This morning began with the bus rolling into Buffalo, NY, after playing a show in Gilford, NH and a night's sleep in the bunk. Joel drove us safely through the night, on our way to Grand Rapids, MI, which we complete tonight. As we waited for our rooms, we in the band did some iTunes DJ-ing. A great way to begin the day. We had such fun with it, we decided to do the very same thing in a webcast. Some of you may remember me starting out a couple shows ago with Sam Cooke on my turntable. Adam and I are going to try a "live radio" format this Thursday in a webcast. We're always passionate about music, always discussing the state of the music business, and always celebrating the greats that have influenced our careers. We're gonna give it all a spin on the web - This Thursday at 8 pm EST. @Justin.tv/wurliboy. Cheers.

Rob Webcast tonight at 10pm Eastern/9pm Central

Got a day off today - on the road - Tyson's Corner.  I was fiddling with my web cam today, when a bunch of folks saw me up there, jumped on, helped me get a much better broadcasting signal!, and watched me fumble through a couple songs.  Let's call that the rehearsal and tonight..." The Show! " see you then.

justin.tv/wurliboy - log in a few minutes before broadcast, and type back at me - or just listen.
Cheers, Rob

webcast tuesday 8pm Central

After a short respit, I'm finally able to re-broadcast from the garage!  There's been many action packed and many non-action packed things going on lately.  Went to Venice, got to play at the Rock Hall behind some legendary talent, wrote and recorded lots and lots of original music, sipped a cocktail or two, dug a ditch, became an expert at disposing of 13 year cicada carcasses, and am growing more and more familiar to the cashiers at the Murfreesboro Lowe's - and you know what that means...

Looking very much forward to getting a tight little show together for Tuesday, probably my last chance to do one live from the garage before the Frampton Comes Alive 35 tour.  Got some cool tunes ready to holler atcha.  To those who've been asking where I disappeared to, I thank you for your continued interest!

See ya Tuesday evening.
Cheers, Rob

Touring Europe

       This place rocks.  We're in the middle of a tour of Europe with Peter Frampton, by the way.  Today, I'm in Oberhausen, Germany.  As we play each city, from London, all over the UK, to Holland, the crowds have been awesome.  And now Germany, in particular, has really surprised me with the hospitality, the food (yum!) and, of course, the bier. 
       Another big thing that I'm noticing here is that people lack a sense of entitlement.  So different than in the states.  When you see a culture of people respecting each other a little more than we do, demanding a little less for themselves than we do, and exercising a tad more patience than we do, the overall effect is powerful to a visiting foreigner.  It feels a bit wiser.  We're teenagers as a country compared to them, after all.  BUT, they don't put ice in their drinks.  I do like ice.
       The only real thing that's been disappointing, is that I can't find the perfect pair of shoes.  I've got high hopes for Italy, though - where I've nabbed many a pair in the past.  I wonder if American styles are just becoming more European now.  You used to come here and see all kinds of stuff you'd never see in the states.  Keeping my fingers crossed for Milan and Venice.
    As some of you know, I've done a couple webcasts from hotel rooms in London recently.  These were fun, and I plan to do more from the road in the future.  It'll be much more do-able when we tour the states.  I've noticed that doing these from Europe is quite a bit more tricky than I anticipated, for various reasons.  I really wanted to keep it up every week or so, but, that's been easier said than done.
       So, there still may be a show this month, we'll see...cheers

Late night London - part II

      Had a lot of fun squeaking out my last webcast, so I thought I'd do another.  Waddya know, this shit works!  Diggin' it.  We've got a day off tomorrow and I've picked a few more songs to do.  (from another hotel room in London)
      By the way, the tour is going fabulously!   We've got two shows under our belt, last night being a very lively 2 hours and 50 minutes.  You'd be surprised that when you get the songs under your fingers, how quickly that time goes by.  It was all pure fun last night, I'll tell you that.   Looking forward to trying for it again tonight in Manchester.   Peter is in great spirits, and, as always, out for blood.  Feeling happy for him, and for his fans.
      I'm gonna have to do 6 pm US Central time again - midnight for me...Hope to see a few folks there, as always, but I never expect anything.  I really do want to thank all of the webcast music diggers up to this point.  I'm thrilled with the turnout, and the nice responses.  Thank you so much!!!
     justin.tv/wurliboy - just sign in for free a few minutes before broadcast, go to watch channel - sit through the commercial, and listen and interact with me live!  
      cheers 

once again, with feeling...

     Cheerio! I'm pretty sure I can make this happen today - yesterday's webcast was a bust.  In hindsight, it's probably a better thing to do this with a night's rest under my belt.  May have woken up my neighbors with my hollorin' had I done it yesterday.  Werewolves in London, for sure. 
     For anyone not knowing what the hell...yesterday, I attempted a webcast from my hotel in London - we begin a month long Frampton tour of Europe tomorrow night.  And, man, was I chomping at the bit to plug and play with all my new toys.  But, there's always Murphy's law that rules the universe, and - alas - not to be.  BUT!!!  Today I believe we'll have something.  After all, I did plan a little show for all of my web-music-diggers.
     So, with my needing to get sleep tonight (it'll be midnight for me), and, taking into the fact that other people have lives - work and such, I'll compromise and try for 6 pm US central for this impromptu road show.  Hope to see somebody hanging with me - if not, Donnie, my tour manager, has got bail money after they drag me off howling at the moon.
     www.justin.tv/wurliboy - just log in for free, and click on view channel, I believe...
Cheers.

Right! So, I'm on a plane in Atlanta right now, about to fly across the pond. Life has been very busy leading up to this road trip. Frampton in Europe - UK, Netherlands, Deutchland, Austria and Italy. I'm considering doing a webcast from my hotel room in London tomorrow, against my better judgment. My wife just encouraged me to get some real luggage, and this new bag enables me to be a roving television station, in essence. My camera, lights, laptop, and my Line 6 keyboard all in a 22" airline-approved carry-on. Loving this technology! But, the best laid plans, you know, so we'll see. Gotta see how steady the Internet stream is in this place. And, there may be a pub nearby, which could introduce a whole other wrench in my proposed broadcast. If you're at your computer then, tune into my first "on the road" show - hopefully... I'll report to FB for updates as the day progresses. At my usual address, Justin.tv/wurliboy
There! Now I've got something to work on while I sit awake for the 8 hour flight.
Cheers, Rob

Frampton Comes Alive

      Many of you know that I play for Peter - keyboards, guitar and vocals.  Have been for about six years now.  I do feel extremely lucky to have been in the right place at the right time to have been suggested that he and I were connected, and that we've gotten along so well ever since.   What I discovered right away - maybe the first few bars of music I actually played with him was, that I'd never really experienced anything quite like this before.  He's a monster, no doubt about it.  His talent is beyond description, really. 
      I don't lump him into the same category as most of the other musicians that I play with, as wonderfully talented as they all are.  (And I'm talking about some real mother f%$&*ers!) He really never ever plays the same thing twice -seriously!  Always fresh new ideas.  I've heard a lot of his shows from my seat.  Believe me, I know of what I speak.   He not only has the natural talent to play great, but the extra "something" that just communicates to people.   Lots and lots of people.  The rest of us can dream, and strive to have that "something", but may never have it, and must reconcile ourselves with that fact.  I do know that I'm just super fortunate that he trusts me to help get his music out there into the world.
      Today was a great day.  We began rehearsals for an upcoming European tour.  And we (us new guys) got to meet and play with Stanley Sheldon for the first time.  Stanley is now the bass player with Frampton, but was also once before, on a little live recording that Peter made a few years ago.  A concert in California in the '70s.  Stanley told us that he didn't even know, going into that show that it was being recorded.  But, after that show was over, Peter led them to a remote truck, and they listened back to what would eventually become arguably the one live performance heard by the most people ever in history.   (By the way, we're going to be doing the entire "Comes Alive" album in it's entirety all over the US, and abroad for the next year, once we finish Europe)
      Today, after we played a bunch of tunes, some of us were heard whispering to each other things like - "Man, it feels like we're hearing history", "wow, there it is, man!" - stuff like that.   I will say, that Stanley is one helluva musician.  We are lucky to have him.  I just wanted to put out to folks that read this that this was one of those special days, and I wanted to document it.  Watching these two wonderful musicians getting back together again.   And I saw smiles on both of their faces.  A real wonderful thing to see.
Here's to the future!
Cheers

Getting Deep - Beatle songs dissected

      Well, the first webcast was quite an experience.  I learned that it can be very rewarding for the performer, as well as the viewer/blogger!   It's a medium that is just beginning.  A whole new way to do gigs.  This has definitely inspired me to continue.   My server graciously lets us view a recording of the show for seven days after the broadcast, which is something I'm a bit hesitant about in the future...But, this has enabled me to watch the tape (for lack of a better term) and realize that I need to eliminate distortion in the audio.  The camera looks good, but the microphone is super-basic.  There is no upgrade in the audio quality of the built-in microphones on the webcams.  I'll have to write them about this.  They think we're only going to talk to each other.   Oh, well, until then...I'll keep struggling to get lo-fi sounding like something.  I know, I'm complaining already about this cheap technology!  I'm soooo this decade!

     But, for my next webcast, I've decided to take apart some Beatle songs.  I've been very occupied with Beatle music over the last few years, having launched my band, Mystery Trip.  We've collectively learned over 70 songs at this point by these guys.  And my wife has suggested that I give a dissertation about why great songs work.  Apparently, she has enjoyed my take on what I believe are the reasons music made by geniuses captivates us.
      In my first blog, I wrote about the great Beatle song, "Girl".  In the next webcast,  I'll talk about that one, a Lennon composition, and definitely a McCartney song, and we'll see where it goes from there.
     There were also a few requests after the last broadcast that I'll try to address, and some new stories that I can't wait to lay on you all!

details:
log on to justin.tv/wurliboy
a few minutes before and watch/participate/turn it up!
(you just need an internet connection and a screen)

Until then - cheers, Rob

My First Webcast! - 8pm Thursday

So,  I'm off and running! (I hope)   I'm inviting anyone who reads this to join me for a free webcast tomorrow - Thursday 27th @ 8pm Central Time.   As I've said before, it'll be about music - whatever is in my "cache" at the time, if you will.  And there'll be songs, as will be the case most every time.  When you come to this, you just need to sign up on the site that is hosting. 

@ 7:55, Go to:
http://www.justin.tv/wurliboy

They'll require that you sign up (for free) - takes 2 seconds.  This way you can interact with me as I broadcast.  I'll see your chat remarks and will respond.

Tomorrow night, my dogs and I will be making some noise out in my garage - and I plan to keep these transmissions coming.   Frampton has me going all over Europe beginning in March, so I wanted to get up and running so I can broadcast from around the globe.  Then, we're doing "Frampton Comes Alive" this summer in it's entirety, I believe! all over the US.  So these will come from hotel rooms, bunks on the bus, etc - who knows?

I ask everyone to help me get this as good as it can be, so give me feedback about any tech issues as the webcasts go down.  But, I'll do my best to test the circuits ahead of time, and do some hollerin' for ya.

Hope to see some of you there!

Cheers, Rob

Using all this technology...

Okay.  I will admit yet again that I did not like social networking when it first came out.  I'll give credit now to my new friend, Jason Scheff, for recently changing my mind on how to use the internet and it's accompanying toys to create something fun.  Now it's fun for me, at least.  After all, it reminds me of the old joke, "Doctor, it hurts when I do this... Well don't do that."   Any one of us can put out any thoughts or any message that we feel like, and nobody is required to listen.  So, my criticism of blogging - who cares about what someone had for breakfast? - is now meaningless.  Here I am after all...blogging away.
  So, to get to my point, after performing a holiday webcast with my friend, Jason, I've been inspired to jump in and get my feet wet with my own web cam (yet to be purchased).  I am a performer, by profession, after all.  And, I've found that folks do find the inner workings of making music pretty interesting.  I'm going to broadcast some simple webcasts of myself, while I get used to running the technology.  I'm hoping people will bear with me at this stage, and give feedback.  I'll always sing something and probably discuss musician ins and outs and what have yous.    What I found extra special about the webcast format is that whoever is choosing to tune in is right in the conversation.  This is so different than a usual performance, where the audience is supposed to be quiet and listen until the song's over.   I found this element to be really cool on my first try with Jason.  It takes performing to another place.  More collaborative, if you will.
     I'll be doing new songs, old song, covers, requests and answer some questions.
I'll answer one right now that I get all the time - "He's super cool.  He's one of the most talented musicians ever, in my opinion."
     Will anyone be interested in my doing this? Not sure.  But, I am QUITE sure that at least it'll get beamed somehow out into the universe, and then, in the future some ancient alien will dig track 8 from my record, and use it at a key moment in a reality show.  Duh!
    Okay, so you see that I'm feeling a bit frisky today.  Feeling good.  Kind of inspired by some recent musical high points.    And, right at this moment I'm kind of in the mood to do a gig, but I don't own a webcam yet.  So, once Best Buy gets some of my money, (probably today) we'll see what kind of trouble all this kooky talk gets me into.   Cheers, Rob

Rest?

      Today I've decided to take a rest day.  Football's on, and I've worked pretty hard for a bunch of days.  Most of those days were pretty ridiculous hours, also.  Fiddling around on my computer, in my studio all day and into the wee hours, punching a little vocal part for the twelfth time.  Learning tunes, singing hard, rehearsing.  As a freelancer guy, I've always battled between taking advantage of the freedom of being my own boss, enjoying some "well deserved" time off.  Like the Dude - I'm great at "takin 'er easy for all us sinners".  And then, conversely, transforming into a workaholic, as they say in the parlance of our times.
       When I'm not on the road, and have a job in my studio, people usually give me a deadline, which I love.  I've always said I work really great with a gun to my head.  Never late, occasionally early to that deadline date.   The problem right now is that I'm flyin' free a bit.  I just set a deadline for myself.  (The details to be revealed at a later date...)  And with just me, myself and I to be accountable to, it's way different.  Not sure why that is the case.   I'm finding myself in the middle of that workaholic feeling, not wanting to lose my momentum, but knowing I've got to learn from past mistakes.
      Believe me, it has worked really well for me to roll along for days at a time, I'm talking like 21 days in a row kind of thing.  Just go.  Take my lumps, physically, barely resting, and cross stuff off of my list left and right.  Then,just before the deadline,  go underground.  Next, when panic sets in, I rush to the finish line.  It's just the way I do it.   But, those may have been the habits of a younger, more foolish dude.   Right now, I need to get to February 11th intact.  Healthy, and hopefully still working out - like my new year's resolution tells me to do.  And, as importantly, get my goals accomplished.
      The good news is, I'm enjoying the glories of a well set up workspace.  That's one of my non-negotiables.   I really can't create well in a funk-ed up space.  It's probably one of the reasons I'm desperately feeling a tug towards hitting it hard again today.  My studio rocks!   
      So, I'm calling today, Sunday, my day of rest - not procrastination.  And, dammit, back to hittin' it tomorrow!  If only I had some Kahlua, I'd fix myself a White Russian. 
Cheers

Me and the Beatles

This is my first attempt at blogging. I was always the first one to laugh about the whole concept. I guess I don't care. You don't have to read this if you don't want to.

Tonight I had to learn the song "Girl" for my beatle band rehearsal tomorrow. Here's a shocker - my mind was blown AGAIN by these guys. I think we're 70 songs into their catalogue, and the genius continues to be revealed in what they did. John wrote this song when he was 25 or so. When I'm learning the melody and the phrasing, I could have sworn it was something given to us by one of our elders. Such a sophisticated melody, sounding timeless. And not an easy one to sing. For me, anyway. But you find out why they were compelled to accentuate the breathing in sound on the choruses. You really run out of breath there, being no time for a breath at the end of the verse. It's just the natural place for a breath. And Lennon, being the smart ass that he was, probably needed to take the piss out of the fact that he was singing so well. It's really beautiful - and not in a pretty, sensitive way. In a purely workmanlike way. The Liverpoodlians (sp?) would have wanted to underscore the toughness. But the work ethic made them need to be great in contrast to it. The tough guy artist, if you will.

In any event, it's a great tune to be able to play - hope I do it justice!
Cheers