note all caps) POL ARIDA COVERED EVENT. As I write this it's Friday night which in my point of view is like Christmas eve, eve. I couldn't sleep a wink last night. I'm way too excited to sleep I might miss some critical point of the POL ARIDA COVERED EVENT season.

Now let me take a moment to speak about my two sons. Some would call them NERDS, but they would be wrong. They are in fact hardcore NERDS and quite proud to wear the pocket protector of their people. A while back they introduced me to a term I was unaware of. That term was “Internet gay”. This term has no sexual orientation meaning at all, is simply means a guy that is very fond, and very vocal on the Internet about the wonders of another guy.

Example

Dark_Lord_ChAoS_4772: None can compare to the Glory that is Sephiroth. His golden locks, his mighty s0ward, his wicked cool outfit is the total package. Final fantasy VII is the only game I need. Come to me Sephiroth.

Ch1cksDi9m3: Doood, you are so Internet gay for Sephiroth.

Some might suggest I'm Internet gay for POL Arida, but I'm not. There is nothing wrong with being Internet gay... I'm just not.

Besides, what could I possibly say about POL Arida that hasn't already been said, and proven true by the excited hordes that squeal with delight at his every FaceBook post ? But when they do squeal with excitement, I'm proud to say I squeal the loudest. Because I'm all about being HARD CORE about my POL Arida-ing.

All kidding aside, because I wasn't kidding. POL Arida is the sole reason to have an event like Covered. Face the facts he's the best there is. The only reason to have other Covered events is so the organizers don't appear to be Internet gay for POL Arida. If they would just come out of the internet closet and stop living a lie, we could just stage POL Arida Covered events every month.

But me, I'm not Internet gay for POL Arida. I simply respect him as an artist and while my humble attempts at song-craft are light years beyond most songwriters. On my best day I can only progress far enough to catch a momentary glimpse of the dust cloud POL Arida kicks up as whips out songs so good, words in common usage are not sufficient to describe them. But I lack the skills to create these new words. I'm sure that POL Arida could crate these words... with no visible effort and the new words he would create would be so rapturously good he would need to create even more words to describe how good his new words are.

But POL Arida knew this whole mess would get out of hand, So he leaves the world to marvel dumbstruck.

That being said, let me state that satire is a fickle mistress, and sometime times the target isn't clear. Let me say it right up front, I'm the target. I'm a big huge fan of POL Arida and I'm not comfortable with that. He's popular, and deserving of his popularity. He's one of the few in Second Life that I can say that about.

He's far more then Second Life though.

He's probably the most forward thinking artist I know of when it comes to using the Internet to get his music out in front of new listeners. He is the consummate post-modern Troubadour. Of course, if his music was crap I wouldn't care about any of this. But since his music is brilliant, I care very much, so much so, it might even border on Internet gay.

I'm excited about the upcoming Covered Event, and I'm proud to be a part of it. I now have an excuse to play POL cover songs in public.

So what if when I'm all alone, I put on a kilt, shove a vodka bottle up my ass and dive head first into a tub full of Haggis. That doesn't make me Internet gay.... dose it?

In other POL Arida news.

POL Arida is taking a crack at reading the script that left Uncle Slappy a bit undone. POL Arida... being POL Arida plans to read both the Daddy part, and (Gasp) the part of Timbo.

Can he do it?

Of course he can, he's POL Arida.

And if he doesn't do it, it's most likely because he's read the script and figured it was a steaming pile of dung not worthy of his talent. But what are the odds of that happening. I'm freaking brilliant.

Perhaps I'm Internet gay for myself.

Or is that Internet masturbation?

Sunday 11 am SLT. Catch it in world or stream it in from FaceBook. The POL Arida Covered Event will most likely be the defining moment of our generation.

At least until my Covered Event.

Band Camp Thanksgiving

What am I thankful for.... that is the question that is passed around the table at my house before anyone is allowed to eat one bite. We starve all day waiting for dinner to be served and then we must endure the torture of being creative and thankful before we can eat.

22 people at my dinner table tonight and everyone had to pause and think about what they were thankful for.... as it got closer to the last 10, people were prepared and way less creative.... it was more like, I'm thankful for my family and this wonderful dinner.... what was I thankful for....all the obvious things but mostly thankful for the fact that dinner is over....dishes are done and I don't have to do this again until.....the next big dinner....

OK back to band camp.... coming up in the very near future , this Sunday actually is Pol Aridas covered event.

Covering a Pol Arida song is serious stuff... for oh so many reasons... (let me list them)

Firstly... he is a brilliant song writer and though he makes his songs sound effortless to play, it couldn't be further from the truth.... his songs are hard to do well, unless you're Pol Arida.

Secondly, to cover someone elses song and make it your own without taking too much away from the song and without trying to just seem clever.... takes serious thought, many attempts and digging deep.

Third of all, I have a great respect for pol and his talent, and I really really want him to like it. Its not that I'm trying to impress him, its just I want him to hear it and say, wow cool, I like that, nice spin.

I was covered the first month of this event, and I can tell you sitting back and listening to other songwriters interpretations of my songs left me with my jaw dropped saying wow....

Pols event begins Sunday Nov 28th at 11 am SLT and the line up of talent is amazing.

Hope to see you all there and once again.....Happy Thanksgiving from Band Camp

xx
Lex

Happy Thanksgiving

I'm sitting here luxuriating in new socks. I have plenty of ancient socks, but new socks seem like quite a treat. Thank you Lexie for the socks. She also brought me six Boston cream doughnuts from Dunkin Doughnuts and a cup of coffee. This could be the best Thanksgiving ever.

While Lexie is dealing with the slings and arrows of a more traditional Thanksgiving with her family I'm left to my own devices in the studio. So I'm taking a moment to update the blog with a bit of musical mirth to enhance your holiday experience.

Last night Lexie and myself brought the Band camp show to Caztaway's Island for DJ Shortdog's rez day party. We got in from Pre-holidiay errands just in time to log on and tune up. But even though we didn't have time to notify our fan base, the show was very well attended indeed.

Lexie suggested we play the whole show as a duo, and split the fee. I didn't think we had a full hour of material, but it seem 90 minutes later I was proven wrong. Around the top of the hour, when I noticed we still had plenty of songs left to play, I started to improvise the “Thanksgiving Mojo” song. I think it turned out well enough that I'm going to post a copy on the blog today, as a token of holiday goodwill, or just to keep things interesting.

The thanksgiving mojo song

It's not easy to talk like Zorch

Accent aside, Zorch has a colorful way of putting things. We had intended to make a 3 minute flash movie dramatizing the concept behind “2 Big 4 The Internet”, it was to feature a father telling his son, “Timbo” a story.

Lexie's nine year old son read Timbo's part got it done in about 30 minute.

We got internet personality Uncle Slappy from BOSL radio to do the Daddy part. Now Slappy is not just an Internet radio dude, but his real life job is traffic reporter for a major network affiliate. So he probably has been handed a script to read before. If any other writer had written this script, it would probably be a walk in the park.

But it's not easy to talk like Zorch does.

Slappy reading Zorch's script

You'll find the text Slappy is reading in the comments section

Insert suitable title here

Sometime there are EPIC stories to tell, and sometime you have a handful of facts to pass along. We all love the EPIC stories, and for the sake of the blog I wish more of them happened, but there are still lots of facts to share.

The reaction to “The Conversation” video has been touching. I want to take a moment to thank all the people that have contacted me via Blog comments,IMs and Facebook.

We should soon have our collective grubby little hands on the video footage from the Orin Ben charity event. So expect to have a multi-camera video as part of the “Band Camp” collection. Of course there will be segments posted on You Tube.

On Monday the 22nd, Lexie and I played a show for FCMC radio, and you can expect the full show in the “Band camp” collection. While the attendance was spotty, the performance was quite impressive. Sometimes you get it right, and sometimes you get it right when you are playing a radio show. This was very, very right.

I've been contacted by a DJ, about doing a electro dance mix of my mega hit, “Da Troof”. I did provide both permission and an MP3, and I'm quite curious to see what comes of this. I feel I should share, the guy asked Lexie if he could remix my song. Why do people seem to hesitant to talk to me? I don't bite.... Unless you look particularly yummy.

Mark this on your calendar. Monday November 29th at 5 PM SLT, Lexie and I will be playing a duo show at Gwampa's Dance camp. This is notable because we will be sending a video feed from the studio. If you've ever wondered what it's like to be at Band Camp, come on over and live vicariously via web cam feed. You can catch the feed live in Second Life via the 2. whatever viewer, but since hardly anybody uses that, you can also log on to the web page featuring the video feed.

I'm sure I'm probably forgetting something, but check by daily to stay in “Da Loop”. You can even become a follower of this blog and be the first on your block to savor the sticky sweet goodness of what is going on when you are.... (drum roll)...... 2 Big 4 The Internet.

In Memory of Delinda, to those whom mourn

We've lost one of our own.

Digging for Gold

George Martin produced all but one Beatles record. “Let it be” was produced by Phil Spector. “Let it be” was recorded on George Martin's watch, but crumbled into chaos and ended up being hundreds of hours of audio tape. Phil Spector production efforts were all postmortem. He never sat in the studio with the Beatles and told George Harrison, “You need to make your guitar weep a little bit more”.

Lexie is currently in a Phil Spector situation. No, she hasn't shot a hooker and her hair is way nicer then Phil's, but she is digging though hour of audio files looking for the good stuff.

The problem is, it's all good stuff, so in order not to make this collection 117 hours long, she's gotta figure out what the best of the best is, and it's a lot of work. I know. I'm watching her do it.

In the mean while, I'm playing the waiting game on the video footage from the Orin Ben benefit. They did hire a professional videographer and there is some high def footage around just waiting to be spliced into a wicked cool video. Just saying, the waiting game sucks, let's play naked hot oil twister.

But there is still much to do and because we RAWK, we are doing it. Scoping out venues for the up coming “2 Big 4 The Internet” tour, and we've made a very dashing “2 Big 4 The Internet” T-shirt available at either the Jack Kinagree or Lexie Smith Reverberation shop. We still make sure to update the blog and the work on the web site is never ending.

And every now and then we play some shows in world.

Thanksgiving is this upcoming Thursday, and I'm very thankful I'm involved with this project. Expect great things, I know I do.

The bootleg video

This is from the live video feed going online. The audio and video are out of sync but it's the real deal. I'm told there is professional video footage that we'll be given shortly, so expect something a bit more polished coming soon.

The story of, and behind THE BIG SHOW

The Tale of Zorch/Jack

Wow, what a day. What a series of challenges and I'm currently sitting here with a wet sock on my forehead because I set my hair on fire.

The story of the show is easy to tell, Veni,Vidi, Rawked. That is Latin for we came, we saw, we RAWKED.

The house was sold out standing room only, and that is always cool. But our mission was not only to RAWK the good citizens of the city of brotherly love, but send the Mojo out to our friends via the Internet. Had the pre-show sound check ran flawlessly it would have still proved a challenge that would have CRUSHED any sensitive folk music type, but when Lexie Plugged in her Guitar There was no sound. This isn't good. We jacked around with that for... well ever it seemed. Then the sound guy Larry suggested Lexie play her guitar into a microphone.

If you have ever played an acoustic guitar into a microphone, you are currently breaking in to a cold sweat . Yes, it's old school, yes it's very Join Michel, but there is a reason they put pick ups in acoustic guitars and that reason is playing into a microphone sucks ass.

Just as Lexie is wrapping her mind around the whole Microphone thang, Ben moans, “There is no Internet”. Lexie looks a bit concerned, and I tell her, “Don't worry Lexie Luan/Lexie Smith. With a competent sound man playing into a mic is like being safe in your mother's arms. And I'm sure the Internet will be back in a few moments”.

I was right about the Internet coming back up.

We got the stream going, the video going and the show... hey where is the show? In real life, shows don't go off a minuet or two late. The time for the show came and went, and everybody is going,”Hey how you doing there”. When does the show start? Nobody is sure. The video rolls for 27 minuets with out an actual performance.

I checked out the chat screen on the video fee and it seems we've got a pretty good crowd waiting for the show to start. Much thanks for your patience and support. Harrie is doing the spam for the show, and she asks what time the show is going to start so she can spam in earnest. Just about then one of the organizers says the show is going to start in about 5 minutes. Gee only 40 some odd minutes late.

The organizers spend another 15 minutes thanking their sponsors and talking about their cause. Then Lexie and I get up on stage and start playing... we are accompanied by a barrage of feedback. Lexie just quips, “Feedback is so Rock and Roll”. She is now the official matron saint of Rock and Roll for the year 2010.

After about 3 minuets of failing about, Larry the sound guy finally stops the feedback. But Lexie had practically no monitors at all. So she is playing into a mic, with no monitors and playing as if nothing at all is wrong. I can hear me fine, my guitars are fine, and Lexie's sound is a faint murmur in the monitors.

If things were perfect, the performance she gave would have been amazing. But considering the technical problems, I'm really, really impressed. I'm proud to count her among my fellow musicians and my dear friend. Good job Lexie.

While the sound on stage was grim, the front of the house mix was fine. Everybody was RAWKED, and the mission was accomplished and not in a George Bush kind of way.

The stream into Second Life was fine. The video feed was well attended, and it was a win for the good guys.

Our online friend Oak even showed up at the venue with his lovely wife. Now Oak is a tall fellow in real life, dang near tall as me. For the record Lexie isn't a midget I'm just a tall drink of water.

Now the show was “Standing Room only”, and the event organizers said if they sold out they would get Mohawks shaved into their heads in front of the audience. That was kind of cool really. Seeing people take one in the follicles for their cause just makes me all teary eyed.

After the show Lexie took me to “Pats” for Philly cheese-stake sandwiches. So I scored another free meal for my efforts. When you are a starving artist, free meals mean a lot.

A packed house, online presence via audio and video streams. What could we have done to make things more successful ?

So I set my hair on fire. Seemed like the right thing to do.


The Tale of Lexie/Lexie

More tales from the dark side of band camp (Above risque....)

The benefit was extremely successful, totally sold out.... The gig was good for so many reasons.... and completely frustrating! Playing with Zorch aka Jack is way fun, his rock and roll moves totally make me smile....but my damn guitar decided not to work an hour before show time. Seriously , I have to wonder.... did the guitar Gods swoop down and say … everyone gets to have good sound but Lexie?

My pick up decided not to work so we mic'd the guitar. Now micing the guitar is ok , if you wanna stand still and play, but I don't even sit still when I play, how was I to stand still? And then to make matters worse, I couldn't hear myself. Three monitors on stage, and I couldn't hear myself in any of them. But..... that's live music right? If it was supposed to be perfect then I guess we would have been listening to Cd's.

I dont know how many of you all got to see the video, actually I don't even know how the video turned out, but If you saw me on it, im not as short as I looked...really I'm not, IM way taller, its just that Zorch was standing on a platform and it made me look way shorter than I am... ok he wasn't standing on a platform, hes extremely tall, and I'm not extremely tall.

God I love playing to an audience and then meeting them after.... I met the most interesting people tonight... I actually met people I already thought I knew and re met people I hadn't seen in 100 yrs.. Boy have they gotten older... I on the other hand look completely the same.... Ha (that's my story and im sticking to it. )
Oak came to the show tonight... hes almost as tall as zorch ! It was really lovely meeting him and I am so excited about the tour as I am hoping I get to meet lots of people in real life.
Well, I have tons more to say, but Im kinda sleepy and truthfully its a little hard to concentrate while looking at zorch sitting there with a wet sock on his head... (don't ask, I didn't do it). More tales from band camp to follow but for now ...we rocked , we rolled and we lost control.... in the pinkest way xoxo

Almost show time

I should actually be there to be 3 hours early already. Live Music is all about hurry up and wait. Right now I'm sitting in the studio waiting on Lexie to finish her grooming rituals, but I'm all ready pretty as I get so I just sit and wait.

No... I'm not making this up.

For those of you that want to check out the show in world, head on over to pixel hill around 4:30 PM SLT. If everything goes as it should, there will be a live video as well as an audio stream. Hope to see you there... well, I won't be able to see you, but you should be able to see me. And I am as pretty as I get.

Drunk as a poet and ready to RAWK !!!!

Last night Lexie and I visited the venue of tonight's BIG SHOW (all caps that means it's very important). This is one swanky joint and we tested out the video feed with some limited success. The cam works and the connection works but Lexie was having trouble setting up the account to stream the video. She does have an account of her own but was trying to set up a “2 big 4 the Internet” account. Because that would be wicked cool, and because she could not remember log on info for her own account. I'm sure she has it around here somewhere.

Did I mention this place is really swanky? It's got a full LED computerized light show, and tons of chairs to fill with people to see the show. I think this chair thing is going to catch on. I don't know about you but I never stand when I can sit, and I never sit when I can lay down. In case you are wondering there is no room in the audience to lay down, but that is due to the multitude of chairs.

I was very impressed with “The Green Room”. Curiously enough it wasn't green at all. Maybe I was in the wrong room. This allegedly green room features the first mirror I don't have to bend down to see my face in. I was surprised to learn how tall I actually am, and it seems I'm not hunchbacked at all.

After checking out the swanky concert site. Did I mention it's swanky? Really when we do the show check out the video you'll be sitting in front of your computer saying, “KATEJUPITAR !!!!!! THAT IS REALLY SWANKY!!!!” Anyway, after poking about the opulent and... swanky concert site we went downstairs.

Now, the show... the REALLY BIG SHOW, is being held at “Club Risque upstairs”. While the club downstairs is not called “Club Risque downstairs”, it is called “Club Risque” and it is in fact downstairs from “Club Risque upstairs”

Do you follow me?

Anyway.... we go downstairs and it seems “Club Risque” is a “Gentleman's club”. I pause at the door for a moment wondering if I'm enough of a Gentleman to be permitted past the red velvet rope.

Hey, I was surprised when they let me in too.

While there were quite a few Gentlemen in attendance there were also a goodly number of Ladies about. Back in the day, we use to call them strippers, but now they are ladies and the guys that gawk at them are called Gentlemen. What a brave new world we are living in. Just hand me a rocket pack and a jive talking robot butler and I'll pop open a can of Jetson's on ya.

I've just gotta say it, there were bewbies as far as the eye can see, and for the record I have two eyes and both of them were seeing bewbies. (note bewbies is the new wicked cool way of spelling boobies)

Now as much as I like bewbies... and I really do like them more then anybody should, there was a buffet as well. I got a real free hot meal, and I was awash in a veritable sea of bewbies. Free food, bewbies... does it get any better then that?

Yes it does, because it's good to be me.

Lexie seems to know everybody at the club because her brother is a DJ there. And she introduces me to the fellow she is old friends with. His name is Kevin, and Kevin starts buying me drinks. Lots and lots of drinks. Then Kevin lays a stack of one dollar bills on the counter and suggest tipping the ladies with them.

No, I'm not making this up.

Now those of you that know me well, know I'm a lazy bastard. If there is drinking to do, and somebody else is paying, I'm a very busy man and can't be sticking dollar bills between ladies bewbies. So Lexie did it for me. She always has my back, and watching her tip the ladies was remarkably akin to hot girl on girl action.

Lexie also told all the ladies I was a rock star. And it seems I act just weird enough to make it seem plausable.

Just when I was about to push a cot under the Guiness tap and move in, Lexie reminded me I had a show to play and we had to be going. A lesser man would have cried, but stoically soldered on. RAWKING the grid is my mission, my calling.

Okay, I wasn't drunk. I was just half way between happy and scrappy. But I honestly don't remember the show we played last night. But I did wake up... on the floor, and Lexie had the featured photo as her desktop wallpaper.

Tonight is going to be EPIC. Log on check it out. Or if you are any where near Philly, get your narrow ass down to “Club Risque Upstairs” and help us FIGHT AUTISM with the power of RAWK!!!!

Yes it is November but things are heating up

The in-world “Band camp” tour is taking the grid by storm. It's a very small storm, but you'll get wet if you don't look out. Lexie is sitting in on the end of my shows, and I'm sitting in on the end of her's and when we play back to back, it's a two hour fun filled hoot.

Is the Mojo rising? I answer in the perditionary affirmative, or HELL YES!!!

As good as that may be, and trust me it's a “very good thing ™ ”, we've contacted two Second Life music icons about being guest artist on the tour and we've got two great musicians. Noma Falta (Atalanta GA) and BlindBoink Parhem (Raleigh NC).

You know who Noma is right? If you don't, just send me your address and I'll be over shortly to smack you upside your head. She is one of the few women I know that is a bad ass humajuma. Noma don't sing, she sangs. She can play some blues and make you wish you were never born (the intended effect of the blues in case you didn't know), and then rock your freaking face off, and you'll be standing there, faceless but RAWKED, and thank her for it.

Thank you Noma, for rocking my face off.

BlindBoink is the blues guitar player all the rest of the “So-called” blues guys wish they were. He's got the talent and technique down solid, but it aint bout playing pretty. He's got the high and lonesome, then swoops down to the lowdown and dirty. He's a text book example of hemorrhaging abject misery though musical expression, and God help me I love it so.

While Lexie is being sociable and sweet, and filling the roster for the tour with Local talent, I'm grinding away getting the new web site for the tour looking all slick and professional. It's a long way from done/done, but so are plans for the tour. Don't worry, I'll keep at it and try to make it wicked cool.

On Friday the 19th of November we'll be playing a live show in Philadelphia, there are plans to stream the show in-word via video, so if you can't join us in Philly, hop on Second Life and enjoy the show vicariously. This is a benefit for Autism so there will be donation tip jars at the venue we stream into so please pack it full of Linden Dollars.

Of course if you happen to be in the Philadelphia Metro area and wish to enjoy the show in person, last time I checked there were 13 tickets left. So contact either Lexie Luan or Zorch Boomhauer in world.

Band Camp Day 15

Todays blog is being recorded by me Lexie.... Zorch said , Lexie, let the people hear what your thinking , what your feeling, what your take is..... So here goes....my band camp dairy.

Dear Diary,
Today is the 15th day of band camp and I haven't written home to mom and dad yet to come and get me
.
Truly its been quite musically awakening. Not for lack of sleep.... sleep is just not rock and roll, but I get to play music with Zorch Boomhauer and that is rocking my world.

We have taken two styles which probably couldn't be further apart and without consciously compromising, blended it into one unique sound that fits like a glove yet sounds like nothing I have ever heard.


We have both checked our egos at the door and work toward the good of the music. Its not about ooooh lets do my song or lets do yours, its all about , lets try this , I think it would rock.

Each and every live performance is new and getting tighter. Musical cues are being read by a nod or a look.... and truthfully its always fresh and fun. We are working hard and the schedule is extremely rigid as when we are not performing in world , we are rehearsing and planning the tour.

The highlight of today's events was a radio show we did together at BOSL radio. We were amazed and grateful for the support of our listeners who both listened in world at the station and out of world through the website.

The Hush and Wylie show is always a fun show to do. Uncle Slappy Wylie is completely insane and Hush and Mia just rock. Zorch gave a very Zorchtastic interview and played Da troof live, then we played the lament of ashes together live.

Ok, now let me get to the questions you all have been wondering...
No Zorch and I aren't ready to kill each other.... we are getting a long great
Yes , The Futon broke , but I didn't do it.
No, we aren't reading each others im's , we aren't hoverer's

We are both so extremely looking forward to playing this show Friday night on the 19th, Oak and My Spam Queen Sheila will be in attendance. How cool is that? There are still about 15 tickets left before the show is sold out so if anyone would like details just send me a message and I will totally hook you up.

Band Camp Rocks...

Written by Lexie Luan/Lexie Smith

Band camp mania RAWKS Palm Springs

Friday November 12 was Jack and Lexie, as our Avatar alter egos brought the MOJO to Palm springs big time.

Friday as you know is a great night to both party and attend a party. Lexie and I had... a few shots (Chocolate Vodka for her and of course Jameson whiskey for me) and we had a serious Rock and Roll vibe going on. The show was musical, fun and funny. Frankly seems like everybody involved was horny, and it seemed to fuel the fire.

Lexie Dragovar and Aprille Twine were up front doing some very provocative dances, and you all know, I'm kind of into that sort of thing. GarGraVar was taking photos and I'm sure we'll all be receiving black mail notes any day now.

We do archive each show, and when listening back to the recording we discussed the idea of creating a “Best of Band Camp” Mp3 collection. Of course it might be more then a Mp3 collection. We are doing some video shows online, and when we play our live show on the 19th of November there will be video of that event.

The reason we are considering this is two fold. Reason one, it would be wicked cool, and reason two because we could use the proceeds from it's sale to provide seed money for out up coming tour, “2 BIG 4 THE INTERNET 2011”

The music is getting tighter, the fun level is escalating though the roof, and everybody seems to be getting on the Band Camp bus. I'm well aware this might all seem crazy, but it might be crazy enough to work.

Tales from Band Camp

Greetings from the City of Brotherly love.

To bring you up to speed, Lexie Smith and myself Jack Kinagree are preparing for a two week tour starting in early 2011. The name of that tour?

2 BIG 4 THE INTERNET TOUR 2011.

The upshot is as follows, The two of us visit selected cities, meet up with our many online friend in the real world and we'll play a concert, At each stop we plan to have an online musician from the area join us.

Of course the focus of this blog is the upcoming tour. But it's purpose is to give you an idea of just what goes on behind such an endeavorer.

To facilitate in the preparation for this project, I've move up to Philadelphia for a month. We are currently trying to get our promotional ducks in a row before the 15ht of November, and suffice it to say, this is a daunting undertaking.

I shan't bore you with the details of course.Details are for accountants and anal retentive folk music types. We may play acoustic guitars, but we are full on rock.
We are pure attitude and Mojo. Like Herpes encrusted dust bunnies on a four day tequila bender.

Oh crap is 5:29 in the morning. no wonder this doesn't make any sense. But do expect this stately tome to be updated regularly.

We are currently in "Band Camp" mode. Lots to do and as usual no time to do it. But we the unwilling, lead by the unknowing have done so much, for so long, with so little, we can now do anything with nothing.

How fooking RAWK is that?