So when I first made the decision to do this blog, it was when things were going more better. I had a semi-stable life, I was writing a book, was doing fairly well on the music front, and was starting a label. Ironically, after I started posting I started going through the hardest year of my life. I held back from posting in the last year because I didn't want "Brain Doppings" to become "Suicide Corner With Dr Dave".
To recap, in the last year I've gone through a divorce, several jobs, some hopeless relationships, and gone through financial hardship... massive financial hardship. Everything was looking quite bleak. I'd get a job at one place, then they'd downsize, get a job at another place, and they'd downsize. This is not including the horrible sales jobs I also worked which were killing my soul.
I have been keeping myself afloat, am currently working a decent job, and I'm making steps to get into teaching; in fact I start taking some classes at the good ol' UW of M next month. I still have some great friends through all this (even though a lot of friends have exited my life due to the politics of my former marriage), and I'm getting back into music.
The music front was quite crazy in 2014. Two bands that I was asked to play bass for couldn't handle my negativity; I can't completely say as I blame them, and subsequently ejected me. This didn't wreck me on a creative level; as one band was a cash band I'd do for fun(?) and the other was a black metal band I joined as a favor to a good friend. Neither band really excited me that much, and apparently I didn't excite them either. The little bit of ego I do have didn't take this too well, and in usual Dave fashion, I burned some bridges and pissed on the ashes. In my depression, I haven't been nearly active enough in music; being my own music, or that of others. In all honesty I've gotten out of the scene to avoid certain people that pushed me out in a sense. The upshot of this has been poor attendance at Wisconsin Beef Commission shows. The last show was so dismal, I had all but decided to hang up Old Blue for good. There were all kinds of excuses thrown about as to the crap turnout, but at the end of the day, people seem disinterested.
I'm still in contact with Mike and Dana in Beef Commission; though we're in the process of developing new material and haven't done any shows in a while, and I've been getting into guitar more. I had to sell most of my gear after the divorce, so the Gretsch is gone, but thanks to the guys in American Radio police, I have a modded Tele on loan from Aaron that I've been playing a lot, as well as a Gibson SG Faded from Matt. I had to sell the Orange (guitar) amp that I was using in Beef Commission, but I've been using Aaron's Sovtek Mig 60 through my home-made 6x10 cab (modeled after the cabinet section of a Silvertone 1485 with 6 Jensen C10Q's), this is the amp setup I used in the begining of WBC, and is heard on every song on "Drankin' Songs" with the exception of "Born Bad". Aaron, Matt, and Joey have given so much support in everything I do, and have really reminded me why I've considered them brothers for all these years.
I just wrote a blog for Beef Commission; http://wisconsinbeefcommission.blogspot.com/2014/12/wrapping-up-2014.html where I mentioned our labelmates Billy Dreamer may be getting a new rhythm guitarist. What I didn't mention on that side is that the new rhythm guitarist is me. Though I have played a bit of guitar for over a decade, and have played a couple times on stage (in TomorrowsYestarday, Dennis and I would switch guitar and bass), this will be the first band where I've been a guitarist. A new challenge I guess one could say. Should be fun. I've been working with these guys for years, and they have become family to us in Beef Commission.
I'll try to get on here a bit more, and give some zany observations as I use to. Living the suburban lifestyle has taken some of my biggest fodder for posts; that being the laundromat, and riding the bus. Those who have followed me in the past on other media know what I'm talking about. I'm sure some of you are wondering how the hell I ended up in the burbs, AND THE ANSWER IS YES. THERE WAS A GIRL INVOLVED.
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