HIT RECORD AND PLAY

Our first Southeast + East Coast Tour!

2011-05-17T10:41:00.003-06:00

Hi Blinders and Flashers!

We start our first U.S. tour this Friday!!!

We start in the Southeast and then travel up the East Coast. Please tell all your friends in these towns -- we'd love to play for them. All of the details are here: www.johncommon.com/tourwelcome.

07-01-2011 :: Alabama Music Box :: Mobile, AL
07-02-2011 :: The Handlebar :: Pensacola, FL
07-03-2011 :: The Nick :: Birmingham, AL
07-04-2011 :: The Muse :: Nashville, TN
07-05-2011 :: The Basement :: Nashville, TN
07-06-2011 :: Local 506 :: Chapel Hill, NC
07-07-2011 :: Lexington Avenue Brewing Company :: Asheville, NC
07-09-2011 :: Snug Harbor :: Charlotte, NC
07-10-2011 :: Outer Banks Brewing Company :: Kill Devil Hills, NC
07-11-2011 :: Galaxy Hut :: Arlington, VA
07-12-2011 :: M Room :: Philadelphia, PA
07-13-2011 :: The Saint :: Asbury Park, NJ
07-14-2011 :: The Living Room :: New York City, NY
07-15-2011 :: The Space :: Hamden, CT
07-16-2011 :: The Loft :: Cambridge, MA
07-17-2011 :: Union Hall :: Brooklyn, NY
07-23-2011 :: Denver Post Underground Music Showcase :: Denver, CO

We're adding dates for the Midwest and West Coast as we speak, so stay tuned.

Love,

John Common and Blinding Flashes of Light

P.P.S. Use these links to entice your friends into becoming fans:

Music Connection Review of Beautiful Empty (10 out of 10 Stars!)
http://johncommon.com/press

NPR interview with Ryan Warner on Colorado Matters
http://www.cpr.org/article/John_Common__Blinding_Flashes_of_Light

Article in The Onion on John Common and TEDx Collaboration
http://www.avclub.com/denver/articles/john-common-gets-collaborative-again-at-tedxdu,55938/

Hi Everyone, I'm blogging here now...

2011-03-04T19:39:00.004-07:00

I moved by blog to johncommon.com/blog we're getting an RSS feed set up there soon, but in the meantime, please just drop by when you can. I post something pretty much every week.

And as always, thanks so much for reading!

Also, jump on our email list if you want... it's a good way to stay in touch, get the latest news from yours truly and we also send you free music periodically! Here's the page to subscribe: subscribe

Hope you're well and talk soon,

John

You Can Listen to Beautiful Empty on our Website

2011-03-04T19:34:00.003-07:00

It's on our home page as well as on our store page:

www.johncommon.com

www.johncommon.com/store

Hey Sugarbear.

2010-06-03T18:02:00.000-06:00

Hey Sugarbear,

We're 10 days out from our Boulder CD release show at the Fox Theatre for Beautiful Empty. Good Lord. This show's gonna be hotter than two rats kissin' in a wool sock.

Scroll down to see all of the incredibly cool music+film+art that will be happening that night. Also, Love Hope Strength will be there signing up donors to help fight cancer. (Hell yes.)

Oh, and tell your friends who had U2 tickets to come drown their sorrows at our show. I'll personally give them a hug and softly sing "With Or Without You" in their ear. Also, they'll save $5 if they buy tickets in advance. Here's the ticket/info link:
http://www.foxtheatre.com/Store/ChooseTicket.aspx?sid=15696

Bus Ride To/From The Show? - Denver People!
For Denver peeps, Wynkoop Brewing Company is willing to charter a bus from downtown Denver to the Fox Theatre and back the night of the show. The cost would be $10 but you'd get a safe ride to and from the show AND they're gonna throw in a free beer during the ride up! They need 40 people to make it worthwhile. HURRY UP and email us at letters@johncommon.com if you and your friends are interested, and we'll keep you posted.

Love ya and see you soon!

JC&BFoL

http://www.foxtheatre.com/

P.S. Here's a little video of us playing Same Scar live recently:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LH5cNuDnaQ

P.P.S. This is Natalie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfJNxduEHkw

P.P.P.S. Do you Facebook? Join our FB fan page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2220762949
UPCOMING SHOWS
BOULDER CD RELEASE SHOW!!
Saturday, June 12, 2010
John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light
Boulder CD Release Party
for Beautiful Empty at THE FOX THEATRE

+ Original short films inspired by Beautiful Empty
+ Original visual art inspired by Beautiful Empty
+ Ticket price includes a FREE copy of the new CD!
(Or any other CD in the JC catalog - you pick)

Buy tickets in advance - $13 / Day of show - $18

Tickets: http://www.foxtheatre.com/Store/ChooseTicket.aspx?sid=15696

Saturday, June 19, 2010
@ Westword Music Showcase
Denver, CO
John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light

Tuesday, July 13, 2010
@ Red Rocks
Film On The Rocks
Morrison, CO
John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light
Movie: Superbad

CALL FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS (music+photography project)

2010-04-20T08:01:00.000-06:00

Hi Everyone!

We're doing another music+art collaboration! Only this time, it centers around photography. Artists and photographers of all locations, levels, types and points of view are invited to participate! You? Your friends?

This link has all of the details:
http://beautifulemptyphotoconspiracy.blogspot.com/

Please tell all of your artist / photographer friends who might dig this kind of thing.

More art!

JC&BFoL

PS. This project is similar to the Common Box Project, which was amazing. You can see photos of all of the common boxes on the media page of our website.

PPS. Do you Facebook? Join our FB group!
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2220762949

This Saturday at Walnut Room in Denver!

2010-03-09T16:49:00.001-07:00

Hello Foxes and Tigers,

I hope you're all hopped up and ready to come to our show on Sat, March 13th at The Walnut Room.
Do you know about the The Walnut Room? It's one of the best sounding venues in Colorado
(not just my opinion). This will be our first headlining show in Denver since releasing our new record,
Beautiful Empty.

We'll be playing songs from the new record plus some others... we'll have a guest or two on stage as
well. And we'll be starting the whole thing off with some of those short films inspired by songs from
Beautiful Empty. It's going to be quite the night.

Here's what we've cooked up for you:

Date: Saturday, March 13, 2010

Venue: The Walnut Room

Artists: John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light
Dan Craig Band w/ Jessica Sonner
The West

Location: 3131 Walnut Street, Denver, CO 80205 (Here's a map)

Ticket Price: $9 in advance / $12 DOS / 21+

Buy Tickets Now: http://www.thewalnutroom.com/show/detail/27612
(It might sell out)

Hours: Doors at 7:30 pm, Show at 8pm

ALSO: The Love Hope Strength Foundation has been invited to continue their important work to fight
cancer by signing up bone marrow donors that night, and will be sponsoring the event as well.
Here's their website.

Love,

JC&BFoL
johncommon.com

PS. Visit the media page of our website to see lots of pictures (like this one from Brian Carney) from our
Denver CD release show and our recent show with Matt Morris at the Bluebird Theater:
www.johncommon.com/media

PPS. Do you Facebook? Join us: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2220762949

UPCOMING SHOWS
Saturday, Mar 27, 2010
@ Parker Library
Live Music Series (daytime/all ages show)
John Common and Jess DeNicola
All Ages, 1pm - show from 2pm to 3pm

Friday, April 2 2010
@ Soiled Dove
Denver, CO
Chuck Prophet
John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light
Doors 8PM, Show 9pm, $12
But tickets: http://www.tavernhg.com/soiled_dove/show/11655

Saturday, April 10, 2010
@ Boulder Library
Boulder, CO
John Common solo
All Ages, 1pm - 4pm
(JC plays sometime in there!)

Friday, April 23, 2010
@ Everyday Joes
Fort Collins, CO
Mason Reed
John COmmon & Blinding Flashes of Light
SHEL
All Ages, 8pm

Facebook group for JC&BFoL

2010-02-22T13:39:00.001-07:00

People in our FB group are well-spoken, dashing and lovely: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2220762949

Valentine's Reminder: Love Is A Shark

2010-02-17T19:46:00.002-07:00

Hello Current and Former Lovers of Love,

It's Valentine's Day on Sunday. For some of you, this news is a total bummer. For others, it's a delight. One thing we can all agree on is that Love Is A Shark.

Here are three ways to SHARE A SHARK, whether you are heart-broken or heart-happy:

A T-SHIRT ($15)
Buy a Love Is A Shark T-shirt -- Available in mens and womens. Colors: black and chocolate brown. (We have limited quantities - but we'll reorder if we have to!)
http://www.johncommon.com/store

A SONG ($1)
Hear and buy the song (download)
http://johncommon.bandcamp.com/track/love-is-a-shark?permalink

A VIDEO (Free)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAjeetwuCOg

Love,

JC&BFoL
johncommon.com

UPCOMING SHOWS

Fri, Feb 19, 2010
John Common, Jess DeNicola, Wes Michaels
Supporting Mike Marchant CD Release
@ Meadowlark
Denver, CO

Thu, Feb 25, 2010
Matt Morris
w/ John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light
@ Bluebird Theater
Denver, CO
$10/$12 ~ 8PM
Get tickets here < < Buy tix now--This might sell out

Sat, Mar 13, 2010
John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light
w/ Oh Starling & Joshua James Trio
@ Walnut Room
Denver, CO
Get tickets here < < Buy tix now--This might sell out

JC&BFoL at Meadowlark

2009-11-05T10:55:00.001-07:00

Hiya Lovers,

We're playing a great show tomorrow night (11/5) at the Meadowlark. It's likely to be the last time you'l be able to see us before the big Denver cd release show for Beautiful Empty (New date for cd release: Sat, Jan 16 -- save it!)

Here is the schedule (pronounced "shedjuwell") for tomorrow night. It's back-to-back loveliness:
11:15 LSW
10:30 JOHN COMMON & BLINDING FLASHES OF LIGHT (JESS, WES, DAVE)
9:45 JOSEPH POPE III
9:00 JESSE TORRISI

See you tomorrow night!

I'm learning to weld -- I already have the goggles,

john
johncommon.com
twitter.com/johncommon
facebook.com/jcommon
myspace.com/johncommon
hitrecordandplay.blogspot.com

P.S. Goggle time:

=================
Upcoming Events
=================

Thu, Nov 5
Meadowlark
John Common
w/ LSW, Joseph Pope III and Jesse Torrisi
$6
8PM

Sat, January 16th, 2010
John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light
Denver CD Release
for Beautiful Empty
@ Casslemans

Details coming ~ Save the date!!

Yul Brynner

2009-10-23T11:09:00.007-06:00

E

"john common is no longer idle" is what it says right now.

10:57amJohn

i'm eating a pb&j for bfast, making coffee and watching it's always sunny in philadelphia.

life is good, E.

10:57am E

god damn

i thought i had it easy by sleeping in until 7

i went to Jenny Morgan's art opening last night at plus gallery. fucking amazing.

you gotta go see it.

10:58amJohn

jennymorgan.

i wanna see it.

10:59am E

you know her?

10:59amJohn

i think she gave me a kidney once?

no, i don't.

10:59am E

check 'em out

http://www.plusgallery.com/exhibitions/41/106

you can click on the thumbnails

you'll see familiar faces

and unfamiliar breasts

11:01amJohn

semi familiar.

the faces.

cool shiat.

you're one of my cultural ambassadors, E.

i rely on thee.

it's a service you provide.

i'm not even kidding.

i only hope i deliver some amount of utility in your direction.

11:03am E

you deliver utilities?! that's awesome!

11:03amJohn

i am software.

sometimes, i am hardware

11:04am E

the revision is better

i think we are of great service to each other

11:04amJohn

wow. that really did sound gay.

speaking of...

i was on stage last night, i lifted my cap, jauntily, i might add.

and said into mic:

"i shaved my head... doooo you like?"

of course, i got the perfunctory applause and woo's.

because people are basically kind, E.

but then i said,

"really? i think i look a little like yul brenner"

and then i delivered the only yul line that i know:

"WHO IS THIS MOSES WITH HIS ONE GOD???!!"

nobody laughed.

i mean, some did.

but it was an E. moment.

brynner.

11:07am E

that's beautiful. truly. and gay. and how is that an E. moment?

11:07amJohn

oh you know...

any time i make an obscure reference in some lame attempt at humor that nobody really gets, i think "E. would laugh at this"

E

ha!

that's truly flattering

you know what the first yul brynner line was that i thought of?

11:13amJohn

do tell

E

"I'm Yul Brynner, and I'm dead now."

11:13amJohn

What movie was that from?

11:14am E

from the anti-smoking commercial that came out right after he died

he filmed it before his death, with the express purpose of having the ad run after he died

11:14amJohn

wow. way to bring the IM party down, E.

E

one of the services i provide

This Thursday at The Walnut Room: me, you us

2009-10-19T21:42:00.002-06:00

'Sup Punkin',

I'm playing a tres cool show this Thursday (Oct 22) at the inestimably great sounding Walnut Room. I will be playing the show with the lovely Jess DeNicola and the beguiling Dave Preston. How's that for a power trio? Also playing that night: Liz Clark, Tessa Perry and Melanie Susuras. Not to turn this into a gender thing, but I just realized I'll be the sole male songwriter of the night. Hmmm... Interesting.

Fear not, it's an early show--you will get your beauty rest. Not that you need it.

Will you come? Say yes.

Here are the DETAILS of the show and a way to buy TICKETS for you and your date:

http://www.thewalnutroom.com/show/detail/23996#tickets

I've been reading Emerson lately,

john
johncommon.com
twitter.com/johncommon
facebook.com/jcommon
myspace.com/johncommon
hitrecordandplay.blogspot.com
P.S. We're looking for graphic artists to collaborate with on band merch. Here's the idea, delivered by yours truly. And yes, that's the best shark I know how to draw:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PF_wabxGEIQ

Super Cool Merch Project Idea Thingy

2009-10-16T09:58:00.000-06:00

Latest JC Newsletter

2009-10-08T16:16:00.004-06:00

Subject: "Fort Collins" spells "Come to show" if you re-arrange the letters.

Hey Crackerjack,

I'm playing a fun show this Saturday, Oct 10th in Fort Collins at Everyday Joe's with Dan Craig and Danielle Ate The Sandwich. 7PM. It's a bit of an early show too. So put that in your pipe and smoke it.

This is the part of the email where I write something funny/witty to get you to come. Pretend I just did that. Did it work? Visit this link for directions, tickets and such:

http://www.everydayjoes.org/index.php?option=com_events&task=view_detail&Itemid=64&agid=548&year=2009&month=10&day=10

Love you, miss you, write me,

john
johncommon.com
twitter.com/johncommon
facebook.com/jcommon
myspace.com/johncommon
hitrecordandplay.blogspot.com

P.S. The cd artwork for Beautiful Empty is nearly done. It's lovely. Just like the new record is. Can't wait for you to hear it. Saturday, Dec 12 -- Denver CD release show. Put it on your refrigerator!

P.P.S. This is me having an ADHD moment during the mixing of a song named 'Same Scar' from the new record. Further proof that making a record is filled with dangerous, white knuckling moments fraught with tension and... who am I kiddin'? It's actually a lot of drinking Jameson, listening and waiting around. http://hitrecordandplay.blogspot.com/2009/08/mixing-same-scar-self-amusement.html

=================
Upcoming Events
=================

Thu, Oct 22
Walnut Room
w/ Liz Clark

Thu, Nov 5
Meadowlark
w/ TBA

Sat, Dec 12
Denver CD Release
for Beautiful Empty
Curious Theatre
Details coming ~ Save the date

Sprint Triathlon at Pensacola Beach

2009-10-03T18:07:00.004-06:00

I did a sprint TRI at Pensacola Beach with my brother this morning. It was his first -- he did great! He was thinking his time would be 2 hrs 45 min. But he did it in 2:13! Go Bruce! I wrote this on my arm to look at during the race:

My goal was 2 hrs 5 min.

My stretch goal was 1 hr 48 min.

I did it in 1:48:25.

Yay!

The Stats
swim (1/3 mile) 12:25
T1 3:09
bike (18 mile) 1:02:27
T2 1:43
run (3.1 mile) 28:44
total 1:48:25

My status is hiatus.

2009-09-11T23:09:00.000-06:00

Hi All,

Just wanted to write a short note and tell you that 1) the new record is pretty much done, 2) it's named Beautiful Empty, 3) our Denver release party will be Sat, Dec 12 at Curious Theatre (save the date!), 4) that night is gonna be crazy cool, and that 5) we're taking a break from music for a month or so... to rest up for all the flashing and lighting and blinding that we'll soon be doing.

Enjoy your September. I sure will.

Love you, miss you, write me,

john
johncommon.com
twitter.com/johncommon
facebook.com/jcommon
myspace.com/johncommon
hitrecordandplay.blogspot.com

P.S. The Beautiful Empty Short Film Conspiracy is still accepting submissions -- jump in if you or someone you know is an indie/amateur film maker... or if you want to be one. Details here: www.beautifulempty.blogspot.com

P.P.S. Fall is almost here. I love fall:http://hitrecordandplay.blogspot.com/2007/09/fall-is-here.html

Upcoming Events

Sat, Dec 12 Denver CD Release of Beautiful Empty
Curious Theatre
Details coming ~ Save the date

Click the riot...
Buy great music.

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Latest JC Newsletter

2009-08-13T19:57:00.005-06:00

Hiya,

Ever want to make a short film? Know any budding filmmakers? We're cooking up a really creative film project attached to the upcoming release of our new record. The idea is to collaborate with all kinds of artists around the songs that are going to be on the new record. Just like the Box Project, only with film!

Visit this link if you or someone you know might be interested:
www.beautifulempty.blogspot.com

And here's a YouTube video of me and Darci (Beautiful Empty's Film Festival Director) talking about the project:

Love ya,

John
johncommon.com
twitter.com/johncommon
facebook.com/jcommon
myspace.com/johncommon
hitrecordandplay.blogspot.com

Upcoming Events

TOMORROW Friday, Aug 14 2009 11:30AM - EARLY SHOW
Lyons Folks Festival
John Common - songwriter showcase
Lyons, Colorado
Tickets: http://www.bluegrass.com/folks/contests.html

Fri, Aug 21 2009 7:00-8:30PM
John, Jess and Wes
Parfet Park
Downtown Golden, CO
(10th Street and Washington)
We play then there's a movie in the park
All ages / free show

Live Photos from Denver Post UMS

2009-08-13T15:40:00.003-06:00

These photos were taken by the amazing Lindsay McWilliams at the Denver Post Underground Music Showcase. We finished the set out in the audience.

Angels and Sharks

2009-08-05T14:05:00.001-06:00

Today's paraphrased quote: "Angels are just sharks who have learned to control their appetite." -- the Cook in Moby Dick

The actual quote:

"Your woraciousness, fellow-critters. I don't blame ye so much for; dat is natur, and can't be helped; but to gobern dat wicked natur, dat is de pint. You is sharks, sartin; but if you gobern de shark in you, why den you be angel; for all angel is not'ing more dan de shark well goberned. Now, look here, bred'ren, just try wonst to be cibil, a helping yourselbs from dat whale. Don't be tearin' de blubber out your neighbour's mout, I say. Is not one shark dood right as toder to dat whale? And, by Gor, none on you has de right to dat whale; dat whale belong to some one else. I know some o' you has berry brig mout, brigger dan oders; but then de brig mouts sometimes has de small bellies; so dat de brigness of de mout is not to swaller wid, but to bit off de blubber for de small fry ob sharks, dat can't get into de scrouge to help demselves."

Mixing Same Scar... Self-amusement

2009-08-02T17:39:00.000-06:00

This is me trying to amuse myself In the studio with John Macy. We're mixing a song named Same Scar from the upcoming JC&BFoL record (Beautiful Empty).

John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light: DPUMS Day 3: Goodwill Experience

2009-07-29T00:51:00.000-06:00

John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light: DPUMS Day 2: After the Sketch Wine Bar Show

2009-07-25T00:53:00.001-06:00

John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light: DPUMS Day 1: After the Michaelangelo's Show

2009-07-25T00:52:00.000-06:00

John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light: DPUMS Day 1: Before the Michaelangelo's Show

2009-07-25T00:51:00.000-06:00

Spoons

2009-07-24T04:50:00.000-06:00

Years ago, I was standing in my kitchen one night, looking down into the silverware drawer. I noticed that there were more than a few spoons whose origins I couldn't quite pin down. Such as that really nice heavy one with the longish handle. Or that Mickey Mouse spoon from Disney World. Or that little ornate tea spoon. Or that strange-ish, wooden spoon with a Russian peasant-looking paint job. Or that funky modern one. And others.

And then it dawned on me that these disparate spoons all had something in common: I had stolen them, subconsciously, from ex-girlfriends over the years.

It's true. I was standing there in my kitchen, face to face with a new reality: I was a spoon thief. And it also dawned on me that it was a little creepy, frankly. Like some sleepwalking, totemistic, voodoo, final rites ritual. But each spoon reminded me of "her" and our happier times. I thought to myself "Weird, man." And... "I'm a weird man".

But then I thought about it a little more and I started getting a little misty-eyed. I mean, there's something endearing about this mild obsession, if you think about it. I was "just a boy, standing in front of a girl's silverware drawer, stealing a spoon to remember her by..." Kind of like this movie scene. Only odder and slightly less sacharin. And without Hugh Grant or Julia Roberts.

So I did what any self-respecting songwriter would do. I wrote a song about it:

spoons
(imagine the music being played by a full on, guitar-driven, rock band drunk on well tequila at Lions Lair)

i collect the spoons of my ex-girlfriends
they're all right here in my kitchen drawer
it's kind of a weird thing I admit
but it's the one thing that I still have

whenever I saw that the end was near
I'd steal to her kitchen and pocket a spoon
just a little something to remember her by
'cause the end was coming soon

have a good life
with your fork and knife
I got your spoon, got your spoon
makes me think of you
I gotcha spoon, gotcha spoon
gotcha spoon, gotcha

I've never been good at remembering when
like the time by the river or when I met her dad
but when it's 3 in the morning and it's cold outside
it's all right here in my hand

["FUCK YEH" GUITAR SOLO]

I suppose one day I might find someone
who'll put up with all the crazy shit I do
we'll decide on a pattern and get our silverware
and I'll give back those spoons

I'll record this song on an old tape deck
box it up with her beat up spoon
brown paper wrapping with no return address
just a note that reads..

"I enjoyed your spoon"
"I surely enjoyed your spoon"
"I sure will miss your spoon"

[REPEAT CHORUS... maybe twice even]

I got your spoon...
it makes me think of you

============================
What made me remember all of this was a recent Facebook IM conversation with my friend, A.

A while back, I told A. about my strange spoon stealing fetish. A. was going through a break up of his own, alas. So I recommended the spoon stealing move as a way to deal with his angst and grief. A. thought it was "funny". But today, A. popped in on me and we had this conversation:

2:45pm A.
I got a spoon!

its a great silicon spoonish spatula

she's pissed that i wont give it back

2:46pm John
i'm proud of you, A.

good job.

i would have liked to see you nab a metal one.

2:46pm A.
;)

naw

2:46pm John
a big soup spoon has been my specialty.

2:46pm A.
this one is amazing

2:46pm John
but hey, we're different people.

we like different things.

and i embrace diversity.

2:46pm A.
its true :):)

2:47pm John
it feels good... when you look down in the drawer, doesn't it?

surprisingly.

2:47pm A.
so great

i dont even use it

i just like to look at it and gloat

2:47pm John
oh... you're "using it"... you're just not using it.

2:47pm A.
zakly

So Dear Reader, I will leave you with this final bit of advice: The next time you go through a breakup, go ahead and nab a spoon. Do it. It's oddly therapeutic. And if you ever look down into your kitchen drawer and wonder, "Where the hell is that spoon?", don't get angry. Don't judge. Just smile.

Monday night (yes, Monday): JC&BFoL, Nathan Moore, Tyler Despres @ Walnut Room

2009-07-20T11:04:00.002-06:00

Hellooooo,

We had such a great time playing at the Denver Post Underground Music Showcase this past weekend! We played three shows and had a blast at every one of them. Visit my blog (www.hitrecordandplay.blog

spot.com) to see some lofi videos that I made.

JC&BFoL SHOWS THIS COMING WEEK!
We are playing an EARLY SHOW this coming Monday night, August 3rd, with the full band at the Walnut Room. I you hope can come -- Nathan Moore is a great writer. And Tyler Despres and Adam Exra aint too shabby either. We'll be playing with the full band that night. Here's the schedule for the night:

10:00 - 11:00 John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light
8:40 - 9:40 Nathan Moore
7:45 - 8:30 Tyler Despres
7:00 - 7:35 Adam Ezra

Two days later on Wed, August 5th, Jess and I are opening for David Lindley of Jackson Browne fame. He's kind of a legend. Google him. Come check that out for a different kind of show.

Love ya,

John
johncommon.com
twitter.com/johncommon
facebook.com/jcommon
myspace.com/johncommon
hitrecordandplay.blogspot.com

============
SHOW DETAILS
============

Mon, Aug 3 2009 7:00PM - EARLY SHOW
John Common and Blinding Flashes of Light
at Walnut Room with Nathan Moore, Tyler Despres, Adam Ezra
3131 Walnut Street
Denver, CO 80205
21+ / $10

Wed, Aug, 5 2009 7:00PM
John Common & Jess De Nicola
at Soiled Dove
Opening for David Lindley
(of Jackson Browne fame)
Denver, Colorado
21+ / $15

Calling All Filmmakers

2009-07-13T22:28:00.003-06:00

Production notes for one instrument on one song

2009-07-09T15:02:00.002-06:00

Some times, making a record is just about hanging a microphone in a room, inviting in some friends and hitting record... Mostly it's not though.

Here is an example of the kind of detail we've put in to the new record -- these notes are for one instrument (cello), on one song (Turnaround).

intro
- i'll need to hear this against the organ/rhodes stuff. it'll probably work

verse 1
- i'll probably use all / some of this

chorus 1
- fucking gorgeous.
- check tuning

verse 2
- give it to me, probably too busy - fights the vocal often, but i might grab a phrase or two.

chorus 2
- fucking utterly lovely
- check tuning

bridge A
- honestly, i think these ideas are the ones we should go with. the tuning, timing and specific note choice of some of the "connecting phrases" just need to be improved/tightened.
- seriously, this general approach is gonna work! we just need to commit to it.
- on the chop parts - i hear two cellos doing really tight / tempo-locked harmony chops - with the note(s) you currently have. just thicken it.
- the "connective phrases" between the chops sound out of tune and maybe a bit to obvious / "i'm an orchestra guy". having said that, I don't think they need to be "weird / out there". I'd go for subtle harmonic color, actually. don't feel like you have to do the heavy lifting - let the vocals do that.

bridge B (speak up, hold on, walk away)
- love the pizz

solo
- heart breaking
- love the top notes in the 2nd half
- don't change a god damned thing

verse 3 - empty / quiet verse
- yes. nothing here.

verse 4 - building verse
- this feels like 10 pounds of cello in a 5 pound bag. BUT - give me them all and I'll pick the ones that work with the organ/rhodes tracks. you're fine.

final chorus(es)
- lovely.

descent into outro
- god damn -- gorgeous

outro
- yup. you're done. i might do some trimming / slimming, but it's all there.

churchy final outro
- lovely
- some of the notes need to be more in tune

John Common
-------------------------------------------------------
email | letters@johncommon.com
web | johncommon.com
blog | hitrecordandplay.blogspot.com
facebook | facebook.com/jcommon
twitter | twitter.com/johncommon

Remote recording.

2009-07-06T18:49:00.002-06:00

My friend Evan sent me this, thinking I'd like it. He was right.

Reice Hamel, in 1960, at the Hungry I in San Francisco. This is the uncle of bassist Edo Castro... He was one of the pioneers of remote recording. He built his own portable mixers when none existed and also created other mic'ing techniques for recording live.

So many cool things to tell you... Grab a cup of coffee.

2009-07-05T11:42:00.003-06:00

Hey Summer Squash,

Sorry I've been incommunicado lately. We've been sequestered in the studio wrapping up our new record. And man... I think you're gonna like it. I hope you're gonna like it. I've never made a record like this. It's orchestral and patient and quiet and lush and layered and very, very real. And it has a name: Beautiful Empty.

We'll be releasing it this fall (late September). But you can come get a sneak listen to it on Saturday, July 18 at an incredibly cool event called the Common Box Project at Abecedarian Gallery in Denver. It's an entire art exhibit of assemblage/box art made by 60+ different visual artists -- each box was inspired from a song from our new record, Beautiful Empty. I've seen some of them boxes -- they're amazing. I want to especially thank my dear friend Alicia Bailey (owner/founder of Abecedarian) and her right hand, Ella Trujillo for the LARGE amount of work that's gone into this exhibit. Details are here and below. Check out all the artists' websites -- you'll be blown away.

Also: we're putting together a Short Film Festival in conjunction with the release for Beautiful Empty! Are you an indie filmmaker? Know any filmmakers? It's like the box project, but with FILM -- and it's open to anyone who makes art with film. Read all about it here:

http://hitrecordandplay.blogspot.com/2009/07/looking-for-filmmakers-short-film.html

We're doing some really cool things in the next couple of weeks:
- An outoor show this Wednesday sponsored by Swallow Hill (full band)
- A duo set (me and Jess) at a benefit at Meadowlark for Flobots.org
- I'll be speaking at Action Figures (Katie Taft is Denver's Terry Gross and Action Figures is her Fresh Air)
- The Common Box Project / Sneak CD Listening Party
- And then several appearances at the Denver Post Underground Music Showcase. All the details are below.

Cant' wait to see you at any or all of them!

Love,

John
johncommon.com
twitter.com/johncommon
facebook.com/jcommon
myspace.com/johncommon
hitrecordandplay.blogspot.com

---------------------------
Upcoming Events
---------------------------

Wed, Jul 8 2009 6:00PM
John Common and Blinding Flashes of Light
Swallow Hill's Outdoor Concert Series
at Four Mile Historic Park
with Jen Korte
715 S.Forest Street
Denver, Colorado 80246
seating: gen admission
all ages, non smoking

Sat, Jul 11 2009 9:00PM
John Common & Jess De Nicola
at Meadowlark
Benefit for Flobots.org
2701 Larimer St
Denver, Colorado

Tue, Jul 14 2009 7:00PM
Action Figures Series
with John Common
at Abecedarian Gallery
910 Santa Fe, #101
Denver, CO 80204
www.myspace.com/selfmadedenver

Sat, Jul 18 2009 7:00-10:00PM
Common Box Project Exhibition
and CD Listening Party Denver
60+ Works inspired by new recordings from John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light
910 Santa Fe, #101
Denver, CO 80204

Thu, Jul 23 2009 7:30PM
John Common
Denver Post Underground Music Showcase
at Michaelangelo's
1 Broadway
Denver, CO 80203

Fri, Jul 24 2009 10:00PM
John Common
Denver Post UMS - Sketch Wine Bar Denver

Sat, Jul 25 2009 3:30PM
John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light
Denver Post Underground Music Showcase
at CarToys Outdoor Stage
Denver, Colorado

Mon, Aug 3 2009 7:00PM
John Common and Blinding Flashes of Light
at Walnut Room
with Nathan Moore and Tyler Despres
3131 Walnut Street
Denver, CO 80205

Fri, Aug 21 2009 7:00-8:30PM
Parfet Park
Downtown Golden, CO
(10th Street and Washington)
We play then there's a movie in the park
All ages

Looking for Filmmakers - Beautiful Empty: Music+Short Film Conspiracy

2009-07-03T08:56:00.020-06:00

BEAUTIFUL EMPTY
A CD Release Show + Short Film Conspiracy + Box Art Exhibi + Written Word

THE BASIC IDEA
• A non-competitive short film festival inside of a CD release show and box art exhibit all inspired by the upcoming new record, named Beautiful Empty, from John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light to happen in Denver, CO
• Filmmakers from all backgrounds, skill levels, and artistic points of view are invited to make a short film inspired by a song from the new JC&BFoL record
• Filmmakers would pick a song from the new record (it will be made available to hear -- confidentially) to use in their work
• The goals are simple: creative collaboration, cross-pollination (of music, film, visual art and written word communities) and throwing a beautiful, memorable, one-of-a-kind event

PROJECT GUIDELINES
Great art often comes from constraint... Here are the guidelines that filmmakers should stay in during this project:
• COST: Free - no submissions fees
• DEADLINE for submission: September 15th, 2009
• QUICK AND DIRTY: This doesn't have to be your Citizen Kane! Creativity trumps perfection here. So with that in mind, think 3 X 24 = you have a 24-hour period to shoot. You have a 24-hour period to edit. You have a final 24-hour period to actually finish editing.
• VOLUNTEER ARMY: No paid actors, editors, directors, gaffers, craft service providers, bookies, Columbian drug lords, gun dealers, etc.
• LENGTH: your finished short film must be less than 4 minutes in length.
• INSPIRATION: must pick a single song from the new JC&BFoL record as your inspiration. Beyond that, you are free to take it anywhere you want to.
• SONG: Must state the song you chose at the beginning of the film
• INTRODUCTION: A representative of the film will introduce their short film the night of the show, tell a story about the making of it, talk about the inspiration or vision for the piece, etc.
• SONG AUDIO: the song’s audio should be incorporated into the short film somehow – it doesn’t have to be a “music video” but the music of the song should play a role in the movie somehow
• ONE CAMERA: the film must be shot with a single camera
• RIGHTS: Filmmaker retains all rights to their film – but the JC&BFoL would love to be able to use online versions to help promote the project, filmmaker, band, etc. – cross pollination! JC&BFoL retains all rights to their music.
• Up to 6 short films will be screened the night of the CD release, however all submissions will receive promotion and screening online at www.johncommon.com.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO IS INTERESTED
Send an email or call BEAUTIFUL EMPTY's Festival Director, Darci Alishouse dalishouse@gmail.com and/or (720) 298-5747 we'll get you a top secret link to inspiration and other materials.

ABOUT JOHN COMMON & BLINDING FLASHES OF LIGHT

John Common sometimes wishes he were a filmmaker or a painter, but due to a run-in with his older brother's record collection at an impressionable age, he ended up with an obsession for making music instead. He's constantly writing songs... they range from raucous and snarly, to beautiful and introspective.

John plays with an incredibly talented group of musicians, artists and friends, drawn from Colorado’s indie music scene: Jess De Nicola Mefford (voice), Wes Michaels (cello, saxophone), Carl Sorensen (drums), Jimmy Stofer (bass, vocals) and Jon Wirtz (keys). They are that unique kind of band where each player is a genuinely talented artist in their own right, but when they play together something extra happens. Something larger.

John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light are currently in the studio finishing a new record slated for release in late September 2009. Beware: the new record will cause short films to spontaneously appear in your head with its lush arrangements, gorgeous harmonies and cinematic lyrics. It’s music that can pin you to the wall, break your heart, or just send you off thinking for a while. Visit www.johncommon.com for more information.

PRESS
2009 Lyons Folks Festival Finalist
2009 Westword Nominate Best Pop Artist
2009 Denver Music Scene Top 10 Songwriters
2008 Telluride Troubadour Finalist
2008 Westword Nominated Best Singer/Songwriter
2007 Lyons Folks Festival Finalist
2007 Mover and Shaker / Best Local Release -- Westword
2007 Best Local Release -- The Denver Post
2006 Most Intriguing Discs - The Onion
2006 Westword Nominated Best Singer/Songwriter

"Hard to classify, John Common plays a brand of upbeat indie rock that makes use of a wide array of instruments from trumpets to xylophones. His band Blinding Flashes of Light is comprised of several talented musicians culled from the vibrant Colorado indie scene who provide the backdrop to his insightful and powerful lyrics." -- DENVER METROMIX

"A brilliant, extremely ambitious disc... Denver's finest rock recording of the past decade." -- WESTWORD MAGAZINE (Good To Be Born)

"Why Birds Fly is even more uncommon than its acclaimed 2006 predecessor...the aural environment Common creates is so sumptuous that it rewards repeated listens even as it confounds expectations." -- WESTWORD MAGAZINE (Why Birds Fly)

"It may seem difficult to imagine a guy named John Common living a highly individual life, but believe it... his creative curiosity and detail-oriented aesthetic distinguish him from the drooling pack of earnest singer-songwriters." -- DENVER POST

"Raw, yet sophisticated pop." -- THE ONION

"Every aspect of Common's squirrely melodic sensibilities and unerringly tight playing and production are featured here." -- THE DENVER POST

"Common has achieved the musical equivalent of picking up seven tiles in a game of Scrabble and being able to lay down “bezique” on the first turn. " -- FIVE MAGAZINE, TAOS, NEW MEXICO

"Common writes a great song just about every day... 'Good To Be Born' is a Matthew Sweet-meets-Queen rock opus filled with catchy songs and layers of clever vocals... Damn him." -- 5280 MAGAZINE

"There are songs that make me want to drink till morning you see... Songs that make me wish I'd somehow gone home with that handsome stranger who smiled when I looked up from my book... Songs that make me want to be loud and messy and get into lots of trouble, when normally I am quiet and neat and only get into medium amounts of trouble... Songs I've caught myself putting on repeat when it's 2 am and I have to wake up at 6..."
-- A GIRL

Why I Like My Friend Julie

2009-07-01T16:09:00.003-06:00

An excerpt from our Facebook status tete-a-tete:

be my friend on facebook :: facebook.com/jcommon
i'm learning to twitter :: twitter.com/johncommon
shall we myspace :: myspace.com/johncommon

DETAILS: Box Project Exhibition and Listening Party

2009-06-28T10:13:00.002-06:00

JOHN COMMON, ABECARDIAN GALLERY AND 65 ARTISTS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY COLLABORATE IN “THE COMMON BOX PROJECT”

June 22, 2009, Denver, CO – Abecedarian Gallery director Alicia Bailey and Denver-based independent recording artist John Common (www.johncommon.com) share a belief that art forms benefit from overlap, and that collaborative efforts usually have rewarding and exciting outcome. That belief is the basis for the Common Box Project.

Here’s the general idea: Invite 60+ artists from across North America, send them each a simple wooden box, along with the nuts and bolts of a new record by an indie songwriter and then mix it all together in a beautiful collaboration called the Common Box Project -- a mixed media collaboration with artists of all types to create unique pieces of assemblage box art that are inspired and/or informed by the new record by John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light – due to be released this fall.

Each box, measuring about 7x7x5, has a recessed area in the back that will hold a copy of John’s new record. Buying a box will be the only way to get an early copy of John’s new record as regular distribution won’t start until later this year. A limited number of copies will also be available with purchase of a work on paper in support of the Abecedarian Student Scholarship Fund.

The exhibition opens Thursday, July 9 at 1pm and continues through the close of the CD Listening Party July 18 at 10pm.

Learn more about the project at: http://commonboxproject.blogspot.com
EXHIBITION DETAILS

Exhibition: The Common Box Project
Exhibit Dates: July 9 - July 18, 2009
Exhibit Events:
July 14: Abecedarian Gallery hosts Action Figures (formerly Self-Made) with guest John Common, 7-9pm
July 17: Exhibit open during Arts District on Santa Fe’s Preview Night, til 8pm
>>>July 18: Listening Party - New recordings by John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light, 7-10pm
Gallery Location: 910 Santa Fe, #101, Denver, CO 80204 (at the north end of the 910 Arts building)
Gallery Hours: Thursday, Friday, Saturday 1-5. 1st & 3rd Fridays 1-8
Contact: Alicia Bailey - alicia@abecedariangallery.com, 303.340.2110 or 720.282.4052
John Common - letters@johncommon.com, 303-520-4842
BOX ARTISTS

Some of the notable Common Boxers with national reputations include Tennessee sculptor Dolph Smith, paper artists Betsy Dollar (Minneapolis) and Helen Hiebert (Portland, OR), and painters Kelly Kievet and Kimberly MacArthur-Graham. Although there are boxes coming in from all over the United States (and two from Canada), many regional favorites (Dave Seiler, Penney Bidwell, Maura Grimzinski, Annalee Schorr, Kathleen Sherman, Joan MacDonald, Claudia Roulier and Rik Sargent) are part of the project. Alicia Bailey has a national reputation as book artist and curator so a heavy emphasis on book artists is inevitable. In addition to Alicia, book artists contributing to the project include Mia Semingson, Amy Leepard, Rutherford Witthus, Suzanne Vilmain, Mary Powers Torrey, MaryAnne Riker, Jana Brubaker, Gail Smuda and Jill Berry. It seems particularly fitting that luthier (maker of stringed instruments) Randy Arnold, is also participating.

The full list of artists can be found at the project blog: http://commonboxproject.blogspot.com

stupid poem

2009-06-26T13:00:00.001-06:00

following poets

I fell in love to brautigan.
I fell in love to frost.
even chuck bukowski
and thought nothing of the cost.

I fell in love to whitman
creeley, cohen and nin.
I fell in love to rumi;
he nearly did me in.

now I'm more suspicious.
see, poets love their pain.
if you follow their example
you'll start to really hate poetry.

Blog panel this Monday, 8PM at Forest Room 5 in Denver

2009-06-25T13:05:00.004-06:00

Blog as Self-Portrait, brought to you by the Mizel Museum.

Date:	Monday, June 29, 2009
Time:	8:00pm - 10:00pm
Location:	Forest Room 5 Bar and Restaurant
Street:	2532 15th St
City/Town:	Denver, CO

Cost: $5

More info:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=115843811627&ref=nf

I think it's funny and great and mildly embarrassing that I was asked to be a part of this. Oh... not mildly embarrassing... It's just that I tend to write these little bloggety blog things in a total vacuum. So it's always discomforting to find that someone is reading. And that's the truth.

It'll be fun though. A bunch of really smart, funny, sharp people are on the panel. Come!

Halfway There

2009-06-23T23:25:00.006-06:00

I bought a juicer recently... a Breville Juice Fountain. I call her Breville. (pronounced "breh-VEE-luh") That is her name.

Here she is. There are many like her, but this one is mine:

This purchase was part of my new "John, Stop using the 'I'm making a record right now, and that's why I've completely fallen off the health wagon' excuse, and start taking better care of yourself" campaign. So far, it's going pretty well.

And yet... I'm finding this get-back-in-shape thing is a process. And here is an example:

Yesterday after a sweaty hour and a half bike ride, I stood in my kitchen and proudly juiced up a cucumber, celery and ginger concoction. I poured the gorgeously fresh, bright emerald elixir over several ice cubes in a tall glass. I took a sip and thought to myself "Wow. This would be amazing with vodka... and a cigarette."

I need to go for a run or something.

...

JOHN'S JUICER ADVERTISEMENT: Ever made your own vegetable juice? It's pretty frickin' great. I mean... significantly better than I thought it would be. Frankly, I just expected that all of those carrots and cucumbers and celery and ginger and etc. would taste like carrots, cucumbers, celery, ginger and etc. And they do. But something semi-magical happens somewhere between the refrigerator the cup. Some magical happens when all of those vegetables get utterly obliterated by those spinning blades. Turns out that cucumber juice tastes... different from a cucumber. I'm still trying to understand this; it's odd.

Common Box Project In Other Towns?

2009-06-20T16:31:00.001-06:00

There seems to be interest... and frankly, I think it would be so cool to collaborate and get to know more artists.

http://commonboxproject.blogspot.com/2009/06/wanna-do-box-project-in-your-town.html

What do you think?

kung fu

2009-06-04T09:21:00.002-06:00

My older brother used to watch the T.V, show, Kung Fu, and try to understand its deepest meanings. I think he even tried walking across rice paper without tearing it, once. It was butcher paper and much more resilient. See ya around, David Carradine.

I still like this song...

2009-04-24T17:12:00.001-06:00

carousel

climb aboard baby
I might be chipped but I've been around
if is this your first ride
well you couldn't have picked a gentler mount

round and round we go
a spiral never ending
and where it stops, we do not know
that's what we're saying

this circle we're traveling
this carnival calliope of circumstance
you're holding cotton candy
wet, wet sugary lips

round and round we go
barely touching, shallow breathing
round and round we go
that's where we're staying

oh no
don't cry for the time you've wasted
don't cry for the things you're losing
don't cry... we all know you dear
love lives inside you like a cancer cell
you're really crying for the carousel

the carousel is weeping
for the horses all locked inside
pierced by these posts of need
and ridden into the night

round and round we go
a spiral never ending
and where it stops, we always know
an old world ending…
and where it stops, we always know
an old world ending…

oh no
don't cry for the time you've wasted
don't cry for the things you're losing
don't cry... we all know you dear
love lives inside you like a cancer cell
you're really crying for the carousel

today

2009-04-15T14:17:00.003-06:00

THINGS I LIKE TODAY: long walks off short piers, large print book clubs, unintended double entendres, writing my dreams down, starting things, silent H's, romantic strolls through auto junkyards, big ideas, elaborate solutions for nonexistent problems, not shaving, over-using the ellipsis...

THINGS I DISLIKE TODAY: my ceaseless inner dialogue, words that aren't words such as 'irregardless', my bum left ankle, wind-blown sand in my eye.

AND NOW, A STORY: When I was a little kid, I always wore a six shooter on my hip, in a holster. I was watchin' out for the neighborhood. I meant no harm... misunderstood sheriff. I wore the gun well past the point that it was cute. Some call that obsession. I call that commitment.

Mediating the interior and the exterior.

2009-04-14T17:41:00.002-06:00

I've been thinking a lot about how art, any art, is a BYPRODUCT of the artist's process. (I know, Duh) And... how the process IS THE POINT.

And how a piece of art is actually, to be more specific, the byproduct of an artist trying to negotiate or mediate the discrepancies between his/her INTERNAL WORLD and his/her EXTERNAL WORLD.

And when you hear or see a piece of art, you're seeing an artist's conscious and/or unconscious attempt at trying to make those two worlds reconcile... or make sense... or meet....

And how some artists use their art to make their external world match their interior world... almost an imposition... or an attempt at re-casting their external environment.

And how other artists do the opposite...

And how I tend to like art made by the former and not the latter...

New song about the family car

2009-04-05T11:58:00.005-06:00

I woke up today and wrote this song about the family car during my formative years....

orange volvo
april 4, 2009

I grew up in a volvo
it wasn't one of those
an orange station wagon
that my father chose
chosen for its safety
chosen for its size
they put me in the way back
I never realized

mom and dad and brothers and me
driving down the road like a family

orange volvo
facing toward the rear
watching things pass by me
was my new career
orange volvo
I never did get hurt
but I think I know how I became
a grumpy introvert

we drove to pennsylvania
in that orange tank
my daddy found a job there
south of harvey's lake
no one likes the new kids
my brothers got real stoned
I stayed in the basement
playing legos all alone

mom and dad and brothers and me
driving down the road like a family

orange volvo
facing toward the rear
I see that little boy still
in the rear view mirror
orange volvo
I never did get hurt
I think I know how I became
a grumpy introvert

funny what leaves an impression
on a boy of seven or eight...
a swedish station wagon
built like an iron crate

(rip snortin' solo)

orange volvo
facing toward the rear
watching things pass by me
was my new career
orange volvo
I never did get hurt
but I think I know how I became
a grumpy introvert

mom and dad and brothers and me
driving down the road like a family

orange volvo
facing toward the rear
I see that little boy still
in the rear view mirror
orange volvo
I never did get hurt
but I think I know how I became
a grumpy introvert
I think I know how I became
a grumpy introvert

orange volvo...
orange volvo...

...

2009-03-04T01:42:00.001-07:00

you're a flame, you're on fire
when will you learn
not love love things that burn?
everything you touch turns to fire

PKO Tryout Tape

2009-01-22T23:07:00.001-07:00

The PKO's getting some ink!

2009-01-22T22:59:00.000-07:00

Shawna Bowler, proud PKO member, is shining some light on this thing we call kazoo. Dig the link:

http://www.examiner.com/x-2617-Denver-Singles-Scene-Examiner

See you this Wednesday! Email me if you have any questions (letters@johncommon.com).

~John

detached heart

2008-10-21T13:16:00.002-06:00

detached heart
written dec 2, 2007 in prague.

as soon as i decided to leave
i regretted it.
this happens all the time.
it's a result of having a detached heart.

this goofy body, always flailing around
acting connected, purposeful,
is totally unmoored, adrift.
it makes rash decisions.

our clumsy relationships are anchors.
without them, we just float away into open water
and our heart swims behind,
trying to catch up, ever late.

Me no longer on a cleanse/fast: Day 2 | 10:15PM

2008-10-17T22:15:00.001-06:00

Pancakes.

Me BARELY on a cleanse/fast: Day 2 | 6:30PM

2008-10-17T18:29:00.003-06:00

I'm this close to finding myself a steak.

No seriously.

The jones have hit and hit hard.

Yowza!

It's been 2 full days... Hmmm... Maybe that's enough?

Weak... I know. Weak.

Me on a cleanse/fast: Day 2 | 11:03AM

2008-10-17T11:13:00.005-06:00

Several friends have been checking in on me... to make sure I'm not on the kitchen floor, covered in twinkie wrappers, in a diabetic coma. Here's an IM conversation between my friend Robin and me.

11:03am Robin

how you feeling??

did you put me on speed dial?

11:03am John

i feel pretty good this morning!

had a headache last night.

11:03am Robin

yikes

11:03am John

surprised it took that long for the headache to come

11:03am Robin

scary

11:03am John

what's scary?

11:04am Robin

not eating

11:04am John

oh.

11:04am Robin

that's scary to me

I love to eat

11:04am John

let's see...

i've missed 5 or so meals so far. not that much.

11:04am Robin

whoa.

so good, I'm glad you're feeling ok

11:09am John

yes!

i'm actually feeling better than i thought.

and wanna hear something weird?

11:10am Robin

yes

please

tell me something weird

11:10am John

I haven't been hungry once.

literally.

it's strange.

11:10am Robin

be glad you don't get the food network

and

don't watch Ratatouille, whatEVER you do

11:11am John

but a couple of times, i've been psychologically hungry... meaning, i noticed my mind wanting food but not because i was hungry... because of some other eating trigger.

interesting, huh?

11:12am Robin

tode

I would have eaten my arm off by now

11:12am John

prolly not, actually.

it's a neat exercise... to see the difference between true/physical hunger and psychological/pattern hunger

11:13am Robin

oh I'm psychological, all right

maybe just psycho..

not so logical

especially when it comes to eating

ok, kid, good luck on your adventure!

ttyl

11:14am John

bye!

Me on a cleanse/fast: Day 1 | 10:25PM

2008-10-16T22:19:00.004-06:00

Well now... Don't I have quite the headache.

O0ouch.

I think this is from not drinking a pot of coffee -- caffeine withdrawal. Oh, or eating.

I'll stop whining now. :-)

______________________________________________

Me on a cleanse/fast Day 1

Me on a cleanse/fast: Day 1 | 1:25PM

2008-10-16T13:21:00.005-06:00

So far so good.

This cayenne is really... hot. I can honestly say I've never drunk this much lemon juice, cayenne, water and maple syrup before. And I have a lot left to drink before the end of the day.

I feel a little stoned. But honestly, I felt a little stoned last night BEFORE the cleanse. Maybe it was all that pot I smoked. Kidding. So maybe I'm just coming down with something... or maybe I'm just naturally stoned. Yah brah.

On a normal day, I would have had a pot of coffee, a bowl of cereal (breakfast), a big ass sandwich of some kind (lunch), several cigarettes, and probably some fruit by now. It actually feels kind of nice to be giving the whole eating thing a rest.

I'm sure I'll be writing something entirely different in five or six hours. I have band rehearsal tonight. I wonder how grouchy I'll be...

_________________________________________________

Me on a cleanse/fast: Day 1

Me on a cleanse/fast: Day 0... Post Script

2008-10-15T23:35:00.004-06:00

I'm already going to shaman land... I think it's a pre-cleanse high.

I'm ready to see Jesus eating a pork sandwich with Yul Brynner in the parking lot behind The Ten Commandments Hollywood set. Jesus turns to Charlton Heston and says, "They're gonna remember you for being an NRA nut. Mark my words, Charlie."

My brain is ready for a full blown Cecil B. DeMille-meets-William S. Burroughs production. I hope the lemon juju delivers. Bring on the tremors, bitch. Wait. That wasn't very "open hearted".

See? I'm already getting agro.

Me on a cleanse/fast: Day 0

2008-10-15T21:22:00.010-06:00

I'm starting a cleanse/fast tomorrow...

Why? Good question.

Mainly because I think it would do me some good... to "reboot" my system, kick some habits, and try for some of that loopy clarity that they say comes around day 3.

I tried a similar thing years ago and found it to be really difficult but also really cool. It's an interesting way to put yourself into an altered mental (and physical) state.

I've heard good things about one named the Master Cleanse. Several friends have done it. Oh, and I just read that Beyonce did it to. Great. So, tomorrow morning, I'm gonna start.

(By the way, I make most of my big decisions by asking, "What would Beyonce do?" She's a real North Star for me.)

I also decided to blog about it... mainly because I think this whole thing might offer up some pretty entertaining stuff. And I don't mind putting my suffering, addictive urges (coffee, nicotine, alcohol, food, etc), and off kilter, strange thoughts on display for you.

And when I say "display", don't worry -- I won't be sharing EVERYthing. Ahem.

I'm anticipating 2-3 days of biblical headaches and DEFCON 5 bitchiness followed by semi-psychedelic levels of bliss. We'll see. I might be weak and just bail 1 day in... but I'm gonna try and tough it out.

Here we go! Wish me luck!

_____________________________________________________

Me on a cleanse/fast: Day 0

(Why do I look sort of scared?)

WANTED: Kazooists for The People's Kazoo Orchestra (PKO)

2008-10-07T23:10:00.003-06:00

Hi,

We're starting a kazoo orchestra. And we need you. Yes, YOU.
(See below for details on how to join.)

I'm not kidding.

It's going to be named The People's Kazoo Orchestra (PKO).

Why? WHY? We're doing it for several reasons:

1) I'm putting together a new band and I believe it won't be complete unless and until we leverage the untapped, mysterious beauty and indescribable power of kazoo. I need a kazoo section in my band dammit.

2) The kazoo has the shortest learning curve of any instrument other than perhaps clapping. It is the instrument OF the people, BY the people, and FOR the people. The sound of kazoo is the sound of freedom. And we need to let freedom ring. We can take this country back... Kazoo is our drum and fife.

3) I giggle and smile when I think of us all playing a show together.

4) This is your chance to rock out on stage. Don't bother learning guitar or drums. That's a waste -- the world has enough of those, frankly.

5) Clearly... This is an idea whose time has come.

MANIFESTO FOR THE PEOPLE'S KAZOO ORCHESTRA

Rule 1) There will be as little rehearsing as possible. Probably, out in the alley right before the gig.

Rule 2) No prior music experience is required. You must only be capable of humming a tune.

Rule 3) You must be committed, fully, to the pursuit and development of a career in music as a kazooist.

Rule 4) Drinking is recommended at all PKO functions.

Rule 5) You can provide your own kazoo. They are available at local music stores.

Rule 6) Remember, there is no "I" in kazoo. This is about building kommunity and sharing love through the magic and mystery of kazoo. It's called a kazoo, not a kaYou.

Rule 7) There is no Rule 7.

HOW TO JOIN -- WE NEED YOU!

Contact John Common at letters@johncommon.com. Express your interest in joining the PKO in a manner befitting your personality and unique style. If you're really good, you might get first chair!

The first rehearsal is Wed, January 28th at the Oriental Theater -- an invitation only event.

This is not a joke. we need kazooists, badly.

My conversation with W.

2008-10-06T21:36:00.000-06:00

My WOIC.

2008-09-13T23:45:00.007-06:00

I just heard that flossing your teeth reduces your risk of heart disease.

Think about that.

Holy shit. FLOSSING YOUR TEETH REDUCES YOUR RISK OF HEART DISEASE.

When did this happen? It kind of sounded like a joke to me... but I looked it up. It's true.

I'm not writing about this to raise awareness... (Although, now you know!) I'm writing about this because it's the first data point on my newly-minted WHEEL OF INEXPLICABLE CONNECTIONS. I just made that up, but I think I might start using it... the WOIC.

IF flossing your teeth can lower your risk of heart heart disease, THEN what else is possible? I'll tell you what. The possibilities are endless...

What if schtooping reduces your risk of being hit by a train?

What if picking your nose increases your accuracy at skeet shooting?

What if chewing gum makes you walk straighter?

What if firing your drummer makes you a better singer?

What if masturbating makes you smarter? (Score!)

What if hopping on your left foot inoculates you against lung cancer?

What if masturbating makes you smarter? (Did I already say that?)

Look... you get my point. I'm just saying that it's a crazy, whacky world. And we don't know what we don't know. And there's a whole lot we don't know... a lot more than what we know we don't know. You know?

For all we know, wearing thong underwear prevents STDs...
.
.
.
.
.
.
Prolly not.

But let this thing we call a "blog" put you on notice, dear human. You have been forewarned. Be on the lookout for those strange connections... and email them to me at letters@johncommon.com. I promise to add them to my WOIC.

One day, when you least expect it, I'll show you my WOIC.

It'll be great.

People who vote are hot. And smart.

2008-09-12T10:26:00.001-06:00

Hi!

It would break my heart if you missed out on the coming presidential election... Studies have shown that VOTING actually reduces body fat, tightens and tones, improves circulation and makes you look hot and smart. Seriously, it's incredibly important that we ALL participate -- i.e. VOTE. But, you can't vote if you don't register and the deadline for registering is super soon. So...

Visit this link to A) register to vote for the first time (Yay!), or B) make sure you're registered to vote at your current address (Yay!). It only takes 3 minutes -- silly easy:

https://www.voteforchange.com/index_obama.php?source=091008emailR

(Be patient with the site -- lots of people are registering!)

When you're done, please forward this same link to all of your friends and family. They'll appreciate it and think you're smart and hot for doing it.

~John

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.
The fears are paper tigers.
You can do anything you decide to do.
You can act to change and control your life;
and the procedure, the process is its own reward.

~Amelia Earhart

A Facebook Conversation About Christianity

2008-09-10T21:18:00.002-06:00

I ended up on an friend's Facebook page, kind of wasting time and browsing when I saw something she wrote entitled "Are you sure you're a Christian?". I clicked it and uncharacteristically made a comment.

===========================
Julie wrote
Are you sure you're a Christian?
Today at 4:02pm
I recently had a conversation with a guy who said that he was a Christian. He went on to say that he believes in reincarnation, karma, and that after our souls "grow up," they go to become a part of God. I asked him if he had ever studied Buddhism, and he said he had not. I asked him if he knew that most Christians don't believe in those things, he said that there was "some priest in some ecumenical council who had the power to change the religion." I asked him if he really thought of himself as a Christian, and he said he did, but that he thought that Jesus, Buddha and Allah are all one and the same. I asked how one should made the distinction between right and wrong, and he said that you have to use your heart and not your brain. I asked if he thought it was wrong to use your brain, and he said it was not. I was confused.

Clearly, everyone is different, and some value certain things more than others. This guy admittedly hadn't spent time studying any religion or philosophy because he didn't see the faults in his personal philosphy. I couldn't help but think about the verse in 1 Corinthians: "For God is not a God of disorder but of peace." While there are some elements of mystery in Christianity, the core of it is (thankfully) simple and not a mind-numbing puzzle.

Still, I thought it was so amazing that he defended his title of "Christian" although he didn't have any orthodox Christian beliefs!

===========================
Mikael wrote
at 4:41pm
'Cultural Christians' are prevalent in our society. I am reminded of a sermon I heard long ago in Yakima (WA) Presbyterian Church entitled: "God Has No Grandchildren".

The theme of the sermon was that Christianity is based upon there being a rift between God and Mankind due to our inherent tendency to "miss the mark" and stray from the perfect Will of God.

The way that chasm is bridged is by an individual (re)establishing his or her direct relationship with God through prayer. As this bridge was (re)built from God's side rather than ours, the bridge back to God has been by his plan rather than any construct of our own.

Thus, the path to a restored parent/child relationship with God is the only one available to us - not as a 'grandchild' getting the relationship from parents or friends.

I John 4:9: "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him."

It is my understanding that although there are many roads that lead to Jesus Christ, Jesus claims for himself to be the only road to God:

John 14:1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God ; trust also in me.

John 14:2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.

John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

John 14:4 You know the way to the place where I am going."

John 14:5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"

John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

What is most beautiful to me is that God has done everything possible to restore this relationship but has not taken away our free will to wander or return.

But Jesus makes clear that once He is found by us, being in relationship to Him is the only perfect solution for us.

===========================
John Common wrote
at 10:03pm
This is probably an inappropriate reply to this string. I hope I'm not viewed as being disrespectful-because I would NEVER disrespect someone's religious or philosophical views -- especially ones that are the result of study and thoughtfulness and earnest emotions. That said...

"Christianity is based upon there being a rift between God and Mankind due to our inherent tendency to "miss the mark" and stray from the perfect Will of God."

THAT is my central problem with Christianity. That is where Christianity has always rung kind of false to me, personally. (This is coming from a person who tried to believe and obey, by the way -- years and years of trying.) The first "given" in Christianity's argument is: "You are flawed, lost, doomed, predisposed to evil and eternally screwed without Me. Hope you liked the apple. Enjoy the rest of the movie."

I don't buy it. And in my more cynical moments, when I think a large percentage of religion is just a way of trading people's fear (of dying/loneliness) and/or hope ( that "this" isn't all there is) for their compliance, that central, first "given" makes me want to check my wallet -- like I'm being taken.

The Daddy-In-The-Sky metaphor just doesn't resonate. What if this really IS all there is? Is that really so bad? What if we are supposed to be focusing on THIS life. What if this life isn't the appetizer-but the main course? I feel pretty good about that. It definitely sweetens things. And when those existential terrors hit... well, I just ride it out... talk to a friend... calm myself down a bit and realize that there's a lot out there that I don't know. And in the meantime, I need to work my practices-those things that "work for me" at making me feel connected, alive, useful, loving, kind.

Don't get me wrong. I'm glad there is Christianity, most of the time. I'm just dealing with my fear and/or hope differently.

Hope I didn't come off as acidic! I'm really not! I appreciate the conversation.

The Lyrics vs. Music Question

2008-09-09T15:47:00.010-06:00

A friend recently asked, "Which comes first the lyrics or the music". It's a question you hear a lot. It's kind of like asking a photographer, "Which comes first, the lens or the camera body?" Or asking a painter, "Which comes first, yellow or blue?"

Not to make light of the question -- at all. I think, from the outside, songwriting is an interesting and semi-mysterious thing. (It's even more of a mystery from the inside.) So I get that we try to understand it in a linear way. Like explaining how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. But the truth is, it's a lot more layered and complicated and circular and simple and unconscious than that. At least it is for me. I think Elvis Costello said, ""Writing about music is like dancing about architecture - it's a really stupid thing to want to do." I agree, mostly. (I think he was talking about music criticism, mainly here... in which case I emphatically agree.)

I've been writing songs for a long time... and I honestly don't understand it much better than the day I started. I understand a handful of things better (what they call "the craft of songwriting") but not many things. But they're the kind of pedestrian things I imagine a carpenter would pick up after building chairs and tables for years with his uncle out in the garage... "Don't hold the router that way. You'll cut your thumb off." "That glue won't hold. Use a dovetail joint instead." "Change the angle just a little and it'll be a lot more comfortable." "You should have sanded more." "That isn't classic, it's just boring."

I could write that stuff down (the songwriting stuff), but it would probably seem obvious and small-minded and hardly soaring... so I'll spare us both. Besides, I'm sure smarter guys than me have already written it and you can find 47 books on songwriting. I've looked at a couple of them -- I think they're mostly a) insultingly boring and b) filled with stock advice for writing boring songs.

The real question is, "How do you capture that thing that makes a song worth listening to over and over and over again?" How do you create something that isn't dependent on having the right band or a great audience or the perfect guitar tones or an inspired moment? How do you write a timeless song?

Dunno.

I don't have an answer... I only really have a few suggestions (for myself, mainly): 1) keep writing, 2) try not to lie to yourself, 3) treat your weird ideas with more respect than you think they deserve.

=============

Oh, and to answer The Lyrics vs. Music Question, here is my typical songwriting process:

1) stuff happens i.e. life
2) think about some of it
3) mix it with coffee
4) some random idea or feeling or phrase usually hits
5) sit in front of a blank piece of paper with a blank guitar or a blank piano
6) lyrusicmusiclyricsmusiclyricsmysiclyrics... one informs and guides the other.
7) fall in love with the song because it's new, not because it's necessarily good
8) go to sleep
9) wake up with the song, feel ambivalent about it, try to make it better.
10) throw the song into the deep end with all the other songs and let it either drown or fight its way onto set lists and maybe even a new record
11) see a shiny object off in the distance and run in that general direction

New song - in my neighborhood

2008-09-07T23:43:00.012-06:00

in my neighborhood
sep 7, 2008
copyright john common music

mary loved tony for 70 years
on the day that he died, no tears
he saw it comin', she saw it too
when it hurts that bad, cryin' won’t help you

in my neighborhood
in my neighborhood

michael and michelle were always in a fight
I could hear them yellin' through the window every night
but michael found a job and they bought a little house
nobody was fightin' on the day they moved out

in my neighborhood
in my neighborhood

mister ramirez lives across the street
works three jobs to make his ends meet
says he's got a dream to buy his own place
I bet he's gonna do it, I can see it on his face

ramon and his family live across the street
he cooks at three restaurants to make ends meet
says he always dreamed of runnin' his own place
I bet he's gonna do it, I can see it on his face

in my neighborhood
in my neighborhood

pretty blonde lady about fourty-four
decided that she could not wait any more
her new dream man isn't tall, dark or handsome
but she knows when she needs him, he's gonna answer

in my neighborhood
in my neighborhood

me on my porch, dreamin' up songs
smoking, drinkin' coffee all day long
everybody wonders can he get a real job
maybe I will, when I finish this song

in my neighborhood
in my neighborhood
in my neighborhood
in my neighborhood

=========================

Here's the requisite rough-sounding laptop demo:

Open A Window And Let It Out

2008-09-06T11:37:00.004-06:00

I was having one of those conversations that you just sort of end up having with band members after rehearsal. You know the kind... Grinding through a couple of hours of new songs just sort of loosens a person up. For some reason, the topic of flatulence arose... she shocked and amazed me with her views on the topic. Thankfully, we were near my laptop, so I secretly recorded it.

Think of this as a public service announcement from Jess.

New song -- figure it out

2008-09-01T11:09:00.002-06:00

figure it out
written by john common and jess de nicola

you're my favorite
in the whole wide world
if I could keep you
I'd be your best girl
I tried to out run it
but it ran me down
I didn't believe you
but you stuck around

you're my favorite
in this whole damn bar
I could find you
no matter where you were
we get scared, scared
whenever we fight
we could call it
but that wouldn't be right

show me how
I need your help
nobody else
could figure me out
ready now
I've got no doubt
making space
we'll figure it out

short instrumental

you're my favorite
when everything's been said
turn the light out
let's go to bed
in the morning
it's gonna be the same
it's so easy
when you call my name

CH X 2

Music and Musicians.

2008-08-27T22:35:00.001-06:00

Music:
Listening -- really listening to it -- is undervalued. Making it is over-rated.

Musicians:
Musicians tend to be self-absorbed, egocentric, one-dimensional, social climbers with overblown senses of their importance.

Hi. I am a musician.

New song...

2008-08-25T12:30:00.002-06:00

wide open world
copyright 2008 john common music

when you were a baby
you knew what you wanted
you kept it real simple
didn't you?

now your life is a puzzle
you keep digging the tunnel
head down in the funnel
of wandering

wide open world
it's a wide open world
world

liars love leavers
and losers leave lovers
we hurt one another
without meaning to

sad situation…
blissful rejection…
set free on an ocean
of missing you

wide open world
it's a wide open world
wide open world
it's a wide open world
wide open world
it's a wide open world
world

everyone needs everyone
everyone needs everyone in this
everyone needs everyone
everyone needs everyone in this
in this wide open world

Whisper.

2008-08-18T18:58:00.001-06:00

Whisper has a silent "h".

Just saying... I think that's perfect.

Favorite Late Night, Post-Gig Binge Fare

2008-08-18T00:50:00.004-06:00

Me: a bag of cool ranch doritos, a six pack of those donuts with the coconut flakes, and a pint of ice cold 2% milk.

Nothing tastes like joy-turning-to-deep-regret like cool ranch coconut donut milk sloshing around in your belly with about 5 or 6 Jamesons and one plastic cupful of PBR.

THIS kind of post-gig binging is why reunion bands are almost always really fucking fat. They spent their youths drinking, playing and binging inside 7-11s.

And you? Go...

You Got The Lonely - new song

2008-08-10T18:39:00.002-06:00

you got the lonely
copyright john common music

when I first met you
and got to know you
I saw the storry in your eyes
you let me see you
to really see you
and babe it came as no surprise

you got the lonely
you've got it good
you tried to outrun it
you thought that you could
but it's in your nature
deep down in the wood
you got the lonely
you've got it good

we make it hard
we like to stumble
'cause falling gives us scars
every scar a letter
one more letter
and all those letters make up the words

CH

you walk away
and you don't know why
bridges burning…

solo

I heard the phone ring
and some how I knew
you were calling from far, far away
you found the bottom
you got your answer
and you needed to hear me say

we got the lonely
we've got it good
we try to outrun it
we think that you could
but it's in our nature
deep down in the wood
we got the lonely
we've got it good
you got the lonely
I've got it too
we got the lonely
we've got it good
we got the lonely
we've got it good

Here's a rough demo:

Forget Brilliant... Go For Useful.

2008-08-07T15:48:00.001-06:00

Let's be honest. Most records are painfully self-aware pieces of trash. They're uninspired, navel-gazing, banal, cliche-ridden, ego-stroking buckets of awful offal. Yes, occasionally you run across a record that is utterly brilliant. But most sound mediocre-to-good-enough for a few days until our eye catches a shiny object across the room and -- whoosh -- there goes another disc into the wasteland of our cherished CD collections.

As for the topics covered on most records, you could throw darts at a board cut into three areas: 1) Love, 2) Allegedly Political, 3) Obtuse Journal Entry / Who The Fuck Knows, and you'd get a great guess of the average distribution of pithy subjects. (By the way, I am including myself in this unfair generalization. I have most definitely contributed my fair share to the shit heap.)

Look, I'm not just being mean-spirited here. I've been on a practicality kick lately. Think of this as an unsolicited call to action. I think we, as musicians and songwriters, can do a better job. Or, if not better job, at least a more useful one.

Does the world really need another record covering the utter sameness of your (or my) interior psychological landscape? At what point does "Universality" get trumped by "Give me something I can actually use"? I wish someone, anyone, would write and record a CD like this:

CD Title: Useful Songs For Life's Tough Times
Track 1) Whoops! You're Pregnant!
Track 2) You're Fired -- Merry Christmas
Track 3) Bad News: It's [Insert Awful Disease]
Track 4) She Doesn't Love You. She Loves Your Sister.
Track 5) I Just Puked In Your Bed -- Sorry 'Bout That.
Track 6) About That Rash...
Track 7) The Depression Test
Track 8) McCain Won. We're Moving To Europe.
Track 9) Honestly, Yes. You Are Ugly.
Track 10) First Time In Prison: A Beginner's Guide

It's time to be of direct service. Grab a hammer... Go build us a useful record.

The Best Bike Ride Of My Life

2008-08-06T17:10:00.004-06:00

Intended time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Intended distance: 30ish miles

Actual time: 3 hours 15 minutes
Actual distance: 48 miles

I got lost.
I got some bad directions.
I got loster.
The sky turned dark as a bruise.
I got blown around by crazy wind.
I got rained on.
I wiped out out on some train tracks.
I got hailed on and utterly drenched.
I nearly got hit by several cars.
People looked at me from their porches like I was a crazy man, pedaling up their street through gales of hail and rain.

It was totally life affirming.

Naming the band.

2008-08-05T19:49:00.005-06:00

I'm putting together a new band... that's hard, dirty work, by the way. But anyhoo, I'm thinking that it might be useful to give that collective of special, special people a name. A really good name.

Here are some for you to consider, comment upon, ridicule, edit, and otherwise heap praise upon. The band, of course, will make the final decision, pending your approval:

(p.s. some of these are JOKES designed to keep you on your TOES)

John Common and...

Blinding Flashes of Light (BFL)
The Distinguishing Characteristics
The Fakirs
The Best Ones
The Jokes Which Are Not Funny
Take Her Home
We're Gonna Break Up
We Hate Him
Leading Man
The Tater Tits
Motograss
Secret Digit
The Cavists
Hyperwhite
Magically Delicious
Team Narcissist
The Dump
Furry Feelings
A Kick In The Pants
Hipster Fister
Moustachio
The Silent K
The Derelict Savants
The Long Shots

Why Dance Music Is Smart

2008-07-31T19:40:00.002-06:00

I got into an arguement with my friend Robby about something I said in my last blog thingy about why I don't dance. (I think I said dance music sucked.) She went on and on, basically defending dance music. I tuned most of it out, actually.

But as she was talking, it occurred to me that what dance music has going for it -- even the worst dance music -- is its ever-present beat (turned way, way, way up in the mix). EVERY dance song does that one thing, consistently. It's reliable. You can count on it. It never forgets its central mission: ass shaking.

Even if a dance song utterly fails in every other aspect of music -- originality, lyric, melody, instrumentation, arrangement -- it never forgets why it came here. If you saw it on break in the employee lounge, here's what it would say: "I might suck, but you can still dance to me. I know my job, pal. Hey, you gonna eat that?"

It didn't even get clever with its name. It's called "dance music", just in case you forget what you're supposed to do when you hear it. (I know the bike messenger class likes to call it "electronica" or "electro", but that's just a transparent attempt at trying to dress up a pig with elitist rhetoric, now isn't it? Like calling Miller "The Champagne of Beers". Not buyin' it.)

So while Robby kept trying to get me to take dance music seriously, I started thinking about other genres... Maybe they should take a hint from dance music and figure out their critical purpose, their raison d'etre, and then focus like a Republican attack ad until they build a subculture around it that people can count on. And hate.

Here are some suggestions, for discussion purposes only:

COUNTRY MUSIC
Country music could be renamed "Welding music". It could even include instructions for how to weld, mixed REALLY LOUD up front next to Kenny Chesney's, um, vocal... TIG, MIG, Fluxed-Core, Gas Tungsten, Arc Welding. There's a lot to learn. Then, when we heard Welding Music, we could say, "It sure does suck, but at least I'm learning to weld!"

FOLK MUSIC
Folk music could be renamed "Bicycle repair music"... You'd hear people in coffee shops saying, "Jesus, that folk singer is one whiny bitch, but at least I learned how to lube my chain."

INDIE ROCK
Indie Rock (huh?) would probably need to be renamed "Self-esteem booster music"... Folks would put down their PBR and say, "I totally have a fucking head-ache, but I'm pretty sure that I'm cooler than you!" (Wait a minute... they already do that, right?)

JAZZ
Jazz could be renamed... actually, I think it should still be named Jazz.

But you get my point, no? There are so many mission-less genres. They're waiting for a little leadership... a little direction. Can you give it to them? Will you give it to them?

We're waiting.

New (old) song

2008-07-28T21:28:00.002-06:00

the fall

jack was a good boy
he did what he was told
and the boy grew up
and he moved right in to that typical suburban mold

he was climbing that crazy mountain
like they tell you to in the book
and he ignored the rattle
that kept getting louder with every step he took

they told him to stand tall
and then they told him to crawl
just don't buck the system boy
or you'll bleed
now he's so scared of falling
he doesn't know it's the fall he needs

jack's mind is getting crowded
and his face is getting lined
and the voices he heard
that he thought were absurd are making more sense every time

one gray and rainy morning
while climbing the mountain side
jacky boy snapped
he skipped the trap, he let go and fell for the first time

they told him to stand tall
and then they told him to crawl
just don't buck the system boy
or you'll bleed
now he's smiling and falling
it's the fall he knew he needed

instrumental

the gray hairs are comin'
and a hole filled with lye
but no box could hold
jack's pearly white soul when he falls for the very last time…

they told him to stand tall
and then they told him to crawl
just don't buck the system boy or you'll bleed
now he's finally falling
it's the fall he knew he needed

It's hot.

2008-07-28T13:30:00.004-06:00

BEFORE MY RUN:

AFTER MY RUN:

Triathlon Update: T Minus 25 Days

2008-07-22T20:19:00.007-06:00

First of all, I don't think anyone reads this blog other than perhaps my father and two brothers. But I have these persistent delusions of writing grandeur, so I'm gonna pretend like my readership is both numerous and interested.

...

It's 25 days until my first Olympic distance triathlon. I've been training consistently (for the most part) for months. And I've been training, what feels like to me at least, pretty darn hard for the past several weeks... about 2 hours a day. You know... swimming, biking, running, core workouts, even some weights when I can sneak them in. (This commitment, by the way, is nothing but a warm up to real triathletes.) You may recall from my previous triathlon update, I have been experiencing some amount of angst about my upcoming race. I think the term I used was "suffer fest".

However, all of this effort from yours truly has led to a significant reduction in my terror threat level. If I may borrow from our government's simplistic terror advisory system:

I am proud to announce that my triathlon terror level has been reduced from SEVERE (red: a severe risk of an embarrassing flame out) to HIGH (orange: a high risk of an embarrassing flame out).

Further, I am ready to cautiously predict that by race day, August 16th, my terror level will be reduced to ELEVATED (yellow: an elevated risk of an embarrassing flame out). This will only hold true if I keep my sweaty nose to the workout grindstone.

However, please keep in mind that at any point situations may change on the ground and/or in the air that may call for a rapid increase in the threat level. We'll just have to stay vigilant, keep our eyes open, and put our faith in our higher power.

In the meantime, I'd like to make a time prediction. This is usually a bad idea... predicting one's race time -- throwing down the gauntlet with such precision. But here goes:

1500 meter swim: 42 minutes
transition one: 4 minutes
24.8 mile bike: 1 hour, 32 minutes
transition two: 4 minutes (predicting a port-o-let stop to pee right about here)
6.2 mile run: 1 hour, 23 minutes

Total time: an underwhelming 3 hours, 45 minutes

There you have it. Place your bets. I'm tired... I'm gonna hit the rack now.

7 Reasons Why I Don't Dance (But You Should)

2008-07-20T17:30:00.015-06:00

This is my Personal Anti-Dancing Manifesto (PADM). It is a point-by-point, painfully honest examination of my dancing disability. My hope is to lay bare the ugly truth of this disability and in doing so, motivate you, the Reader, to dance in my place.

Some people dance. They dance freely. The Dance flows loosely from them like the languid unrolling of a sheet. They look beautiful in their ease. They inhabit their own rhythm, smiling, and meaning it. They look like an uncaged bird, free at last. They actually enjoy being looked at. Look at them now: see how they revel in their comfortable power? I don’t begrudge them their dancing… Hell, I’d do the same thing -- if I could.

I’d dance your damn face off...

If I could dance.

One problem: I can not dance. Let me restate this with the proper emphasis: I CAN NOT and SHALL NOT dance. I WILT NOT dance. I DANCE NOT. Are you catching my Old Testament drift, Pilgrim?

God skipped my bedroom the night he was giving away dancing powers. Do I hold a grudge against my higher power for this malfeasance? You bet your ass. Does my utter lack of dancing powers make me feel morose, “lesser than”, down in the mouth and otherwise pissed? The answer is YES.

And now, the requisite Chuck Bukowski quote:
“I never cry, baby… … Of course I do.” – Charles Bukowski

But enough of my weeping. At some point, the dance-challenged boy grows into a dance-embittered man. And that man writes his personal anti-dancing manifesto:

Reason #1 Why I Don’t Dance (But You Should)
I can play guitar. I can sing. That would seem to indicate that I have rhythm. WRONG-O, sugar. Evidently, all sense of rhythm runs screaming from my body like a scalded dog the moment I get near a dance floor. Can words describe my freakish movements? I doubt it. But I’ll try:

Ever go to the grocery store and get that cart with the one bad wheel? That’s how I dance. No… that isn’t quite right.

Imagine someone accidentally falling out of a 31st story window, stabbing themselves repeatedly on the way down. No… that isn’t quite right.

Rapid onset cerebral palsy meets a drunk trombone player on roller skates. No… that doesn’t really capture the horror of my dancing either. Some things can’t be explained in words, people. But trust me, it aint pretty.

Reason #2 Why I Don’t Dance (But You Should)
A girl once told me, “I can tell how a man would be in bed by how he dances.”

[Pause for devastating effect.]

Sweet Jesus... You mean to tell me that when someone dances, they’re being evaluated not only on their dancing, but for their fitness as a sexual companion too? This was like hearing I had a terminal, flesh-eating disease.

If this is true, then I make love like a cornered chimpanzee with a permanent fight-or-flight grimace on his face. This means that I screw like a bike wreck. That girl’s innocent comment about how dancing was a surrogate for sexual ability permanently welded my dancing doors shut.

Reason #3 Why I Don’t Dance (But You Should)
Look, I don’t want to play the race card. But White Man’s Overbite (WMO) is alive and real. Scientists are researching the roots of this devastating condition. The Nurture Camp says we learn WMO from behavioral models and situations early in our childhood. The Nature Camp says the dark source of WMO is locked deep inside our genetic code. I choose Aristotle’s golden mean and say it’s both.

Regardless of WMO’s origin, the dance floors of the world are a cold place indeed for WMO sufferers such as myself. For all the progress we’ve made in the area of civil rights, it is an indisputable fact that people with WMO are constantly told to sit in the back of the dancing bus. And I just don’t have what it takes to be a Rosa Parks of the shuttered dancing class. I’m just not that strong.

Reason #4 Why I Don’t Dance (But You Should)
Let’s be honest. Dance music sucks. I mean… I’m not an aficionado of dance music (obviously), but every single time I’ve ever been dragged into a club I’ve been assaulted with that old familiar whump-whump pumping away at some ass shaking BPM. Oh I know… there are endless subtle, nuanced variations of this thing we call “electronic music”. To wit:

Ambient house
Ambient industrial
Ambient techno
Black ambient
Dark ambient
Drone music
Illbient
Lowercase
Psybient
Baltimore Club
Big beat
Broken beat
Chemical breaks
Florida breaks
Nu skool breaks
Progressive breaks
Cosmic disco
Dance-punk
Eurodance
Euro disco
Hi-NRG
Italo dance
Italo disco
Spacesynth
Synthpop
Acid jazz
Balearic Beat
Chill out
Minimal Electronica
Glitch
Nu jazz
Trip hop (aka The Bristol Sound)
Berlin School
Electroacoustic
Dirty electronic
Electro backbeat (aka anthem breaks)
Electroclash
Electropop
Freestyle music
Bitpop
Chiptune
Downtempo
Folktronica
Futurepop
Glitch
IDM
Nu Jazz
Synthpop
Synthpunk
Trip hop
Speed garage
2-step
4x4
Breakstep (aka Breakbeat garage)
Dubstep
Grime (aka Sublow/8-bar/Eskibeat)
Bassline (aka 'Niche')
Funky
4-beat
Bouncy techno
Breakbeat Hardcore
Breakcore
Darkcore
Digital hardcore
Doomcore
Freeform hardcore
Gabber
Happy hardcore
Hardstyle
Jumpstyle
Makina
Noisecore
Speedcore
UK Hardcore
Acid house
Bubblegum dance
Chicago house
Dark house
Deep house
Disco house
Electro house
French house
Freestyle house
(US) Garage
Ghetto house
Grind house
Hi-NRG
UK Hard house
Hip house
Italo house
Jumpstyle (Chicago hard house)
Kwaito
Latin house
Merenhouse
Minimal house/Microhouse
Pumpin' house
Progressive house
Skacid
Tribal house
Tech house
Martial music
Neofolk
Post-Industrial
Electronic body music
Coldwave
Dark electro
Futurepop
Noise music
Power noise
Technoid
Clownstep
Darkstep
Drumfunk
Futurestep
Hardstep
Intelligent drum and bass
Jump-Up
Liquid funk
Neurofunk
Ragga jungle
Raggacore
Sambass
Techstep
Trancestep (aka Electrostep)
Acid techno
BrainDance
Detroit techno
Freetekno
Ghettotech
IDM
Jtek
Minimal techno
New beat
Nortec
Rave music
Schranz
Wonky techno
Acid trance
Ambient trance
Classic trance
Dream trance
Euro-trance
Hard trance
Hardstyle
Nu-NRG
Progressive trance
Psychedelic trance/Goa trance
Full on
Goa trance
Dark psytrance
Nitzhonot
Progressive psytrance
Psybient
Psybreaks
South African psytrance
Suomisaundi
Tech trance
Uplifting trance/Epic trance
Vocal trance
Space music
New Age music
Ethnic electronica
New Wave music
New Romantic
Dark Wave
Ethereal Wave

To me, this dizzying list just proves that there are 166 ways to say “I suck”. My point: dance music doesn’t inspire me to do anything other than leave the area.

[By the way, If I ever were to dance, it would be to Tom Waits’ song, “Cold Water”. I would stomp, drunkenly, as if I had a peg leg, in the center of the dance floor and not give a god damn who was watchin’.]

Reason #5 Why I Don’t Dance (But You Should)
I think of dancing as a series of seamlessly interconnected “moves”. Kind of like chords in a song. Well… if my dancing was a song, it would be 4 minutes of someone playing a G chord on an out of tune guitar. Or put another way, I dance like a bad open mic night.

Reason #6 Why I Don’t Dance (But You Should)
I have tried dancing once in my life. It was a long time ago. Wanna know what I learned? I learned that I think entirely too damn much to dance. My internal monologue rivaled a champion chess player evaluating his next move. I nearly overheated my cranium wondering “WHAT THE FUCK AM I GONNA DO NEXT?” I ran out of moves after 9 seconds, after which I grinned and randomly gyrated like a retard in front of that poor, poor girl.

Reason #7 Why I Don’t Dance (But You Should)
Okay. Here’s an admission: I secretly believe that I am the world’s best dancer. But only if the song is 9 seconds in length. If songs lasted 9 seconds, I would be a frickin’ solid gold dancer. I can bust a mutha-humpin’ MOVE for 9 seconds. (Ahem... is dancing really like sex? Dammit!) I look guh-ood for that first 9 seconds. But then, my mind kicks into gear. I begin thinking… and I run out of moves. Yes. I just said “moves”. That’s another problem… See Reason # 5.

Why You Should Dance In My Place
The denouement of this unpleasant dance confession, of course, is that you, Dear Reader, have to dance in my place. There are John-shaped spaces on dance floors across America tonight. Lonely, sad, empty spaces on the dance floor, waiting to be filled with your gorgeous self. I need you to dance for me. It’s your civic duty. And when you are out there, letting yourself go, shake it, just once, for me.

Besides, we all wanna see what you’d be like in bed. I bet you’re a natural.

Why do I do this to myself? (1st Olympic Dist TRI)

2008-07-11T08:39:00.014-06:00

Last summer, I did my first triathlon... a mostly sprint distance up at the Boulder Reservoir (click here to read all about it). I forget the name... it was for a charity thing. Anyway, I promised myself that I'd do an Olympic distance triathlon THIS summer. (1500 meter swim, 40K bike, 10K run)

It seemed like a worthy goal... something to shoot for... double the distance.

Well, it's "this summer".

I tried to find the latest one in the season that was still being held in Colorado... because even though I've been training pretty consistently since this winter, my running distances have been WAY less than a 10K. Mostly because of 1) an ankle injury and 2) a 3 or 4 week period where I just stopped giving a shit. I almost totally fell off the training wagon.

Imagine my terror and deep disappointment this week, when I realized that the last Olympic distance TRI of the summer is August 16th -- the Rattlesnake Triathlon. That's like 4 weeks from today.

So... I have 36 days to try and prepare myself for what will most certainly be a suffer-fest for Johnny Boy.

I suppose I could just curl up into a fetal position, in a closet, and star in my own weepy, pathetic meltdown movie scene... But instead, I'm gonna use THIS BLOG ENTRY to get my anxiety under control. And I'm dragging you with me, Dear Reader.

Let's break this thing down, sport by sport:

THE SWIM
Distance: 1500 meters
Mitigating Conditions:
A big ass reservoir -- i.e. deep open water. Oh, and I'll be surrounded by a hungry pack of amped up, semi-professional, amphibious, highly competitive, cardio-honed, hardened triathletes -- the real kind. Imagine that aerial photo: me, semi-drowning but trying to act cool about it, in a churning, foaming, triathlete blender.

My Strategy:
That's a cat's whisker less than a mile. (actually, about 100 meters less, but I wanted to say "cat's whisker"). Yes, I can swim 1500 meters. Not fast... or anything even remotely resembling fast. But I can do it... It's at the top of my swimming ability though... and I'll be doing a lot of breast stroke (as opposed to the more exhausting freestyle)... I use it as basically a rest stroke in the middle of long swims. Faith. I'll have faith in all the swimming I've been doing this summer. And I'll probably let the gun go off and get in the water last... let the fish-men and fish-women fight it out. I just have to stay relaxed and calm. Freaking out and hyperventilating in 50 feet of water is something I'd like to avoid.

THE BIKE
Distance: 40K or 24.8 miles
Mitigating Conditions:
Other than a strong head wind, a flat tire, a gnarly wreck or mega-hilly terrain, I don't think I'll run into any awfulness on the bike.

My Strategy:
This should be okay -- another bike workout I've been doing long rides once a week for weeks and weeks now. Again, I won't be fast, compared to everyone else (are you sensing a personal trend here? I'm SLOW), but this will be the easiest part of the race for me. I just need to get in the zone, knock it out and mentally prepare myself for the run that will be waiting for me, 24.8 miles down the road...

THE RUN
Distance: 10K or 6.2 miles
Mitigating Conditions:
As the third part of the race, it'll be late morning (for me) by the time I get to the run. I'm anticipating the following: 1) it's gonna be FUCKING HOT; 2) my legs will be feeling pretty darn tired; 3) I'll be feeling a little like a loser after spending the last 2+ hours being passed by everyone else in the race -- i.e. low motivation.

My Strategy:
Hmmm... The truth is, the moment I climb out of the water, having successfully avoided a drowning incident in the reservoir, I'll know the rest of the race will be about getting to the run and just gutting it out. I think it will mostly be about me controlling my mind... or... countering my suffering thoughts with strength thoughts. I normally take an hour to do a 10K (told ya I was slow) -- that's when I'm fresh. So I'm preparing myself to be running (walking?) for as long as an hour and a half after being all tuckered out from the swim and the bike. So here are the thoughts I'm pretty certain that I'm going to have during the run:

SUFFER BRAIN: "It's hot"
STRONG BRAIN RESPONSE: It's really not that bad, and besides this is temporary. Stay strong. You'll feel proud and really good when you cross the finish line, strong. Gut it out.

SUFFER BRAIN: "My legs have no energy. My form is shit. I feel clunky and slow."
STRONG BRAIN RESPONSE: It's really not that bad, and besides this is temporary. Stay strong. You'll feel proud and really good when you cross the finish line, strong. Focus on a smooth form and breathe through it... get into a rhythm.

SUFFER BRAIN: "I want to walk."
STRONG BRAIN RESPONSE: No you don't. Quitting feels WAY WORSE than suffering. Think of one of the 5 new songs you just wrote. How would they sound on the new record? Arrangement? Instruments? How should we record each song?

SUFFER BRAIN: "Wow. That 85 year old woman just passed me. I'm a loser. Why did I do this race? I shouldn't be here."
STRONG BRAIN RESPONSE: Bullshit. BEING HERE is what it's about. You're doing great. It's about HOW you do the race, not where you finish. Besides, if you REALLY want to, you can find that old woman after the race and punch her in the spleen. KIDDING!

Hmmm...

I think that helped.

Okay. I gotta go work out now...

My Brothers Were In The KISS ARMY

2008-07-07T11:54:00.004-06:00

When I was a little kid, my two older brothers were both privates in the KISS ARMY. (Did that mean they kissed privates?)

I watched their indoctrination from across the hallway in a dazed-but-fascinated stupor. I didn't quite know what to make of this kind of hero worship. I just knew that my brothers were pretty cool... so I kind of assumed that their KISS fetish was cool too?

Hey, that was my "normal". Don't judge.

At one point in the late 1970s, I think it was reported that KISS actually had the world's 5th largest army after the US, USSR, South Korea and Iraq.

Impressive.

Thank God my brothers never actually had to go to battle though... Even though they had cool uniforms (3/4 sleeve concert t-shirts, tight jeans and pooka shell necklaces) they would have been woefully unprepared for a real fight. Their meager weaponry would have only included:

1) A cardboard Gene Simmons Battle Axe Bass.

2) A fanatical ability to scream "I... ... WANNA ROCK AND ROLL ALL NIGHT... ... AND PARTY EV-UH-REE DAY!!!" like crazed bozos.

3) And a pervasive-but-vague, homoerotic love for big-haired men in greasepaint, medieval battle gear, high heeled boots and tight trousers. If you can call that a weapon.

At the time, I really wished that I was older... so that I could have answered the call. I wanted to do my part. I wanted to join my brothers in whatever fight the KISS ARMY was preparing for. But I was just a kid... to0 young for the army.

My destiny didn't include joining the army. Any army.

Looking back, I now see the debt my brothers paid for me. Their commitment to something much, much larger than themselves. I honor their service. Are they heroes or were they just doing their job? I suppose we each have to answer that question for ourselves, in the quiet of our own hearts.

I know what I think.

I'm just glad they got out alive.

Messed Up

2008-07-06T11:04:00.002-06:00

Wrote this one a month ago. Starting to demo it for the new record maybe... (below)

Messed Up
copyright 2008 john common music

I thought i knew
Everything there was to know
About myself
I didn't need to grow anymore
I had it all figured out
But then you walked in
Aww girl…
You messed me up again

You have this way
Of making things so clear
And it can hurt
But when it hurts, you're here
Hanging tough, you don't run
When i take one on the chin
Aww girl…
You messed me up again

Messed up
Broke down
But open
Ready
And waiting
For something
Maybe good…
Would it be such a sin?
Girl, you messed me up again

We never choose
The time or place we let go
It just shows up
And then the next thing you know
You're crying out, scared to death
Wondering how it's gonna end
Aww girl…
You messed me up again

Messed up
Broke down
But open
Ready
And waiting
For something
Maybe good…
Would it be such a sin?
Girl, you messed me up again

Here's a very rough demo:

Love's A Shark

2008-07-05T22:26:00.006-06:00

My good friend just got her heart utterly broken... She came over this morning and told me the whole story of how it all went down. She was a wreck. I tried my best to make her feel better... to let her know that she and everything else was going to be okay. As she was leaving, she said she felt better. But she was just being nice, I think.

I decided not to go out tonight... I was just sitting around, bored. And then I wrote this song. Evidently, I was thinking about her and her story and how love generally wrecks us. Usually in the best of ways...

Hope you like it. It's kinda weird. I wrote it and immediately recorded it with my shitty laptop microphone:

love's a shark
july 5, 2008

love is stalking you
it's parked at the end of your block
when you walk away from love
it loves the way you walk
love is following you
it can swim faster than your car
you're getting drunk next to love, babe
it followed you in this bar

love is creepy
love is dark
love is scary
'cause love's a shark
it's gonna eat you, take you to the bottom
of a deep dark hole
but it's the thing you need
you know you want to bleed
baby, love's a shark
baby, love's a shark

love can swim through bedroom walls
it knows when you cry
you can curse and you can kick it
but you still can't make love die
love didn’t crown you lonely
you did that on your own
but it'll be there waiting
when you come down off your throne

love is creepy
love is dark
love is scary
'cause love's a shark
it's gonna eat you, take you to the bottom
of a deep dark hole
but it's the thing you need
you know you want to bleed
baby, love's a shark
baby, baby
baby, baby
baby, love's a shark

Messed Up

2008-07-02T09:33:00.001-06:00

messed up

I thought I knew
everything there was to know
about myself
I didn't need to grow anymore
I had it all figured out
but then you walked in
aww girl…
you messed me up again

you have this way
of making things so clear
and it can hurt
but when it hurts, you're here
hanging tough, you don't run
when I take one on the chin
aww girl…
you messed me up again

messed up
broke down
but open
ready
and waiting
for something
maybe good…
would it be such a sin?
girl, you messed me up again

we never choose
the time or place we let go
it just shows up
and then the next thing you know
you're crying out, scared to death
wondering how it's gonna end
aww girl…
you messed me up again

messed up
broke down
but open
ready
and waiting
for something
maybe good…
would it be such a sin?
girl, you messed me up again

Greeting Cards

2008-06-17T09:35:00.010-06:00

I was thinking... maybe I should quit music and become a greeting card writer. The pay's probably about the same... but there'd be less hauling of gear.

Here are some card messages I wrote this morning:

ROMANCE:

If I could shrink you and put you in a locket and put that locket around the neck of an owl and set that owl free in an ancient forest filled with owl-worshiping pygmies, I'd do that.

Sometimes, you make me want to stab you in the neck with a fork. But then you do something cute like try to secretly pick your nose and it makes me love you again. We're good for each other.

Sorry for looking at that hot girl at the coffee shop. I didn't think you saw me. Love ya when you're mad?

Couples always make up cute names for each other like 'Kitten' or 'Sweetie' or 'Big Daddy'. Let's not do that.

In the morning, I try and wake up before you because I like to watch you sleep. Mostly, because you drool. And I laugh at you. Right there, drooling in your sleep.

"I love you" doesn't really cut it some days. Some days you have to say, "Thanks for putting up with my meth habit".

I'd shave my head and learn Chinese for you.
(Honestly, I'm hoping you won't call my bluff on that, as I'm pretty bad with languages and a little vain.)

FRIENDSHIP:

If we were stranded in a sinking boat in the middle of the Caspian Sea and a huge stork swooped down to save us and that stork said "I can only take one of you..." Well, let's hope that doesn't happen. But I really do like you.

I believe, in a former life, you and I worked in the same sweater factory somewhere in Malaysia. We shared smoke breaks and talked about the communists together. Good times.

I believe that in a former life, you and I shared a stable. We were horses on a farm together... You, a proud Andalusian... Me, a common quarter horse with a bum leg. You were kind to me back then too. Thanks for the hay.

Friendship means so many things to different people… trust, loyalty, understanding. Or, in our case, a clean pair of pants and a place to sleep it off.

You've been forgetting a lot of things lately. One example: my birthday.

I love how your glass is always half full... of shit.

Wanna know how I know we're best friends? 'Cause you forgave me for sleeping with your wife. Wait. Didn't she tell you?

Westword Music Showcase Review

2008-06-16T15:53:00.001-06:00

I’d seen John Common perform Tom Waits’ brilliant album Rain Dogs in its entirety twice. Any guy who’s that big of Waits fan is all right in my book. When Common played his new “love song” called “Go to Hell With Me,” I heard a bit of Waits in there. After he played “The Dreamers,” Common asked the crowd if they wanted to hear something intense or pretty and beautiful. The crowd seemed to be split, but Common decided on something pretty, and played “Good Heart,” with some sublime vocal help from the lovely Jess De Nicola Mefford.

-- Jon Solomon, Westword

Wonder... from David James Duncan

2008-06-04T13:23:00.006-06:00

I've been reading a lot of David James Duncan -- one of my favorite writers. (Get a copy of "River Teeth" from Amazon when you can. They're cheap! A fantastic collection of short stories.)

Anyhow... I read this passage earlier today and it jumped out at me:

Wonder is my second favorite condition to be in, after love, and I sometimes wonder whether there's a difference; maybe love is just wonder aimed at a beloved.

Wonder is like grace, in that's it's not a condition we grasp; it grasps us.

Wonder is not an obligatory element in the search for truth. We can seek truth without wonder's assistance. But seek is all we'll do; there will be no finding. Unless wonder descends, unlocks us, turns us as slack-jawed as plastic shepherds, truth is unable to enter. Wonder may be the aura of truth, the halo of it. Or something even closer. Wonder maybe the caress of truth... touching our very skin.

Philosophically speaking, wonder is crucial to the discovery of knowledge, yet has everything to do with ignorance. By this I mean that only an admission of our ignorance can open us to fresh knowings. Wonder is the experience of that admission: wonder is unknowing, experienced as pleasure.

Punctuationally speaking, wonder is a period at the end of a statement we've long taken for granted, suddenly looking up an seeing the sinuous curve or a tall black hat on its head, and realizing it was a question mark all along.

As a facial expression, wonder is the letter O our eyes and mouths make when the state itself descends. O: God's middle initial. O: because wonder Opens us.

Wonder is anything taken for granted -- the old neighborhood, old job, old life, old spouse -- suddenly filling with mystery. Wonder is anything closed, suddenly opening: anything at all opening -- which, alas, includes Pandora's Box, and brings me to the dark side of the thing. Grateful as I am for this condition, wonder has -- like everything on Earth -- a dark side. Heartbreak, grief, and suffering rend openings in us through which the dark kind of wonder pours. I have so far found it impossible to feel spontaneously grateful for these violent openings. But when, after struggle, I've been able to turn a corner and at least accept the opening, the dark form of wonder has invariably helped me endure the heartbreak, the suffering, the grief.

Wonder is not curiosity. Wonder is to curiosity what ecstasy is to mere pleasure. Wonder is not astonishment, either. Astonishment is too brief. The only limit to the duration of wonder is the limit of our ability to remain open.

I believe some people live in a state of constant wonder. I believe they're the best people on Earth. I believe it is wonder, even more than fidelity, that keeps marriages alive. I believe it's wonder, even more than courage, that conquers fear of death. I believe it is wonder, not D.A.R.E. bumper stickers, the keeps kids off drugs. I believe, speaking of bumper stickers, that it's wonder, even more than me, who I want to "HUG MY KIDS YET TODAY," because wonder can keep on hugging them, long after I'm gone.

-- David James Duncan, from 6 Henry Stories

Telluride Troubadour Contest!

2008-06-01T21:55:00.003-06:00

May 31, 2008

Hi,

The folks who run the Telluride Bluegrass Festival's Troubadour Contest let me know that I was chosen as a finalist for their songwriter competition. This means I'll be playing the festival on Thursday this year! Who knows, if I do really well, I might play again on Friday. And if I win the whole damn thing (unlikely), I'll play the main stage on Saturday night!

Wish me luck! It's an honor just to be a finalist.

The festival lineup this year includes Ani DiFranco, Ryan Adams, Arlo Guthrie, Bruce Hornsby, Paolo Nutini, Bela Fleck, Peter Rowan, The Frames, The Swell Season, Brett Dennen, Yonder Mountain String Band, Tift Merrit and a bunch of other artists... Cool!

~John

New Growth

2008-06-01T14:29:00.000-06:00

new growth
june 1, 2008

it's spring. change and all that…
walking from the house to the car
the trees droop in front of us
burdened with green-ness
their branches heavy with new growth
it's exhausting sometimes.
we duck under, give them their space.

The PKO Idea Is Catching On... We're holding a seat for you!

2008-05-31T10:53:00.003-06:00

Westword covered the People's Kazoo Orchestra idea!

Oh my...

Click the picture to read the Westword article!

HJTWYASP Update: Let's Give It A Name

2008-05-29T15:13:00.004-06:00

HJTWYASP (Hire-John-To-Write-You-A-Song-Program) Update:

A fan/friend, Julie, asked me to write a song about her life-long friend Tom. Here is some of what she wrote me:

...
John, Certainly Not Common, Common- Lucky me to have received your email today. I’ve been tirelessly searching for a one-of-a-kind gift for my swell friend, Tom. I out did my self last year in celebrating his birthday with a Mark Ryden General Sherman print.(Check out surreal pop at its best: http://buckheadcustomframes.typepad.com/bhcf/2007/05/mark_rydens_gen.html) I’ve searched high and low for something comparable. I even lied to him yesterday, saying I had a gift, but have yet to mail it. I am habitually tardy, but I seldom lie. Really, I promise you on both the tardy part and the lying part. Anyway the point being is, I finally stumbled upon his gift or you stumbled upon me. However, you would like to look at it, you are hired. I trust you, your emails make me smile. So a bit on Tom, Thomas, and a very small bit on me: We have been friends since, well, since a while ago. I think we met when we were 15. You can do the math or just make it up. Make him, us, feel young. He, I must say is one of my dearest friends (that is the wee bit on me) and I dare say coolest. Yes, by far the coolest. Anyway he is down with music, in fact he had a radio show on WMPG while he was living in Portland Maine. It should give you a good idea on his style. Farm fresh, I would say. He is studying for his Master’s in Creative Writing at Minnesota State University in Mankato. He is clever, wry and witty- a personality trifecta. He also loves baseball. In truth, and you know I am big on the truth, he is writing a book about his great, great uncle who pitched for the St. Paul Saints from 1921-23, and still holds the league record for most wins in a season (31 in 1923). He is married to a lovely gal, Cathy and the have a dog named Mabel. Oh and this might be something of interest, while living in Denver he worked as a bartender at Splinter’s from the Pine and the Cherry Cricket for quite sometime. I believe he was known as the Mayor of Denver far before there was a Hickenlooper. Well, I could continue on, but seeing as I am at work, I should probably put the brakes on for now.

Is that enough to get started? Let me know what you else you might need. I would like the song to be reflective of art, music, creativity, baseball spontaneity, youth and, of course, friendship. That being said you will probably need more information. Feel free to email or call me. I never answer my phones, so email is probably best. Or, hell if it would help I would be more than happy to buy you a beer or ten to discuss Tom’s Song. Annie had hers, I suppose it is Tom’s turn in 2008. Oh, I almost forgot it needs to be funny. Again, I trust you, I laugh every time I read your emails. I am very excited to see what happens. I love the idea. Simply perfect.
...

So I decided to key in on the friendship part... 'Cause, there's only so much you can pack into one song... Or, there's only so much I can pack into a song. And besides... it's a mysterious process... what makes a lyric or a chord "feel right" etc.

Anyway, I sent Julie an email to get some more info about her friendship with Tom. Here's what I wrote her:

julie,
could you tell me about the time when you knew he was your very good friend... and not just another acquaintance... or not just another love interest. but a real friend.
and tell me the top three things that you two really connect on.
and tell me the top three things that really piss you off about him.
and tell me the top three things that really piss him off about you.
i dunno... this info might be useful.
~john

...

Here's what she wrote back:

Hey John~
I think I first realized that we were goods and our friendship was that of longevity was in high school. I remember a particular occasion that seems defining. Tom and I, along with a group of friends, went on a hayride I believe for our friend’s birthday. Afterwards we all sat around the campfire. Tom and I talked non stop about how much we loved the TV show Batman (POW!). It was funny and I loved that we could embrace our inner dork-ness. I believe he even had a Batman action figure. Don’t know if we tossed him in the fire, but I imagine we did. SNAP! CRACKLE! POP! Also one night not sure if it was the summer before college or the first summer after our freshman year, anyway we were hanging out with the group and I drove him home and he asked me to come in so he could read me something from his favorite short story. I wish I could remember what the story was, but I thought it was incredibly cool that he didn’t want to show me his fish tank. I also liked his handwriting, I am a sucker for well crafted penmanship. And of course the real reason I knew we would be friends, he could buy beer, slo gin and peppermint schnapps. I think the guy at the liquor store called him and his friend the bow-tie brothers. They showed up wearing bow ties in order to appear older. I am not entirely sure that is a true story, but that is how I am remembering it. He also got me high for the first time and I threw up in El Chapultepec. Under age and high, makes for a great and lasting friendship.

Three things we really connect on:
Music
Art/Design/Writing/Film
Drinking

Three things that piss me off about him:
1. He smokes. At least he did. I saw him last summer for a quick moment and I don’t remember if he was smoking. Either way it bugs/bugged the shit out of me.
2. He lives in Minnesota.
3. He is smarter, more creative and funnier than I am.

Things about me that piss him off:
My teeth are whiter
I look good in pink.
I can burp part of the lyrics to Steely Dan’s Deacon Blue, specifically: They got a name for the winners in the world
I want a name when I lose. They call Alabama the crimson tide. Call me deacon blues. Urp!
4. The last one might just be jealousy, so here is a fourth: I don’t vote.

Hope that helps... This is fun, thanks in advance!
~Julie

...

So I wrote this song. You can hear it below... Just hit the play button.

Let's Give It A Name

You used to dress up in a bow tie
Buying beer and getting high
Runnin' 'round like we would never die
Without a care

I made a scene. I was totally wrecked
That night in El Chapultepec.
You put your arm around my neck
And got me out of there.

We met a long time ago
And time's moving fast…

When we're old we'll still be friends.
That's the kind of thing this is
If my house was on fire you'd run right in
And pull me out of the flames
Oh, let's give it a name…

You're back in school 'cause you want to write
They say Mankato is a pretty sight
But I know Blue Earth is mostly white
In the winter

I'm still in Denver doing my own thing
Looking for work, waiting for spring
You got married but I'm better with flings
I'm a renter

We met a long time ago
But time moves fast, don't ya know?

When we're old we'll still be friends.
That's the kind of thing this is
If my house was on fire you'd run right in

Sure I could make it through this world without you
But I'm pretty glad that I don't have to

We met a long time ago
And time's moving fast…

When we're old we'll still be friends.
That's the kind of thing this is
If your house was on fire I'd run right in
When we're old
When we're old
When I screw up you step in
And you love me just the same
Oh, let's give it a name…

A (sorta) True Story

2008-05-27T17:00:00.003-06:00

The After School Special Chord

2008-05-22T09:46:00.005-06:00

I was working on a song last night, trying to match the music to some lyrics, when I bumped into the fabled AFTER SCHOOL SPECIAL CHORD.

You know it when you hear it. We've all been trained by television to have a Pavlovian response to this sound.

It's the After School Special Chord...

The chord that they play immediately after bad news befalls one of our beloved main characters... It emphatically makes the point that ill winds are blowing, trouble is afoot and something wicked this way comes.

It is also an "acting law" that when the After School Special Chord sounds, our hero gets a faraway look and stares at the craft services table, behind camera three.

Here is my performance of the After School Special Chord, for you:

New song: Go to Hell (with me)

2008-05-21T13:34:00.009-06:00

Another feel good summer dance hit from yours truly.

...

go to hell (with me)

oh the moon is a runaway girl
who sleeps on the streets
I've been whispering secrets
into the soles of her feet
your lamp's been asking questions
but I'm never gonna tell
girl, you love a criminal who wants to go to hell

go to hell… go to hell with me
they're reserving a table… I guarantee

I know people love to suffer
it makes them want to stay
your heart is made of silver
melt it down and hide it away
I'd even steal your shadow
when there's nothing left to sell
girl, you love a criminal who wants to go to hell

most people are born as beautiful blank slates
but on the day I was torn from my mom, it was already too late

you never should have loved me
what was going through your head?
now we're twisted like a cable
and holding on by a thread
if god is a magician
we could use another spell
girl, you love a criminal who wants to go to hell

go to hell… go to hell with me
they're reserving a table… I guarantee
go to hell… go to hell with me
go to hell… it's lovely

Jay Farrar is a jerk. (In my dream.)

2008-05-18T19:09:00.006-06:00

I've been having strange, gig/performance-related dreams lately.

Two mornings ago I dreamt that I was playing a show, opening for Jay Farrar (Uncle Tupelo, Son Volt). He was being an incredibly arrogant jerk... interrupting my opening set -- literally walking on stage in the middle of a song -- and saying, "Hey I wanna play a song right now. On your guitar." So I stopped and handed him my guitar... And as I did he said something like, "What's it like to see that I have more draw than you do in your own town?" Totally floored me. I thought for a second, grabbed my guitar back from him and said something like, "Give me my fucking guitar back you dumb prick."

Yikes. Not a lovely moment for either of us, really.

Mister Farrar, wherever you are... please accept my apology. You can interrupt my set any time and play a song on my guitar. I'd be honored.

Where the HELL is the stage? (In my dream.)

2008-05-18T19:06:00.006-06:00

May 16, 2008

I took Tylenol PM last night because I hurt my leg doing something stupid. (Bounding up the stairs, my foot got caught on a stair and I came crashing down. Graceful, no?)

Anyway, Tylenol PM destroys me for some reason…

I dreamt that I was doing a standup comedy routine in a large theater – like the Fillmore, only about double or triple that size – that was packed with people. People were having a good time and laughing at what I was saying, but I was just sort of reacting to my ridiculous situation. Nothing was working for me about the performance, but I just kept rolling with it, sharing my thoughts as they came to me.

I’ve had these kinds of “performing for a crowd dreams” before. They almost always share these themes:

1) The crowd is relaxed and having a great time. The venue is totally packed. Kind of the perfect crowd/gig.
2) During the course of the dream, I get more and more stressed at the situation I’m in – there are always barriers being put between me and the audience. In this dream, the stage was filled with so many boxes that I couldn’t see over them to the audience and they couldn’t see me. Then I would move to try and find a better location and a curtain would be in the way... or light rigging... or a door would be locked. No matter where I looked or what I tried, I couldn’t get a clean and clear line of site to the audience.
3) There are always bored, semi-rude stagehand types (think stereotypical east coast union guys - sorry for the stereotype) directing / misdirecting me around the back of the theater. “Yeh, go down that hall, turn left, then go through your 3rd door, then turn right, then up the stairs, around the corner and through that gray door to the stage.”
4) The net effect of the above means that I end up performing for the audience with only my voice, since they can’t see me.
5) During this frustrating process of me moving around the theater/performing space, trying to maneuver into a spot to actually do my thing, I start getting more and more stressed because I can feel that I’m losing the crowd.

I woke from this morning’s dream as I was (finally) standing on a small stretch of stage, but the microphone stand was ridiculously complicated, hard-wired and set up in such a way that the microphone was literally 14 feet off the ground above my head. So there I was trying to do my show while I was pulling down the mic stand, disassembling this claptrap microphone contraption, literally taking it a part. I just ended up using my frustration as part of my routine.

Then I woke up.

...

Yes... I think I know what this dream is about. (Frustration with the life of being an independent artist... Awww, poor baby. I know.)

No need to comment on its obviousness. Unless you feel an overwhelming urge. It's just a recurring dream.

Why Birds Fly - Lyrics and album notes

2008-05-15T10:00:00.002-06:00

JOHN COMMON
WHY BIRDS FLY

Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
All songs by John Common (BMI)
Produced by John Common
Engineered by Scott Davies, Jeremy Lawton, John Common
Recorded at Emmasaurus Sound
Mixed and mastered by Jeremy Lawton
Art direction and design by John Common

Call
John Common – guitar, rhodes

Already There
John Common – guitar, vocals 
Jeremy Lawton – conjunculator

way back, before I can remember
everything was shut down on me
I was living like a goldfish
swimming in my circle
waiting for a hand to pick me out

save me for later
when I'm less sedated
good god help me good
I'm already there

I was so lonely, living like a shut in
watching all my windows shut down
I got the silent treatment
then I started screaming
oh god come dig me out

save me for later
when I'm less sedated
oh good god help me good
I'm already there

the window is cold on my cheek
I'm getting old, don't you think
god help me good
I'm already there

mary interceding on my behalf
I need you now
it's early morning
the birds in the trees
are singing

Do You Hate
John Comon – guitars, wurlitzer, piano, samples, vocals
Scott Davies – drums, samples
Steve Millin – bass
Jeremy Lawton – backing vocals

do you hate your name
do you hate your face
do you hide your hands
do they give you away
does it make you sick
do you want to die
when you hear that voice
do you go inside

do you see your dad
and the things he did
when you lie awake
in an empty bed
do you close the door
and then cry all night
do you get pissed off
when you hear the truth

what if we all died tonight
do you think that would be alright
what if all the lies we fight
just gave up and went home

have you had enough
are you checking out
is it time to burn
this old wooden house
is it easier
is it better for you
when you disappear
step out of view

what if we all died tonight
do you think that would be alright
what if all the lies you fight
just gave up and went home

Moonlight
John Common – guitars, wurlitzer, piano, samples, vocals
Scott Davies – drums
Steve Millin – bass
Jeremy Lawton – conjunculator
Chris Eagleton - samples
Adam Lancaster - guitar

you hear it on the radio
late at night when you sleep
dreaming of your one true love
floating toward you on a troubled sea
waiting for you every night
the lover who would never leave
heaven falling from the sky
and it's a lie you want to believe

impossible but it's true
the lover from your dreams
landed on your window sill
and made it possible to believe
closer, closer still but don't ever tell a soul
studying her cotton dress
and how it slips down to the floor

everybody knows
the pain of a lonely man
everybody knows
you can't hold moonlight in your hands

chosen and you don't know why
waking from your secret sleep
back into this ugly life
where secrets are hidden deep
all the people who love to hate
all the people who love to kill
all the people who just want love
all the people who never will

everybody knows
the pain of a lonely man
everybody knows
the pain…
everybody knows

Before You Met Me
John Common – wurlitzer, rhodes, samples, vocals
Matt Gilliam – trumpet, fluegal horn

it's an ugly morning
bruised and weeping
every cliché is coming true

you knew I was broken
and you tried to fix me
impossible to do

I was gone before you met me

when things got rocky
we bailed the water
and we both drowned
without a clue

I let you float away
what was I thinking
letting go of you

you turned the corner
that makes me happy
'cause moving on
is what we do

Flesh Wound
John Comon – guitars, wurlitzer, samples, vocals
Scott Davies – drums, samples
Kevin Meyer – bass
Jed Marrs – backing vocals

flesh would, I'm bleeding a little
a reddish stain on this gray affair
it's triage at two in the morning
go find someone who cares

random, the way that I met you
spilling drinks all over the bar
in drunken delusions of grandeur
you helped me find my car

go on go. I'll stay home
go on go to your parties…

sorry to leave you suspended
twirling fingers in your hair
ask me all of your questions
I'm tired of truth or dare

I always seem to come undone
that tends to ruin all your fun
I'm such a drag to you, such a drag

I hope you find something better
I hope you find something better
I'll help you find someone better

simple is so complicated
everything good, everything bad
like walking away from a fire
where you lost all you had

Unseen Things
John Common – samples
Scott Davies – samples

You Stay
John Common – guitars, wurlitzer, piano, vocals
Scott Davies – drums, samples
Steve Millin – bass

I'm getting up and I aint coming back
she says this at the heart attack
third table from the back

I love you but when you lose your buzz
you see totally clear it aint like it was
even if it ever was

you don't want to see me I know
you don't want to see me so I'll go
you stay, you stay

I know I'll see you at the same old bars
drivin' around in your car
you're never too far

'cause no one ever has the balls to leave
they just make believe
like they're adam and eve

you don't want to see me I know
you don't want to see me so I'll go
you stay

Wrong Number
John Common – guitar, wurlitzer, vocals
Scott Davies – drums
Kevin Meyer – bass, backing vocals
Jed Marrs – backing vocals

I didn't know, that I was falling
it wasn't me, that you were calling
I close my eyes and hear you whisper words into my ear
words I thought that only I could hear but I was wrong

I stood alone, outside your building
you weren't home, I felt silly
maybe it's just better if we never even meet
I'd probably fall down at your feet and kiss the ground

but I can always dream

would I find the right words to say
could I make you turn the other way
maybe you could call me back today

I'll get along, just fine without you
I'll sing this song, instead of doubt you
it's easier than waiting by a phone that never rings
I'd rather sing alone than never sing, this is goodbye

but I can always dream

would I find the right words to say
could I make you turn the other way
maybe you could call me back today

Not So Bad
John Common – guitar, wurlitzer, samples, vocals
Jeremy Lawton - weisenborn

a deer in the snow scratching around
waiting to find something out

uncertainty, this solitude
all so bare, stripped away

crazy chance, foolish girl
I didn't know the mess I was
I want to know when I get home
you'll be there waiting for

me every day, work is a drag
go do the thing, money in
money out, money in
money out, money

it's a daily fight, we're suffering on
it's a daily walk, we're walking on
it's not so bad

I'm getting old, I'm feeling good
seeing the strings, connection

the snow on the ground, your shoes in the hall
mess everywhere, connection
you cut yourself, blood on your shirt
I'll stitch it up, make it whole

deep as you want, everything
everything, everything
everything, everything
everything, every

it's a daily walk, we're walking on
it's a daily fight, we're fighting on
it's not so bad
it's not so bad at all
it's not so bad at all

LGM
John Comon – guitar, banjo, samples, vocals
Jeremy Lawton - weisenborn

this world's a crazy fucked up mess
the animals can have it back
let's get married

burn the houses, bomb the streets
I want to go back to the tree
let's get married

somebody told me long ago
when you're ready you will know
I think I'm ready
ready for you and me

we've been alone since we were born
we'll be alone when this is gone
let's get married

somewhere out there
two roads converging
the intersection is where
we're headed babe

these chains we made are in our minds
it took a while to realize
let's get married

Do You Hate (karaoke)
John Comon – samples, vocals
Jed Marrs – casio
Scott Davies – clave

do you hate your name
do you hate your face
do you hide your hands
do they give you away
does it make you sick
do you want to die
when you hear that voice
do you go inside

do you see your dad
and the things he did
when you lie awake
in an empty bed
do you close the door
and then cry all night
do you get pissed off
when you hear the truth

what if we all died tonight
do you think that would be alright
what if all the lies we fight
just gave up and went home

have you had enough
are you checking out
is it time to burn
this old wooden house
is it easier
is it better for you
when you disappear
step out of view

what if we all died tonight
do you think that would be alright
what if all the lies you fight
just gave up and went home

Response
John Common – guitar, rhodes

The Arabian Bar

2008-05-13T23:13:00.006-06:00

the arabian bar

there is an old bar in my neighborhood
it stays mostly empty and the jukebox is good
dale pours 'em strong and he lights my cigarettes
he knows when to talk and when to forget

I've been comin' here since Gulf War 1
I figured out late that nobody won
I lost my leg but I got this bronze star
these days I pretty much live at this bar

you wanna find me? No
you wanna find me? No
you wanna find me?
go to the arabian bar

one tuesday night about a quarter 'til one
in walks two brown eyes looking for fun
her smile was a confesion and her body was a crime
and if she'd be my jail I'd gladly do the time

she was the kind of girl you see down at the gas station
hanging out, smoking, making invitations
she leaned to one side and that got me to thinking
she said "my name's maria -- what you boys drinking?"

you wanna find me? No
you wanna find me? No
you wanna find me?
go to the arabian bar

I used to drink whiskey, I used to drink gin
I used to do anything I could get my hands in
that's when I was young, but I aint young anymore
they call me a hero but I don't know what for

now that young girl made me think once or twice
if I was a little bit younger you know it'd be nice
I said, "girl, take my beer, I gotta go"
"But I don't wanna see you around here no more"

you wanna find me? No
you wanna find me? No
you wanna find me?
go to the arabian bar

This House Is A Prison (I'm Gonna Break Out) -- Dog Record Update #2

2008-05-13T08:37:00.003-06:00

This song started as a kind of break up song between a dog and her/his owner. It's written from the dog's perspective of course. I was thinking about how a fairly large percentage of dogs seem to ALWAYS be trying to break out and run away. Have you ever stopped to ask why this is so? Maybe they're just really unhappy.

I never thought a song about a dog could feel so... human.

...

This House Is A Prison (I'm Gonna Break Out)

oh this house is a prison
I'm gonna break out
I've been making my plan
I'm gonna break out
it's a big, big world
and I can't stay here
I hope I don't sound
too severe
but this house is a prison
I'm gonna break out…

when I first came here
everything was great
but in a couple of years
I started going insane
we could have seen the big big world
together
you said, "never say never"
and I believed you

oh this house is a prison
I'm gonna break out
I've been making my plan
I'm gonna break out
it's a big, big world
and I can't stay here
I hope I don't sound
too severe
this house is a prison
I'm gonna break out…

oh I waited for years
for you to come around
maybe take me out
but you never did

I want you to know
you've been good to me
but when it's time to go
that's all you can see
it tears my heart right out
to leave you
I never wanted to deceive you
but you won't let me go

oh this house is a prison
I'm gonna break out
I've been making my plan
I'm gonna break out
it's a big, big world
and I can't stay here
I hope I don't sound
too severe
this house is a prison
this house is a prison
this house is a prison
I'm gonna break out…

Showing Good Faith (Your Crotch, My Nose)

2008-05-12T14:22:00.004-06:00

Upon hearing about my idea for a Dog Record, my good friend and consigliere, Marty, called and offered to help me bring this baby into the world... a curator-meets-midwife kind of role. Sometimes, all you need is a little faith and encouragement from a friend to get the creative ball rolling on a new record...

Here is the email I wrote him about an hour after our lively discussion about the record:

...

Marty,

To show good faith, when we got off the phone, I started work on a couple of songs for my forthcoming Dog Opus... One song, still in progress, is tentatively titled "Stray". That song tries to capture the serendipitous-and-deliciously-complex moment when a lonely wandering man and a lonely wandering dog finally find each other. Think Brokeback Mountain meets Lassie.

I just finished the second song (below). It is most definitely titled, "Your Crotch, My Nose". It's a jangly folk number with a rural heart and big city dreams. The song descends into an introspective outro... that will leave you pondering the imponderable, questioning the unanswerable, fathoming the... well you get the point.

Yours,

John

...

Your Crotch, My Nose
may 12, 2008

intro

I don't know why I do it
it's buried deep inside my genes
but when your friends and family visit
I always make a scene

it's not about affection
or these feelings that we've felt
it's merely an inspection
of that mystery below your belt

your crotch, my nose
your crotch, my nose
I don't know why…
I don't know why…
but they go together

intro

I don't know why you're squirming
breaking out into a sweat
you act like I'm a stranger
like we've never even met

you're blushing and you're cussing
trying to push me away
but you know I'm not a quitter
you didn't raise me that way

your crotch, my nose
your crotch, my nose
I don't know why…
I don't know why…

instrumental bridge

your crotch, my nose
your crotch, my nose
I don't know why…
I don't know why…
but they go together
they go together
they go together
they go together

I'll Write For You

2008-04-24T11:28:00.006-06:00

Hi,

It's that time again... Time to bring back the Hire-John-To-Write-You-A-Song program. Otherwise known as HJTWYASP... It's catchy, no?

Here's how it works:

1) You pick something - anything - that you'd like me to write a song about. Literally, any topic or feeling or thought or situation... no matter how vague or specific.

2) Send me an email (letters@johncommon.com) with your idea(s) to me. Along with a check... How much? I dunno. It's not about the money, but I did this for $50 a song last time and realized I might have sold myself a little short. I end up spending about 10 to 20 hours on these things. So pay me what you think is fair. I'm flexible.

3) I take in what you send me... as inspiration. And see what happens... This is the mysterious part of the process. The part where we both have to have a little faith in each other.

4) Hopefully, I write a song. Hopefully it's good. Maybe even great. Then I record it for you - usually an acoustic, intimate kind of recording. But who knows... maybe I'll record it with an orchestra. Then I send it to you as an MP3 along with the lyrics.

5) You do with it whatever you want. And I might too. I did this with my friend Katie and ended writing a song named "Don't Follow Virginia". It's likely going to be on my next record. You can hear a live demo of it on my myspace page right now if you'd like. Here's the story behind that song.

This whole process is really fun. And frankly, I enjoy having inspiration from something other than my own set of experiences. And... it gives folks a VERY DIRECT way to support me and my music.

Email me if you're interested! I'll just sit here and wait for you.

~John

Good Heart

2008-04-21T11:53:00.002-06:00

Just finished a rough demo of a new song I've been working on for several months... You can hear it on my myspace page if you'd like: myspace.com/johncommon.

good heart

good heart
I'm nothing without…
good heart
but I've got my doubts

good heart inside
broken before
told many lies
pushed out the door

good heart
I've always known
you had
a mind of your own

find one who can love
simple and true
but clever and carved
enough to hold you

oh what is it? Why are you down?
baby I see you all over town
staring at people in love
and they can see…
your jealousy
oh… good heart

good heart
you're searching for one
good heart
that won't ever run

good heart inside
bashful and still
telling no lies
having the will
to stay
and find a way…

oh what is it? Why are you down?
baby I see you all over town
staring at people in love
and they can see…
your jealousy
oh…
oh…
good heart

New song

2008-04-17T13:05:00.003-06:00

Thinking 'Bout God

Thinking 'bout God
Thinking 'bout God
Thinking 'bout God
I wonder what he's thinking of me?

Where do we go
Where do we go
Where do we go
Where do we go when we die?

I'm looking for comfort
Under the covers
Listen to the radio

Thinking 'bout God
Thinking 'bout God
Thinking 'bout God
I wonder if he's really around?

I hear that he died
Hear that he died
Hear that he died
We killed him with the Internet.

Technology's leading
Jesus is bleeding
I saw it on TV

When I was a kid
I went to church, read the word, did the thing
I took it on faith
God was around but he just wasn't talking

Back in the day
Back in the day
Back in the day
He was always walking around.

But he disappeared
He disappeared
He disappeared
Why did he go underground?

Everyone claims him
Nobody blames him
I think we could use him
If we didn't abuse him
Listen to the radio

I'm… I'm hearing voices
I'm… I'm hearing voices
I'm… I'm hearing voices

If everything's one
Everything's one
Everything's one
Then why do I feel so alone?

All of the books
All of the books
All of the books
Maybe they all got it wrong.

If God is inside me
Why is he hiding?
I'm a technical marval
But I feel kinda larval

When I was a kid
I went to church, read the word, did the thing
I took it on faith
God was around but he just wasn't talking

When I was a kid
(thinking 'bout god)
When I was a kid
(thinking 'bout god)
When I was a kid
(thinking 'bout god)
When I was a kid
(thinking 'bout god)

Telly Savalas, you make me weep, ya big ole bald lug.

2008-04-17T11:22:00.005-06:00

Nobody could do this Bread song better than Telly Savalas. Not even Shatner. Not even Nemoy.

It's like he connected a CAT-5 ethernet cable to all of our hearts and did a total download of it's sloppy, loving contents.

New song.

2008-04-14T14:20:00.004-06:00

Shiny New Shell

Shiny new shell
What memory
Brought you to me
Suddenly still

Shiny new shell
The hurting and fear
All disappear
When you say you will

Lift me up
Hold me up
Again, again
I'll do the same
Call my name
Like a friend

Shiny new shell
What shall we do?
Lonely and blue
Is space we can fill

Shiny new shell
Finally here
Your voice in my ear
Saying you will

Lift me up
Hold me up
Again, again
I'll do the same
Call my name
Like a friend

Shiny new shell